Local authorities ignoring duties to promote equality

Legal requirements to eliminate discrimination and promote equality are being ignored by nine out of 10 local authorities, according to a report published this week. Information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the thinktank Committed2Equality (C2E), reveals that 88% of local authorities are unaware that most of their suppliers do not have equality practices in place. Of the 300,000 organisations which supply local authorities, 92% have no equality practices.

Local authorities spend £40bn with these organisations each year and would be in a strong position to see that the practices are enforced. The survey suggests that most councils do not bother to do so.

A series of acts of parliament has outlawed discrimination and made it a legal requirement of local and central government departments that they put into practice equality policies. The key pieces of legislation are the 1975 and 1986 Sex Discrimination acts, the 1976 Race Relations Act, the 2000 Race Relations Amendment Act and the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act. The aim of the legislation was to put the onus on authorities which had the power to push through equality measures.

Janet Lakhani, chief executive of C2E, said councils had the power to make a great difference but were failing to do so. "Currently employment levels are at 75%, but for ethnic minorities it is 59% and 49% for the disabled," she said. "These groups are among the most disadvantaged and are most discriminated against by employers."