Equal Opportunities in Employment
Statement of Policy
“The Council is an Equal Opportunities Employer. The aim of our
policy is to ensure that entry into the employment of the Council
and progression within its service shall be determined solely by
the application of objective criteria and personal merit. No
applicant or employee shall be treated less favourably than another
on grounds of: age, disability, gender (inc. reassignment), race,
religion or belief or sexual orientation."
For more information
view the
Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy 
(89K)
Selection Process
- Selection criteria and procedures will be kept under review to
ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and treated on the
basis of their relevant abilities and merits.
- Applications will be encouraged from disabled people who have
the necessary abilities for the post.
- Job descriptions and associated conditions will relate to the
particular job. They will define the qualifications, experience and
other skills required in the post, and will only include those
factors which are necessary and justifiable on objective criteria
for the satisfactory performance of the job.
- Recruitment literature will be consistent with the job
description, and aimed at as wide a group of suitably qualified and
experienced people as possible. Applications will be encouraged
from under-represented groups.
- Recruitment advertisements will be drafted to avoid any form of
discrimination.
Employees will not be discriminated against in respect of pay and
conditions of service. This applies equally to any benefits,
facilities or services which are provided to them.
- Training opportunities will be equally available to all
employees, whether male or female, or whether weekly or monthly
paid and irrespective of ethnic origin. Employees will be consulted
regularly about their training needs.
- Employees will receive training to help them to perform their
job effectively. Training, education and vocational courses leading
to qualifications relevant to their career will be open to all, in
order to assist them to achieve their full potential.
Conditions of Service
- The Council will adopt a policy on Job Sharing,
which will allow men and women to apply for employment on a
part-time basis, sharing the duties, pay and hours of work with
another person. The policy will enable as many jobs to be open to
job sharing as is operationally practicable. The Council will
advertise in local press and appropriate media about job-sharing,
and will maintain a register of external and internal applicants.
Chief Officers will not refuse applications for job sharing
unreasonably, but will retain discretion about the final
decision.
Training and Development
- The Council will not permit any form of harassment of its
employees. It will investigate complaints of harassment, which
should normally be directed through the official grievance
procedure. But if the complaint is against the employee's
supervising or senior officer, it may be raised directly with the
Head of Service or Chief Executive.
- No-one who brings a complaint or grievance in good faith under
the policy will be subject to victimisation or any other detriment
as a result of their actions.
- Employees who fail to observe the Equal Opportunities Policy
will be subject to the disciplinary procedure.
- Disabled applicants will be given full and fair consideration
for all types of vacancies.
- Wherever possible, the Authority will retain the services of an
employee who is, or becomes disabled and, where necessary, provide
retraining and redeployment. Disabled employees will be given equal
opportunities with other employees for training and career
development and promotion.
Job Sharing
The Council will adopt a policy on Job Sharing, which will allow
men and women to apply for employment on a part-time basis, sharing
the duties, pay and hours of work with another person. The policy
will enable as many jobs to be open to job sharing as is
operationally practicable. The Council will advertise in local
press and appropriate media about job-sharing, and will maintain a
register of external and internal applicants. Chief Officers will
not refuse applications for job sharing unreasonably, but will
retain discretion about the final decision.
Harassment and Bullying
- The Council will not permit any form of harassment of its
employees. It will investigate complaints of harassment, which
should normally be directed through the official grievance
procedure. But if the complaint is against the employee's
supervising or senior officer, it may be raised directly with the
Head of Service or Chief Executive.
- No-one who brings a complaint or grievance in good faith under
the policy will be subject to victimisation or any other detriment
as a result of their actions.
- Employees who fail to observe the Equal Opportunities Policy
will be subject to the disciplinary procedure.
Employment of Disabled People
- Disabled applicants will be given full and fair consideration
for all types of vacancies.
- Wherever possible, the Authority will retain the services of an
employee who is, or becomes disabled and, where necessary, provide
retraining and redeployment. Disabled employees will be given equal
opportunities with other employees for training and career
development and promotion.
