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CONTENTS
Foreword
by the Chief Executive of the Valuation Office Agency
- Introduction
- The Valuation Office Agency
- The Valuation Office Agency
Functions
- Assessment of Functions and
Policies for Relevance
- Arrangements for Assessing and
Consulting on Proposed Policies
- Arrangements for Monitoring
the Impact of its Policies
- Arrangements for Publication
of Assessments, Consultation and Monitoring Results
- Arrangements to Ensure Public
Access to Information and Services
- Arrangements for Training Staff
on Related Issues
- Specific Duties in Employment
- Complaints
Annex A - Action Plan
FOREWORD BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE VALUATION OFFICE
AGENCY
The main aims of our Diversity and Equality policy are to ensure we recruit and retain the very best people from the widest possible pool; value our people as individuals and the differences between them; harness those differences to improve our business performance and assist our aim to become a world class organisation providing valuation and property services for the public sector.
To achieve this aim we need staff from all backgrounds with a broad range of skills and experience who also reflect the diversity of the customers and stakeholders they serve.
Our Diversity and Equality policy is embedded into our values and core behaviours, which are a fundamental part of all our policies and processes, and I am pleased to have personally taken on the role of Diversity and Equality Champion, with all Board members committed to supporting me in this goal. Our Diversity and Equality policy is not just a statement of management aims and intentions but needs to be an integral part of everything we do. We all have a part to play in the successful application and operation of the Agency’s Diversity and Equality policy, recognising its contribution in achieving our business aims.
Andrew Hudson
Chief Executive
1. Introduction
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1.1 |
The
Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment)
Act 2000 requires the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), along
with all other Public Authorities, to comply with a General
Duty to promote racial equality and in particular:
- to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination;
- promote equality of opportunity; and
- promote good relations between persons of different racial
groups.
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1.2 |
As well as the VOA complying
with the General Duty placed upon it by the Race Relations (Amendment)
Act 2000, the Home Secretary has also issued an order under
the Act which sets out specific duties for the VOA in policy
making, service delivery and employment practices. |
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1.3 |
Under the specific
duties covering policy and service delivery, the VOA is required
to publish a Race Equality Scheme which states those of the
VOA's functions and policies which it has assessed as being
relevant to the general duty to promote racial equality, and
its arrangements for:
- assessing and consulting on the likely impact of its proposed
policies on the promotion of race equality;
- monitoring it's policies for any adverse impact on the
race equality;
- publishing the results of the VOA's assessments, consultation
and monitoring;
- ensuring public access to information and services which
it provides; and
- training VOA staff in connection with the general duty
placed upon it
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1.4 |
Under the specific
duty on employment, the VOA must monitor existing staff, and
applicants for jobs, promotion and training, by their racial
group. This will also include monitoring and analysing, by
racial group, grievances, disciplinary action, performance
appraisals, training and staff leaving the VO. |
2. The Valuation Office Agency
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2.1 |
The Valuation Office is an Executive Agency of
the Inland Revenue. The Inland Revenue has produced a Race Equality
scheme that is overarching and sets out the principles and practises
that apply throughout the Inland Revenue and its constituent
parts, including the VOA. The VOA has produced its own individual
Race Equality Scheme that reflects its own special needs and
priorities but the scheme will also be entirely consistent with
the overarching scheme of the Inland Revenue. |
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2.2 |
The VOA fully understands the importance of the
Scheme in promoting race equality to underpin its business performance
standards. The VOA will set out a timetabled action plan to
ensure that it meets its obligations to the Race Relations Amendment
Act 2000 and will build upon existing measures already in place
to promote race equality. The Scheme will be a living document
that will evolve and be reviewed and updated to reflect any
changing priorities facing the VOA. The review process will
be tied in with other management processes and will be part
of the VOA's core business. |
3. Valuation Office Agency Functions
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3.1 |
The Race Relations (Amendment)
Act 2000 defines a public authority's functions as the full
range of its duties and powers. The functions carried out
by the Valuation Office Agency are listed below:
- Rating and Council Tax valuation work for England and
Wales
- Valuation Services for the Inland Revenue in England,
Wales and Scotland
- A range of Valuation and Estate Surveying Services for
Other Government Departments, the Devolved Administrations
and other Public Bodies
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4. Assessment of Functions and Policies for Relevance
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4.1 |
The VOA has assessed its functions
listed in 3.1 above to see which are appropriate for inclusion
in the Race Equality Scheme. The assessment process included
the following steps:
- The listed functions were tested to see whether or not
they involved or affected members of the public in some
way. If they did in any way then they remained in the assessment
process
- a decision was then made to establish whether the inclusion
of a particular function within the scheme was proportionate
to the potential impact on the public. Any areas of doubt
about the potential impact of a particular function on the
public were included in the scheme.
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4.2 |
Following stages one and two
in compiling the list of functions for inclusion in the scheme,
the list will then be:
- used to determine any impact, or potential impact, for
ethnic minority communities. This should assist in determining
the functions that may have the greatest impact on ethnic
minority communities.
- the full list of VOA functions and impacts will be fully
reviewed on a three year basis
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5. Arrangements for Assessing and Consulting on Proposed
Policies
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5.1 |
The VOA is committed to making race equality a core developmental
element of new policies in so far as is practicable, taking
into account that core functions are based on Parliamentary
Legislation. |
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5.2 |
The VOA will minimise, where possible, barriers to effective
consultation by ensuring appropriate access to information and
by providing specific training for staff taking part in consultation
exercises to ensure that they have the necessary skills to communicate
effectively. |
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5.3 |
The VOA will assess and consult on whether proposed policies
would have any adverse effects on minority ethnic communities
as compared with those from the majority community, in so far
as it is practicable and take into account the results of equality
impact assessments and consultations carried out in relation
to adopted or proposed policies. |
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5.4 |
The VOA will consult as appropriate with the Commission for
Racial Equality on relevant issues and take into account any
proposals from the Commission. The VOA will also consult on
equality impact assessments with appropriate personnel and organisations. |
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5.5 |
The consultative arrangements within the VOA scheme will be
proportionate in relation to the nature of the proposed policy
and the potential impact on the public. |
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5.6 |
If as a result of consultation it appears that any part of
the proposed policy may have an adverse impact on ethnic minority
communities, then the VOA Management Board will consider what
alternative strategies are required or whether the adverse impact
is avoidable and whether it can be justified in relation to
the aims and importance of the policy. |
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5.7 |
The VOA will also work closely with representatives from internal
Trade Union Side on taking forward diversity and equality issues. |
6. Arrangements for Monitoring
the Impact of its Policies
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6.1 |
The Agency will need to know the
impact of its operational policies on its performance of the
duties within the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000. This will
help to make progress towards equality of opportunity. |
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6.2 |
Within three years of this Race
Equality Scheme, the Agency will assess
- the extent and adequacy of existing monitoring within
each of the operational policy areas, and
- the scope for extending it.
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6.3 |
In some cases, an equality impact
assessment of an operational policy may identify a potential
adverse impact on particular groups. If there is no feasible,
alternative policy, the Agency will:
- take steps to lessen any such adverse impact (mitigating
action)
- consider special monitoring and analysis to confirm the
extent of the adverse impact and/or the success of any mitigating
measures
- take into account any information collected through the
special monitoring arrangements in any future review of
the policy
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7. Arrangements for Publication
of Assessments, Consultation and Monitoring Results
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7.1 |
The Valuation Office Agency will:
- make publicly available the outcome of any equality impact
assessment and of any monitoring undertaken
- make this material available on the Valuation Office
Agency's Internet Website
- make this material available in printed form and in alternative
formats on request to The Equality and Diversity Officer
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7.2 |
Any material the Valuation Office Agency
publishes on equality impact assessments will include:
- the aims of the policy
- details of the outcome of the assessments highlighting
whether there is any adverse impact
- relevant, available, monitoring data
- details of consideration given to mitigate any adverse
impact of the policy on the elimination of unlawful racial
discrimination and the promotion of equality of opportunity
and good race relations between people of different racial
groups
- details of any consideration given to alternative policies,
which might better, achieve the elimination of unlawful
racial discrimination and the promotion of equality of opportunity
and good race relations between people of different racial
groups.
- Review and prepare an annual statement on the steps which
have been taken during the year to eliminate unlawful discrimination
and promote equality of opportunity and good relations between
persons of different races
- Publish the statement on the VOA's Annual Report
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8. Arrangements to Ensure Public Access to Information
and Services
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8.1 |
The Agency is committed to effective communication
with members of the public. It will within the first year assess
its arrangements for providing information in Braille, large
print, audiocassette, and in languages other than English. This
assessment will take account of the likely demand for information
in such formats across its main policy areas, and resource implications. |
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8.2 |
The Agency also aims to make sure all of its
services are fully accessible to all parts of the community
and will ensure that no section of the community is deterred
from visiting any office open to the public. All public offices
will maintain a welcoming environment. |
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8.3 |
The Agency will make information available on
the Valuation Office Agency Website at http://www.voa.gov.uk |
9. Arrangements for Training Staff on Relevant Issues
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9.1 |
The Agency through its Equal
Opportunities facilitators will deliver a programme of awareness
and training to all staff on
- the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 obligations
- requirements of this Race Equality Scheme, and
- the arrangements for equality impact assessment
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9.2 |
The Valuation Office Agency will
also provide access to this Race Equality Scheme for all staff
on its internal web site |
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9.3 |
Specific training measures will
include:
- raising general awareness of the Race Equality Scheme
through internal communication channels for all relevant
staff by 31 May 2002.
- delivery of Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 awareness
training to key staff by 31 December 2002.
- production of a Race Equality Scheme training brief and
delivery of awareness training to all remaining relevant
staff by March 2003
- a review of existing training briefs with a view to including
the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 references where appropriate,
for example Induction Training, by 31 December 2002.
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10. Specific Duties in Employment
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10.1 |
The VOA is fully committed to ensuring that Race Equality
issues become integral to everything it does. The VOA's aim
is to ensure that it recruits and retains the very best people
from the widest possible pool and in doing so value its people
as individuals and the differences between them. |
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10.2 |
The VOA's policy is to promote diversity and equality in a
proactive way and in carrying this out will eliminate any unjustifiable
discrimination against anyone for any reason, including his
or her race, colour, and nationality, ethnic or national origin. |
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10.3 |
The VOA undertakes to apply the same standards in its dealings
with its staff as it does with the public under the Race Relations
Amendment Act 2000. |
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10.4 |
The VOA will obtain, monitor, analyse and
equality proof by racial group all recruitment, vacancy filling,
performance appraisal, training, grievances, disciplinary
action and staff leaving the VOA. The VOA will also:
- require Group Valuation Officers, District Valuers and
Heads of Specialist Sections to be responsible for Race
Equality within their own areas of responsibility. They
will be responsible for race equality planning, monitoring
and evaluation progress as well as close liaison with the
Diversity and Equality team. This requirement will form
part of their Performance Management Narrative.
- ensure all new job applicants are asked to complete a
new ethnicity form that correlates with the new guidance
from the Cabinet Office
- have carried out a Civil Service wide Ethnicity Survey
for all its staff so that the VOA's data base correlates
with the new guidance from the Cabinet Office
- continue to equality proof the results of the recently
introduced procedures on vacancy filling. These procedures
have been subject to a Post Implementation Review which
examined the process to fairness and impartiality.
- provide all VOA staff that sit on recruitment and selection
panels with appropriate training to ensure that all selection
is based on fair and open principles.
- require all new entrants to the VOA to receive induction
training that will include a diversity and equality workshop.
- ensure that all VOA training is monitored and equality
proofed so that race and diversity issues are an integral
part of training courses, including a diversity and equality
session for the line manager course.
- require all new Group Valuation Officers, District Valuers,
Heads of Specialist teams and new team leaders to attend
a one day diversity and equality workshop run by the Government
Centre for Management and Policy Studies
- seek staff feedback in the form of Staff Surveys
- consult with staff through its own ethnic consultative
groups and internal ethnic conference
- seek the views of staff leaving the VOA through exit interviews
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11. Complaints
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11.1 |
If anyone believes that he/she has been directly
affected by a failure of the Valuation Office Agency to comply
with this Race Equality Scheme, they can make a complaint in
the first instance to the Diversity and Equality Officer. |
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11.2 |
The Equality and Diversity Officer
will then
- acknowledge receipt of the complaint within three working
days
- where the complaint relates to local operational policy,
ensure an internal investigation of the complaint is carried
out and that a response is sent to the complainant within
one month of receipt
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11.3 |
Where appropriate, the Diversity
and Equality Officer will bring it to the attention of the
VOA Management Board and let the complainant know that this
has been done. |
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