Equality profile, plan and report
We are committed to tackling inequality in Wokingham Borough. Read our equalities profile and plans:
Tackling Poverty Strategy
We’ve now agreed our Tackling Poverty Strategy (PDF document).
This was created in partnership with the Hardship Alliance, which brought leaders of local charities together to shape our plans. The strategy sets out how we will:
- Lessen the short-term effects of poverty
- Prevent more people falling into poverty
- Better support our residents who are living in poverty
- Enable residents to better address the barriers to overcoming poverty
Information on how to get help if you’re struggling can be found on our Cost of living pages.
Equality Forum
We’ve supported the launch of the independent Equality Forum.
This is community-led, providing representatives from local groups with a platform to discuss the needs and aspirations of their communities and shape our services. Organisations represented can be found at the bottom of this page.
Email our Equality Forum inbox, on equalityforum@wokingham.gov.uk to find out more.
We have launched a grant scheme to support emerging organisations which support equality. Find out more on our community diversity grants page.
For more information on groups and services in the borough, please visit our community directory.
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:
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
Our equality action plan at work
Across the council, work is underway to bring our equality action plan to life, and we want to share some of the positive changes that are already taking place:
- Visit our news website to find out how we're ensuring all communities who experience domestic abuse feel confident in accessing our services
- Visit our news website to find out how Wokingham’s Youth Council is providing a platform for young people in the borough to debate and feedback on important issues
Equality Forum members
- African Caribbean Society
- Aisha Mosque
- All Churches
- Barbados and Friends Residents Association
- The Black Boy Joy Club
- Berkshire Against Racism
- Chinese School
- CLASP
- Community United Berkshire
- First Days
- Get Berkshire Active
- Holme Grange School
- Indian Association
- Involve
- Kaleidoscope
- Link Visiting
- Oxfordshire MIND
- Pakistani Association
- Project Salama Womens Group
- Reading East African Muslim Community.
- Reading Refugee Group
- SEND Voices Wokingham
- Support U
- The Polish Education Society
- The Wayz Youth
- Utuivu Women’s Group
- WBC Involved Tenants
- Wokingham Baptist Church
- Wokingham Gurdwara
- Wokingham Pride
- Wokingham Youth MP
