Consultation on Reform of the EHRC

The Consultation process on the Government's proposal to reform the Equality and Human Rights Commission runs until 15 June. The consultation document can be found at www.equalities.gov.uk

 

There is merit in those proposals in the consultation document to focus the remit of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on its core role as regulator, and to disentangle this regulatory function from the provision of information advice and support to individuals and organisations. However the provision of these services is a key area and the consultation document seeks views upon the future pattern of these. 

 

It is envisaged that the EHRC would be directly involved in capacity building to enable existing networks such as Law Centres and Citizens advice to provide support to individuals on equalities and human rights issues. 

 

While there could be an assumption that support for employers and organisations will be provided by existing organisations such as ACAS and the various collective employers groups there may be better models for providing such support help and guidance to organisations and indeed to individuals.

 

The aspiration of Government to see the development of voluntary and community based organisations to support the values of the Big Society may open up the possibilities of new ways of delivering support for individuals and organisations.  In informing the development of a response to the consultation document on behalf of the PPMA Diversity Network it would be useful to get views from PPMA members on, using the words if the consultation document, what a new citizen focused cost effective information and generalist advice service would look like, and of any areas where any models for such services have been developed.

 

Similarly the answer to the question about how the Government's funding stream should most effectively support civil society organisations to promote equalities, human rights and tackle discrimination would be informed by any experience of effective local arrangements which meet these criteria

 

The public sector Equality Duty envisages communities holding public bodies to account for their delivery of the duty. Capacity building to enable this to become a reality is a further key issue in the light  of the weight that the consultation document places on the Equality Duty, and it would be helpful I f there is experience of  successful developments in this area that could be shared with the Diversity Network.

 

Comments and suggestions on these areas and indeed on any of the 14 consultation questions would be welcome to Roger Manning at r.m@iname.com by 6 June.

  

Thank you

Roger Manning

PPMA Diversity Network