Race Equality Scheme

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 (RR(A)A 2000) made it clear that it was no longer enough for public bodies just to ensure that they did not discriminate unfairly. There was also a clear obligation on them to take positive steps to promote race equality in everything that they did. The guidance issued by the CRE also made it clear that when a public body looked at the impact which all their activities might have on promoting race equality that the weight given to race equality should be proportionate to its relevance to a particular function. This approach means giving greater consideration and resources to functions or policies that have most effect on the public, or on the authority's employees.

The RR(A)A 2000 came into force on 2 April 2001 following the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report, published in February 1999. It included two duties: a General Duty and a Specific Duty.

A Race Equality Scheme (RES) essentially packages the ‘specific duties’ of the Race Relations Amendment (RRA) 2000 into a coherent strategy and action plan. The scheme makes it clear how the Council plans to meet both its general and specific duties. It is a public document and is answerable to the public. The scheme also summaries the Council’s overall approach to racial equality and how this links to its corporate aims and objectives.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council took these new duties on board with enthusiasm and commitment and published its first Race Equality Scheme in February 2003. It published its second RES in March 2008.