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Equality legislation makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender, disability, race, nationality, religion, belief, sexual orientation or age.
Individuals and groups can experience a range of barriers that prevent them enjoying the same quality of life as their peers. The Council's aim is to ensure that its services are equally accessible by all people who need them, irrespective of gender, race, disability or age. This has been the Council's stated aim since adoption of the Equal Opportunities policy in 1995 and is integrated into normal working practices.
However public bodies also have a statutory duty to promote equality. The attached Equality policy sets out how the Council aims to eliminate any discrimination based on gender, disability, race, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief by ensuring measures are in place to monitor whether its policies or practices discriminate against any particular group and then identify what can be done to ensure everyone is able to access its services.
The duty to promote equality between people of different racial groups is part of the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000), which requires that the Council has a Race Equality Scheme. The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 requires the authority to promote equality for disabled people and to publish a Disability Equality Scheme. The Equality Act (2006) required the authority to publish a gender equality scheme.
These schemes are all incorporated in the attached equality plan and departmental action plans.
Equality legislation also includes a requirement for the Council to assess the impact of our services or changes to policy or services on minority groups. We have started to assess these impact and the initial assessments are attached to the link below (equality impact assessments).
If you, or someone you know, does not speak English, you may find the following information useful. The Council has an arrangement with Woking Interpreting and Translation Service. You can ring: 01483 750548 and leave a message in your own language, stating what your query is. A translator will ring you back and clarify your query. If it relates to a council service, they will then ring an officer at the Council and ask the question on your behalf or explain the situation.
If you have any comments about our policy, action plans or impact assessments, please contact: Johanna.Ayres@runnymede.gov.uk or telephone: 01932 425648.
Equality Policy - The Council will be reviewing its Equality Policy in 2012.
Equality Data
Borough statistics for Age
Borough statistics for BME
Borough statistics for Disability
Equality Impact Assessments
Workforce Monitoring 2011
You may find the following websites useful if you are looking for different services or translation or interpretation services.
Translation Services for different languages
AbilityNet helps disabled adults and children use computers and the internet by adapting and adjusting their ICT. In 2005 we supported 490,000 people of all ages. Whatever the disability or problem, everyone can stay in touch and enjoy life more with ICT. www.abilitynet.org.uk
Chinese Association of Woking. The Chinese Association of Woking was formed in 1987 as a non-profit making voluntary organisation. It is the cultural, educational and social heart of the Chinese community. Members and their families are based in and around the Woking area. Most of them come from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Some are from Britain and other nations.
Woking Pakistan Muslim Welfare Association. To work for the benefit of, and help to promote the interests of Muslim's living in Woking and adjacent areas, without any discrimination on the basis of creed or colour, sect, sex, political affiliations or opinions of the members. To help the community in the field of Education, Health, welfare Culture Sports by arranging lectures Seminars Discussions and debates producing leaflets and printed material. The Maybury Centre, 27 Board School Road, Central Maybury, Woking, Surrey, GU21 5HD 01483 770600
Shifa - Asian Women's Support Group. This group is specifically for Asian Women with mental health problems, and aims to provide a safe and secure setting where members can socialise without feeling stigmatised or isolated. Group members are encouraged to develop life-long learning skills which may help them to increase their self-confidence and self-esteem. The group also concentrates on the complex cultural and spiritual needs of its Asian women members, an area where in the past help has not been readily available. www.shifa-woking.org.uk
Woking Interpretation and Translation Service. WITS was set up in 1990 to provide trained Community Interpreters and Translators for use by members of the statutory and voluntary services in Surrey. Interpreters and Translators are trained to a nationally recognised standard in Community Interpreters' Skills and work in the strictest confidence. It is part of Woking Association of Voluntary Services: www.windowonwoking.org.uk/sites/wavs/ABOUTWAVS/wits
deafPLUS South promotes social inclusion and independent living for the 1 in 7 adults with any level of deafness. Our Mobile Advisory Service provides advice and information and the opportunity to try out specialised equipment to make daily life easier. Our Home Benefits Service helps hard-of-hearing/D/deafened people with claims for welfare benefits including DLA, AA & Pension Credit. Deaf awareness Training is also offered. deafPLUS South has 2 offices in the South East, in Farnborough and Aldershot covering Hampshire and Surrey. In Somerset, our 2 discrete services run out of our base in Taunton. http://www.deafplus.org/
67 Albert Road, Farnborough, Hants, GU14 6SL 01252 510051 (telephone) 01252 524642 (fax) 01252 510051 (textphone)
The Runnymede Access Liaison Group (RALG) was originally set up in 1991 as an advisory body to Runnymede Borough Council to suggest how the needs of disabled people might be best met within the Borough. ������Now an independent group, but still maintaining strong links with the Borough Council, the Group provides a representative "voice" for disabled residents. As well as its advisory work for the Council, the Group provides a channel of advice to individual residents and community groups on how to access services and facilities for the disabled. http://www.ralg.org.uk/
Surrey Adult Physical Disability Register https://www.saldr.org.uk/saldr/saldr.nsf?opendatabase
Surrey Association for Visual Impairment. Rentwood, Fetcham, Surrey KT22 9JX 01372 377701 http://www.surreywebsight.org.uk/
Action for Blind People is a dynamic national charity founded in 1857. We are one of the largest charities in the UK working with blind and partially sighted people to enable them to transform their lives. Our mission is to inspire change and create opportunities to enable blind and partially sighted people to have equal voice and equal choice. Every year we provide direct support for more than 22,000 people. http://www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk/
The Benefits Agency. http://www.dwp.gov.uk
The Big Print. The Big Print story. Big Print is the only British weekly newspaper published in bold text - sometimes double the size of standard print in major daily newspapers. Big Print was launched in the UK in 1992 to help people who struggle to read the print of conventional newspapers and who do not wish to use taped 'talking' newspapers. Big Print comprises of weekly national and international news coverage provided by the country's leading news agencies (including PA and Rueters) which is then edited into pages by our own editorial team. Big Print newspaper has a UK readership of around 14,500 and is produced by RNIB.
Diabetes UK. http://www.diabetes.org.uk/In_Your_Area/South_East/