Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked those on the top table to introduce themselves.  Attendees were reminded to introduce themselves, state the organisation they represented, if applicable, and to use the microphone when addressing the meeting.

The Chair elected her Vice Chair, Councillor Steve Murfitt.

Apologies for absence have been received from Councillor Rosemary Russell, Maureen and Ronnie Kay (Deaf Forum), Maruel Urry (Hoghton Parish Council), Brian and Yvonne Curwen (Walking for Health), Finlay Hodge (Community Futures), Marilyn Porter (Chorley & South Ribble Crossroads Care), Faruk Desai (Racial Equality Council), Judith Daniels, Stephanie Iaconianni (Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS  Foundation Trust), Ginny Jones (Chorley Pensioners Association), Estelle Brown (Chorley Pensioners Association), Bob Minto (NHS Central Lancashire).

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Equality Forum held on 12 April 2012.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2012 were confirmed as a correct subject to the following amendment:

·        12.EF.28 Stephanie Iaconianni’s correct email address is as follows: Stephanie.Iaconianni@lthr.nhs.uk

The Chair of the Equality Forum, Councillor Hasina Khan, will introduce this item.

Members of the Forum will be asked to split in to small groups to discuss the following questions:

1.    What are the key equality issues?

2.    What can members do as organisations and individuals to address issues identified?

3.    How can the Equality Forum help to reach the outcome?

There will be a short feedback session after each question.

The Chair invited members of the Equality Forum to take part in an interactive  session the purpose of which was to gain a better understanding of members key equality issues, how they can be addressed as individual groups and through the Equality Forum.

Members of the Equality Forum were asked, in small groups, to discuss three questions, spending ten minutes on each question.  Members of the Equality Forum were then asked to put their ideas on paper which was feedback after each question time period had elapsed.

Feedback from the session included:    

What are the key equality issues?

·        Discrimination against particular groups and use of language

·        Access to services, transport

·        Health equalities and deprivation – reducing gaps

·        Age and age issues

·        Addressing alternative forms of accommodation for Gypsy travellers

·        Concern of the travelling communities about the obstruction that are put in the path of achieving equality

·        Faith forums

·        Young people joining extremists groups

·        Ignorance and culture issues – understanding and respecting each others culture

In response to the comment relating to the creation of a Faith Forum, the Chair announced that discussions were already underway, the progress of which would report back to the Equality Forum on 9 October 2012.

What can members do as organisations and individuals to address issues identified?

·        Improved education

·        Celebrating diversity/celebrating differences

·        Improved communication

·        The Council to introduce Typetalk in its Customer Services Section

How can the Equality Forum help to reach the outcome?

·        Introduce an Equality Forum development plan

·        Providing resources and budgets

·        Traveller Gypsy Liaison

·        Education in schools

·        Create a central communal area that’s attractive to all ages and cultures

·        Citizenship courses in schools

·        Improve night time economy

-       Socializing

-       Evening activities

Other issues highlighted during the session had been included on the Q&A sheet at the back of these minutes.

Members of the Equality Forum were thanked for taking part in the session. All the comments made would be analysed and feed into a summary plan which would be brought to the next meeting.

The Chair introduced a short networking break.

Jeanette Hickey from Lancashire Police will present this item which includes a short DVD..

What is the purpose of this item?

To raise awareness of the different types of Hate Incidents/Crimes and to increase reporting

Questions to the Forum?

Questions would be are there any groups who would benefit from a more comprehensive input of approximately 2 and half hours.

What will be the outcome of the session?

The outcome should be that members of the Forum are more able to recognise and report hate incidents/crimes.

Jeanette Hickey can be contacted on the following email address: jeanette.hickey@lancashire.pnn.police.uk

Jeanette Hickey from Lancashire Police introduced a short DVD the aim of which was to raise awareness of the different types of hate incidents/crimes and increased reporting.

At the conclusion on the DVD members of the Forum were invited to provide feedback which included:

·        The DVD did not show hate crime against members of the travelling community.  In response Sargent Hickey advised that this was a shortened version of a much longer DVD that featured a true story of a serious hate crime against a member of the travelling community.  It was the longer playing DVD that was shown at presentations and training events.

·        Members of the Youth Council were concerned that at one point the DVD showed young people being the perpetrators of hate crime.  It was felt that this gave the wrong message about young people.  Sargent Hickey reassured members of the Forum that the DVD was not trying to stereotype young people in this way and would like to discuss the Youth Council’s concerns further.

The Chair thanked Sargent Hickey for attending.

If you would like to contact Sargent Jeanette Hickey please email Jeanette.Hickey@lancashire.pnn.police.uk.     

The enclosed report provides Members of the Equality Forum with a summary of the findings and next steps of the Social Inclusion Task and Finish Group.

This report is for information only and there will be no additional presentation with for this item.  For a copy of the full report once approved by the Social Inclusion Task and Finish Group or if you have any questions please contact Victoria Willets on email: victoria.willett@chorley.gov.uk  

Members of the Equality Forum received a report from the Chief Executive which provided an update on the progress of the Social Isolation Task and Finish Group and its recommendations and the development of an action plan based on the recommendations.

If you want further information or have any comments please forward your request to Victoria Willett on  01257 515348 or email: victoria.willett@chorley.gov.uk.

Definition: Where this is referred to, it refers to a person belonging to a particular  age (e.g. 32 year olds) or range of ages (e.g. 18 - 30 year olds).

No issues were raised.

DEFINITION: A person has a disability if s/he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on that person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

No issues were raised.

Definition: The process of transitioning from one gender to another.

No issues were raised.

Definition: Pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant or expecting a baby. Maternity refers to the period after the birth, and is linked to maternity leave in the employment context. In the non-work context, protection against maternity discrimination is for 26 weeks after giving birth, and this includes treating a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding.

No issues were raised.

Definition: Refers to the protected characteristic of Race. It refers to a group of people defined by their race, colour, and nationality (including citizenship) ethnic or national origins.

Runshaw College sought  the Equality Forum’s views on the preferred acronym ‘BAME’ (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) rather than ‘BME’ (Black and Minority Ethnic).

Definition: Religion has the meaning usually given to it but belief includes religious and philosophical beliefs including lack of belief (e.g. Atheism). Generally, a belief should affect your life choices or the way you live  for it to be included in the definition.

No issues were raised.

Definition: Members of a rural population.

No issues were raised.

Definition: A man or a woman

No issues were raised.

Definition: Whether a person's sexual attraction is towards their own sex, the opposite sex or to both sexes.

No issues were raised.

Members of the Forum are welcome to inform other members of upcoming event, give feedback or notices. 

·        Clayton Brook festival

The Clayton Brook festival would be taking place on Saturday, 7 July 2012 between 11am and 4pm on the village green.  The festival was open to all, with a variety of events taking place which included face painting.

·        Home-Start Chorley and South Ribble

Home-Start are holding an event for voluntary, community and faith sector organisations on Tuesday, 10 July at 2pm.

·        REACH – Disability Awareness Event

REACH would be hosting an event on Friday, 10 August 2012 between 11am-3pm at Chorley marketplace. 

This is the first of two events, the purpose of which was to raise disability awareness in both Chorley and South Ribble.  The second event would take place on Thursday, 16 August at South Ribble Borough Council, Civic Centre, Leyland also between 11am-3pm.

For more information contact Suzie Jones on email: suzie@disability-equality.org.uk. 

The next meeting of the Equality Forum will be held on 9 October 2012 at 6.30pm in the Lancastrian Room, Town Hall, Chorley.

Future meetings of the Equality Forum will be held on the following dates:

·        21 January 2013

·        18 April 2013 (this was previously scheduled for 16 April)

All meetings will commence at 6.30pm and be held in the Lancastrian Room, Town Hall, Chorley unless otherwise stated on the agenda.

Members of the Equality Forum noted the dates of future meetings:

·        9 October 2012

·        21 January 2013

·        18 April 2013 (this date had changed from 16 April which had been advertised previously)

All meetings were scheduled to take place at 6.30pm in the Lancastrian Room, Town Hall, Chorley unless advised otherwise.