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9 EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
A structure is in place within Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service that secures the involvement of staff at all levels in the process of promoting diversity. A Diversity Structure Chart ( see Appendix 6) shows the structure used for progressing and monitoring the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Race, Gender and Disability Action Plans.
11 Area Diversity Teams were created and have members from a mix of jobs and grades within Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Some also have members from partner agencies and local communities. The Teams are encouraged to involve themselves locally with minority groups and to address local issues both in relation to core functions and also in the wider community, promoting social responsibility and inclusiveness. 12
The Ayrshire Area has an Area Diversity Team which meets on a quarterly basis and members include the Area Fiscal, Area Business Manager, other Fiscal staff and representatives from the Police, West of Scotland Racial Equality Council ( WSREC), Council and Sheriff Clerk. There is also a local internal group which is chaired by the Area Fiscal. Offices in Ayrshire are required to have at least one diversity topic on their agenda for their training days.
All staff in the Ayrshire Area with the exception of those who have only been in post for a short while have attended the Departmental Diversity Awareness Programme. Staff are kept informed of diversity issues through team meetings and information posted on the Intranet.
Positive feedback was received from the Ayrshire Equality Partnership particularly in connection with the input by the Procurator Fiscal to the production of a needs assessment for the black and minority ethnic residents of Ayrshire. In addition staff from the Procurator Fiscal's Office had provided valuable input into the Multi-Agency Racial Incident Monitoring Group ( MARIM).
The North Ayrshire Minority Ethnic Community Development Worker praised the involvement of the Procurator Fiscal Service as being positive and encouraging, effective communication channels and partnership working having been established with all 3 local authorities in Ayrshire with a particular contribution being made to try to raise the representation of the minority ethnic community in public sector employment.
The Ayrshire Area is represented on the Crown Office Focus Group on Gender Equality Issues which has as a remit:
"The Focus Group on Gender Equality Issues considers Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service's delivery of services and employment of staff - and identifies areas where we may (unwittingly) discriminate or where we could do better at promoting equality of opportunity in relation to gender and gender identity."
The Area applies the Departmental rules concerning equality. They promote work life balance and offer flexible working and career breaks to staff. We were advised that the Area will always consider such requests from staff and have never refused anyone from changing their hours.
There is a requirement under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, which came into force in December 2006, for public services to promote equality for disabled persons.
The Kilmarnock office has a ramp at the front of the office which allows access. There is a disabled parking space at the back of the building and arrangements are being made for a gate to be added at the back.
The Ayr office has a lift that allows access to the floors of the building on which the Fiscal's Office is located. Arrangements can be made with the office for a parking space if required. The office is currently awaiting an evacuation chair from the landlord.
There are hearing loops in both Ayr and Kilmarnock that allow the hard of hearing to communicate with staff.
Some members of the Area Team recently attended a Diversity course at the Scottish Prosecution College in Glasgow. At this course a blind person offered to carry out office audits to determine whether offices are laid out in a way that will allow blind people to move around. It is expected by the Area that this offer will be taken up.
The Area has also provided its views on disability and gender to the Crown Office and they will along with others from the Strathclyde Area be participating in an awareness day which will concentrate on these subjects.
The Ayrshire Area makes attempts to recruit from ethnic minority communities by placing adverts with West of Scotland Racial Equality Council ( WSREC) and other groups such as Communities United.
Sections A and B of race crime monitoring forms are completed and forwarded to a designated Depute for monitoring. If a form has not been passed on then a request will be made to the office to have this done. Results are fed into the meetings of the Area Fiscals Group.
It is considered that the Ayrshire Area is making good progress in dealing with equality and diversity issues.
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