Race Equality Scheme (RES)

The Race Equality Scheme essentially packages the specific duties into a coherent strategy and action plan. It should cover all relevant functions and policies, bringing them within a single framework.

A scheme must make clear how a public authority plans to meet both its general and specific duties. It is a public document and public authorities will be answerable to the public for delivering the programme set out in the scheme. Ideally a scheme should summarise the public authority's overall approach to racial equality and how this links to its corporate aims and objectives.

Although race equality schemes are a relatively new development in Britain, many public authorities already had equal opportunity policies and/or diversity strategies and action plans. We expect that many public authorities will have built on these to develop their race equality scheme. Public authorities can meet the duties in their own way and avoid unnecessary work and expense by using their existing arrangements, monitoring and administrative systems but in doing so much ensure they are meeting the race equality duty.

Some authorities have chosen to produce a generic 'equality scheme' covering other strands such as disability, age and gender which Portsmouth City Council have done and this can be found on the Publications page. It is acceptable to take this approach as long as the race equality sections are distinct and specific and covers all parts of the statutory duties.

Race Equality Scheme Consultation Event
Portsmouth City Council is updating its 3 year Race Equality Scheme to meet the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
A consultation event for members of the various local Black and minority ethnic communities was held on Saturday 26th January 2008. Click on the link in Associated Documents below to look at the results from the day.