In 2002 the council adopted the Equality Standard for Local Government (ESLG), as our delivery framework for delivering equality and improving our services. The ESLG was set up by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA).
The ESLG provided local government with a framework to help remove discrimination from service delivery, policies and employment practices and embed equalities across the council.
In December 2009, South Gloucestershire Council achieved Level 4 of the Equality Standard’s five levels.
In order to achieve Level 4, the council demonstrated its practices in four key areas:
- Leadership and corporate commitment
- Consultation, community development and scrutiny
- Customer care and service delivery
- Employment and training
The council was externally assessed as achieving Level 3 of the ESLG “by a significant margin, with deeply embedded processes which clearly demonstrate a genuine commitment to the principles of equality and diversity” in May 2008. Following a robust self assessment in 2009, the council demonstrated that we have fully met the requirements of Level 4.
The Equality Standard for Local Government has now been replaced by the Equality Framework for Local Government (EFLG). The EFLG continues and extends the agenda set out by the Equality Standard.
South Gloucestershire Council feel that we are now well positioned to achieve the ‘Excellent’ level of the new Equality Framework for Local Government and work has already begun to enable the transition to the new EFLG and towards achievement of the ‘Excellent’ Level.
There are three Levels of achievement within the EFLG structure which replace the 5 Levels of the Equality Standard. These Levels and the comparable Levels of the Equality Standard are as follows:
| Equality Framework For Local Government (Levels of Recognition) |
Equality Standard for Local Government
(Levels of Recognition) |
| ‘Developing’ |
1 |
| |
2 |
| ‘Achieving’ |
3 |
| ‘Excellence’ |
5 |
Councils at Level 4 of the Equality Standard for Local Government are classed as ‘moving towards excellence’ under the EFLG. This is an interim state which is intended to recognise the achievement of Level 4, but it is not a distinct Level under the new Framework. It is a transitional stage that will be phased out in 2013 since the handful of authorities currently at Level 4 will be expected to start working to the 'Excellent' stage of the Framework.
View our ESLG Levels 3 and 4 assessment reports in the ‘Read More’ box to the right of your screen.