The Enfield Equalities Board convened on Monday, July 21, 2025, to prioritise its work programme for the upcoming year, focusing on key areas outlined in its terms of reference. The board's primary role is to oversee the council's efforts to eliminate discrimination based on protected characteristics, as defined by the Equalities Act 2010, ensuring equality is enforced within the council. The Equalities Board serves as the forum by which the Council can oversee its processes to eliminate discrimination on the protected characteristics.
The board, chaired by Councillor Mahmut Aksanoglu, agreed to prioritise items for the Work Programme 2025/26. The draft Equalities Board Work Programme 2025-26 included the Annual Equalities Report 2024/25 as a key agenda item.
The board also noted its Terms of Reference, which define its role in overseeing the council's efforts to eliminate discrimination based on protected characteristics as defined by the Equalities Act 2010. These characteristics include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. The board is also expected to raise awareness of the specific needs of service users in terms of service delivery and provide a sounding board for any initiative or proposal that the Council is making and how they may affect the protected characteristics either directly or indirectly.
The Equalities Board is tasked with monitoring the council's performance against equality legislation, acting as an advisory body for new policies, raising awareness of service user needs, and promoting a diverse workforce. The board will also analyse data to inform priorities and consider workforce equality matters. The Terms of Reference state that the Equalities Board should monitor the council's performance against current equality legislation.
During the previous meeting on March 19, 2025, the board received updates on hate crime, domestic abuse, and health inequalities. Jonathan Toy, Head of Community Safety, reported a small reduction in hate crime overall but noted an increase in antisemitic Hate Crime since international events of October 2023 and the council is working closely with partners to address this. International challenges are monitored. In regard to how this impacts communities in Enfield.
Glenn Stewart, Assistant Director of Public Health, highlighted health inequalities across the borough, outlining the differences between the east and west of the borough, including life expectancy and healthy life expectancy. His report detailed the wider determinants and their impacts, as well as commissioned services. The report also covered smoking, mental health and Healthy High Streets. Actions being taken are detailed within the report under the headings Good Food Retail, Healthier Catering Commitments, Urban Food Growing Project, Albany Park, Family Hubs, Oral Health, Immunisation and screening and other activities.
Tinu Olowe, Director of Human Resources & Organisational Development, and Saskia Morris, Policy & Performance Officer, presented on the Fairer Enfield Policy Refresh, which runs from 2021-2025, with the Draft Consultation launched on 10 March and running to 7 April. The 6 objectives in the new draft strategy are listed under number 3 in the agenda report and number 4 in the report details how these objectives have been identified.
The Agenda frontsheet for the meeting also included agreeing the minutes of the previous meeting and noting the dates of future meetings, scheduled for October 6, December 1, 2025, and March 23, 2026.
