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, statutory obligations mean that more specific commitments are required for promoting equality. The attached equalities policy and action plan sets out how the Council aims to eliminate any discrimination based on gender, race, disability or age by ensuring measures are in place to monitor whether the Council's policies or practices discriminate against any particular group and then to identify what measures could be taken to reduce any discrimination.

These include:

• measures to ensure we are not discriminating against minority groups through our employment policies
• a duty to promote equality between racial groups and for people with disabilities (this is shortly to be extended to gender as well)

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 and Diversity policy and action plan.

Both pieces of legislation also include 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 have any comments about our policy, action plans or impact assessments, please contact: Kathryn.winfield@runnymede.gov.uk or telephone: 01932 425616.

Equality Policy and Action Plan

Equality Impact Assessments

You may find the following websites useful if you are looking for different services or translation or interpretation services.

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

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)

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/index.asp

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/

http://www.disabledgo.info/