Our approach to equality and diversity

We recognise that equality and diversity is not a parallel process or something to think about once a year. It is an absolutely fundamental part of improving services for everyone and of our vision to become the ‘living city of opportunities’ for everyone. It is nothing to do with ticking boxes or bureaucracy, and everything to do with making Westminster a place where anyone can be happy to live or work. It is central to delivering high quality customer services in the heart of London. We identify and actively address inequality, where evidence shows that it exists.

Westminster is extremely diverse. The City attracts new migrants, with over half of all our residents born outside of the UK. There is also a great deal of change as new groups arrive and others move on. In Westminster:

• more than half our residents are non-White British 
• there is a high proportion of residents of working age
• there are a vast number of different religious beliefs
• there is a higher than average population who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transsexual (LGBT) and 
• around 15% of our residents have a disability.

This diversity and the changing nature of Westminster’s population makes Westminster a culturally and socially rich City, which benefits from the different experiences, perspectives and respect for others that this diversity brings.

This diversity also presents challenges. The best services are those services that are designed and delivered for the local community. In a diverse and constantly changing city, such as Westminster, this means we have to embed an understanding of equality and diversity into everything the Council does (that is recognising people’s different needs, situations and goals, and removing the barriers that limit access and achievement) if we are to meet and balance the needs of all these groups of people. 

We are currently consulting on a new Single Equality Scheme 2010-13, which is our plan to deliver high quality customer services in the heart of London through actions to promote equality of opportunity, tackle discrimination and foster good relations between different community groups.  It is also our plan to support equality of opportunity within our workforce.

The Single Equality Scheme is a new approach that brings our equality actions together under one banner to best meet the needs of Westminster. For the first time, the Scheme sets out the key equality issues in Westminster and how we are going to address them.

Please tell us what you think!

The consultation closes 25 March 2010.

Web survey: Click here to take the survey

Email: equalities@westminster.gov.uk

Write to: Policy, Innovation and Partnerships (Equalities), 64 Victoria Street, London  SW1E 6QP

Call: 020 7641 2894

These pages also contain information on our current schemes and approaches to equality and diversity.