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Equality and diversity

We are committed to treating our customers, employees and councillors equally and meeting all our equality obligations.

The Equality Duty

The Equality Act 2010 contains the public sector Equality Duty, which aims to support good decision-making and ensure public bodies consider how different people will be affected by their activities and meet different people's needs.

The Equality Duty is supported by specific duties which we, as a local authority, have to meet.

The specific duties require us to:

  • publish information to show compliance with the Equality Duty, at least annually
  • set and publish equality objectives at least every four years
  • ensure that those objectives are specific and measurable. 

The information we publish must show that we have had due regard to the need to:

  • eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act
  • advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
  • foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

 The protected characteristics covered by the Equality Duty are:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage and civil partnership (but only in respect of eliminating unlawful discrimination)
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race (this includes ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality)
  • religion or belief (this includes lack of belief)
  • sex
  • sexual orientation 

Download Allerdale Borough Council's equality objectives

Equality Profile

In order to provide services which meet people's needs, it is important to know and understand the make-up of Allerdale's population.  Our equality profile  helps us to understand key issues about the population.

Workforce Profile

An equality profile of staff helps us to understand key issues about the workforce. We use this data to inform decisions and policies affecting employees. 

Download Allerdale Borough Council's Workforce Profile 2019

Download Allerdale Borough Council’s Workforce Profile 2018

The gender pay gap is different to equal pay which is the legal requirement that men and women are paid equally for doing the same job under the Equality Act 2010. Gender pay reporting involves carrying out calculations that show the difference between the average earnings of men and women in our organisation. Employers of more than 250 people are required by law to carry out gender pay reporting under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017. Allerdale Borough Council now employs fewer than 250 people, but we have chosen to continue to publish our gender pay gap on a voluntary basis.

Our most recent Gender Pay Gap Report can be downloaded here:

Download Allerdale Borough Council's Gender Pay Gap Report 2022

For further information about gender pay, visit the Government's Gender Pay Gap Overview website

Reporting hate crime

Hate crime can take many forms, including on social media and graffiti on walls. To report it,  contact Cumbria police. It can be reported anonymously.

Council Strategy design

Cumberland Council

On 1 April 2023 local government in Cumbria changed, with Cumberland Council providing all your council services.  

Don't worry though, your bins will be emptied as normal, and you'll still be able to speak to the same team about any enquiries to do with things like council tax, benefits, planning or any other service.

Find out more about the changes.

Keep up to date by finding and following the new council on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Sign-up to receive updates straight to your email inbox.

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