Equal Opportunities Statement

"Fareham Borough Council welcomes the diversity of its population. It recognises that people from socially excluded groups may experience discrimination because of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, low income and other factors.

The Council is committed to working to achieve equality of opportunity for all its communities and service users. To achieve this each service will produce action plans that will ensure that:

• all employees take positive action directed at preventing discrimination in service delivery and ensuring the provision of culturally sensitive, appropriate and equally service accessible services;

• all employees implement the Council's dignity at work policy;

• services to socially excluded groups are of the same quality as services to other sectors of the community;

• promotion of equality of opportunity to is present in all employment practices in line with Council policies;

• all employees have the opportunity to access adequate and appropriate training on social inclusion and equality issues;

• robust mechanisms are in place to record, review and monitor all service delivery and employment policies, results and performance to ensure on-going effectiveness;

• all Best Value service reviews consider the involvement and consultation of service users or potential service users from socially excluded and hard to reach groups where appropriate and include social cohesion data when assessing gaps in service provision;

• representation of socially excluded groups is considered in the design and delivery of services; and

consideration is given to the promotion of its services and its image so that the diversity of the local population is properly reflected in all materials."

Policy Statement: Equality in Service Delivery

Abbreviated statement

Fareham Borough Council will actively work towards the elimination of any barriers that prevent equity within the Borough. We will address equality of access to the services provided by the Council and, where possible, consider individual needs, in order to encourage the development of opportunities for local residents and service users.