Equality

Public Sector Equality Duty 

The Equality Act 2010 created the Public Sector Equality Duty. This requires public authorities to think about how to:

• Eliminate discrimination.
• Meet the needs of different groups of people.
• Foster good relations between different groups and communities by tackling prejudice and promoting understanding.

Public authorities, like us, also need  to publish information to show how we meet this duty. One of the ways we do this is publish a report presenting the workforce profile across protected characteristics:

• Wokingham Borough Council equality monitoring workforce report (PDF)

Equality impact assessments 

We undertake Equality Impact Assessments to make sure we are consider the needs of all residents when planning and delivering services. 

Our equality impact process has been updated to take into account the new Armed Forces Covenant, which came into force in November 2022.

If you would like to discuss proposed changes to a service, policy or general issue, email inclusion.team@wokingham.gov.uk

Voice of Inclusion and Equality (VINE)

Developed from what was previously the Equality Forum, the VINE consists of the individuals and voluntary and community organisations who represent communities and protected characteristic groups in the Borough. 

They partner and engage with the Council to tackle all forms of inequality in Wokingham and are a voice for communities and the inequalities they face with the aim of becoming a place where everyone Belongs.

Some of the ways in which the VINE is making a difference to our communities include:

• Allocating Community Diversity Grants to support a wide range of projects in Wokingham
• Co-producing a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy (PDF) with Wokingham Borough Council
• Celebrating Black History Month in 2024 with an expert panel and webinar.
• Hosting a webinar in September 2025 during National Inclusion Week, to share the new policy with the community and share the message: Now is the time to turn words into action. 

Coming soon…..VINE’s first newsletter, more events.

Join the movement to help inclusion and belonging in Wokingham

Do you have a passion for reducing inequalities? Do you work with or represent members of our community who find it difficult to have their voices heard? Would you like to do something that creates a real impact in the local community?

Why not join us on the VINE.

The ethos of the VINE is one of:

• Shared ownership
• Fairness
• Open, transparent and respectful
• Inclusive engagement
• Accessible / engaging language
• Clear boundaries
• Honest, working together and acting as a critical friend
• Accountable
• Focused on outcomes and outputs to achieve results
• Auditable processes in place when grants available
• Creating a feeling of belonging

If you would like to express an interest in joining us, complete this short form today and tell us about yourself.

*Please note that the VINE is a strictly non-political group.