Equality Framework for Local Government

We are ‘Achieving' at equalities!

Salford City Council has been awarded "Achieving" status in the Equality Framework for Local Government (EFLG). Peer assessors led by the Local Government Improvement and Development (LGID) organisation visited the council in March 2011 to review the standard of our equality and diversity performance in a process known as "peer challenge".

During their two days on site, the assessors carried out extensive interviews and focus groups with staff from across the council, councillors, our partners and representatives of the voluntary and community sector. Prior to this, the Equalities and Cohesion team had prepared an extensive self assessment which was submitted to the assessment team before their visit.  

On 31 March 2011, the assessors concluded the council had obtained "achieving" level status (there are three levels within the EFLG: developing, achieving and excellent). They were really impressed with the quality of much of our work and the standard of the evidence we had produced for the assessment.

The LGID have now provided us with a final report detailing their findings and recommendations. We made a pledge to publish this. This is available below. The equalities and cohesion team would like to thank everyone who has contributed, those involved in the initial internal assessment interviews, those who have provided us with evidence of their work, those involved in interviews and focus groups with the peer assessors and finally those who have helped with the organisation of the whole process.

Background information

The EFLG replaced the Equality Standard in 2009 as the main equality and diversity benchmarking tool for local authorities. The new framework was designed by LGID (previously known as the IDeA).

The framework builds on and recognises the work that councils have already undertaken under the old standard, but contains many new features as well as being more outcomes focused. The framework allows the council to build equalities objectives into mainstream business planning and is based on three levels of achievement:

• Level 1: Developing
• Level 2: Achieving
• Level 3: Excellent

At each level, councils are self-assessed against five performance areas:

• Knowing your communities and equality mapping
• Place shaping, leadership, partnership and organisational commitment
• Community engagement and satisfaction
• Responsive services and customer care
• A modern and diverse workforce

Salford City Council was committed to reach the ‘Achieving' level of the framework by April 2011. Now we have we are now planning how we can move towards the 'Excellent' level.

For further information on the EFLG please contact the Equalities and Cohesion team.

This page was last updated on 27 October 2011