Brent Council has highlighted significant progress in its Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy over the past year, marking the halfway point of its 2024-2028 plan. The council reported advancements in making services more accessible, tackling inequalities, and fostering an inclusive workforce.
Councillor Gwen Grahl, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, noted improvements in accessibility, including enhanced interpretation and translation services, and the expansion of community-led projects. The council has continued to tackle digital exclusion and is strengthening the use of EDI data to better understand residents' experiences.
Key achievements include improved inclusive communications, increased resident participation in consultations, and the launch of the Love Where You Live Celebrating Diversity Fund. This fund allocated £30,000 to 12 community-led projects designed to bring communities together, tackle isolation, and celebrate Brent's diversity, fostering community cohesion and promoting inclusion.
Within the council, over 700 employees have completed anti-racism and inclusive practices training. The Anti-Racism Action Plan has seen increasing integration into mainstream organisational processes, moving beyond standalone activities. This includes strengthened governance and accountability, with the EDI Board providing strategic oversight and Directorates using workforce dashboards to monitor disparities in representation, progression, recruitment, and pay. Workforce analysis continues to inform targeted action, helping the organisation adopt a more evidence-led approach to tackling inequality. Anti-racism considerations are also being incorporated into workforce policies, performance discussions, and learning and development activities.
Workforce data is being used to address inequalities in recruitment, progression, representation, and pay. Directorates now have access to bespoke EDI dashboards and employee lifecycle analysis, enabling more targeted action planning. However, workforce inequalities remain, particularly in relation to progression into senior roles.
Councillor Grahl pointed to advancements in jobs and skills, particularly for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), emphasizing the importance of providing meaningful and sustainable work opportunities. Work is underway through the Brent Inclusion Strategy and Employment & Skills Strategy to strengthen pathways into employment, improve employer engagement, and develop new vocational opportunities for young people with SEND. The Inclusion Service is also strengthening the tracking of longer-term outcomes for young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), including progression into supported internships, apprenticeships, employment, and further education.
The strategy's progress is detailed across three key objectives: Inclusion (Accessibility and Cohesion), Narrowing the Gap (Tackling Inequalities), and Establishing an Inclusive Workforce.
Key achievements also include a reduction in school exclusions. Early evidence shows exclusions among Black boys reduced from 201 in 2023/24 to 100 in 2024/25, while exclusions among children and young people with SEND fell by 27.7%.
The EDI Board's priorities for the past year focused on community engagement, embedding EDI within artificial intelligence and automation, and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Regarding AI and automation, the board discussed the risk of algorithmic bias, governance arrangements, maintaining resident trust, and the opportunities AI presents for accessibility and inclusion. Principles have been established to guide the council's responsible AI adoption and governance.
For the LGBTQ+ community, a report highlighted the need for improved representation in engagement and consultation, stronger organisational understanding of LGBTQ+ experiences and inequalities, increased support for LGBTQ+ employees through staff networks and leadership, and better use of data to inform future policy. The Council has commissioned Pride UK to support further development in this area.
Cabinet endorsed the progress made and agreed that the information in the report would be used for public-facing communications highlighting the year's achievements. The decisions made are eligible for call-in until 6pm on Monday 14 September 2026. See the full report pack here: Public reports pack Monday 07 Sep 2026 10.00 Cabinet.