Strategic Equality Plan and Objectives 2025-2029

Posted On : 31/03/2025

Contents

 

Easy Read Version of Strategic Equality Plan.

Our Commitment and Duties

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (the Authority) Strategic Equality Plan 2025-29 describes how we aim to continue our commitment to equality and the legal obligations contained with the Equality Act 2010. This plan sets out the Authority’s Strategic Equality Objectives.

The Authority is committed to

  • ensuring everyone involved with the Authority is treated with respect, equity, fairness, and dignity through our inclusive culture.
  • working to create a fairer society by promoting equality of opportunities and good relations.
  • supporting the Park to be a landscape for everyone, helping more people to enjoy, experience and help look after the Park’s special qualities.
  • working collaboratively with others in support of achieving our equality objectives.
Public Sector Equality Duty – The General Duty

As a public body we must meet the Public Sector Equality Duty set out in the Equality Act 2010.

When making decisions and delivering services, we must have due regards to:

  • Eliminating discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited under the Act.
  • Advancing equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
  • Fostering good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
  • When thinking about how to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not, we also need to:
    • Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and are connected to that characteristic.
    • Meet the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are different from the needs of the person who do not share it.
    • Encourage persons who share a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activity in which participation by such persons is disproportionately low.
Public Sector Equality Duty – The Specific Duties

The Welsh Government published regulations that introduced the Specific Duties for Wales in March 2011 to support better performance of the General Duty. Under the Specific Duties the Authority is required to:

  • Set Equality Objectives and publish a Strategic Equality Plan.
  • Ensure that we engage with people who have an interest in how the Authority’s decisions affect them.
  • Collect and publish information relevant to compliance with the General Duty.
  • Carry out Equality Impact Assessments and publish the results if there is a substantial impact identified.
  • Publish employment monitoring information annually.
  • Promote knowledge and understanding of the General Duty amongst our employees and use our staff appraisal procedures to identify and address the training needs of our employees.
  • Set a gender pay equality objective where a gender pay difference is identified.
  • Consider including conditions relevant to the General Duty in our procurement processes.
Who Is Protected Under the Equality Act 2010?

It is against the law to discriminate against someone because of their protected characteristics. This is the term used in the Equality Act 2010 to identify the types of things that affect how people are treated and can mean people may experience discrimination. The protected characteristics are:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender Reassignment
  • Marriage and Civil Partnership
  • Pregnancy and Maternity
  • Race
  • Religion, Belief or Non-belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual Orientation

The term ‘intersectionality’ acknowledges and examines how a combination of more than one protected characteristic and socio-economic factors can lead to or perpetuate distinct forms of discrimination or disadvantage.[1]

[1] EHRC – Equality and Human Rights Monitor: Is Wales Fairer? November 2023

Additional Duties
Socio Economic Duty and Child Poverty

The Socio-Economic Duty under the Equality Act 2010 which has been enacted in Wales places a legal responsibility on the Authority when it is taking strategic decisions to have due regard to the need to reduce the inequalities of outcome resulting from socio-economic disadvantage. Our integrated assessment process takes account of potential impacts for people experiencing socio-economic disadvantage.

The Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 legislation has been amended to take account of Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The Duty to have a Child Poverty strategy is now discharged through relevant Public Services Boards well-being plans. The Pembrokeshire Well-being Plan has objective on “Work with our communities to reduce inequalities and improve well-being” and has project focused on reducing poverty and inequalities. The Poverty Group is responsible for delivering the Poverty and Inequalities elements of the Public Services Boards’s Well-being Plan. The group have produced an evidence-based strategy, Tackling Poverty: Our Strategy 2023. The Authority is contributing to delivery of actions within the strategy action plan.

The Welsh Government Remit National Park Authorities Terms of Government Remit Letter notes that under Part 1 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 we are required to publish child poverty objectives. We have noted in the document which of our Equality Objectives also act as our Child Poverty Objectives.

Well-being of Future Generations Act

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 requires public bodies to act in accordance with the sustainable development principles.

This Plan considers the five ways of working:

Long Term: The plan identifies steps that will help provide a strong foundation for longer term change. All our objectives sit under longer term aims.

Prevention: The plan is focused on delivering interventions that will look to prevent problems occurring or getting worse in terms of the Park, services we deliver and our workforce.

Integration:  Actions within this plan are integrated within our Delivery Plans and assurance frameworks to support mainstreaming delivery and monitoring. Our equality objectives take account of Pembrokeshire Well-being Plan and equality impact assessment on National Park Management Plan.

Collaboration: From experience we know that positive change can only be achieved through working together with others. Our objectives and associated actions recognise the important role collaboration with partners will play.

Involvement: Our Objectives can only be achieved by proactively involving and listening to people. Engagement will be used to ensure we develop the right interventions to break down barriers to support a more diverse range of people to take action for nature or experience the outdoors and wonders of the Park. We will involve staff in shaping workplace-based actions.

The Well-being of Future Generations Act puts in place a duty on the Authority as a public body to maximise its contribution to seven national Well­being goals. The Authority has in place a set of Well-being Objectives which support the Authority in delivering against the Well-being Goals. Whilst some of the Well-being Goals specifically relate to equality, it is important to note that equality objectives contained in this plan can support wider Well-being Goals. For example, actions that break down barriers to support more people to take action for nature will contribute not only to ‘a more equal Wales’, but to ‘a healthier Wales’, ‘a resilient Wales,’ ‘a prosperous Wales’ and ‘a Wales of cohesive communities.’

Welsh Language

The Authority has in place a separate Welsh Language Promotion Strategy and must comply with the Welsh Language Measure (Wales) 2011.

It is important to consider intersectionality in this context in terms of the interplay between equality, protected characteristics, socio economic factors and the Welsh language. For example, in terms of disability we need to meet the needs of Welsh language speakers and learners who have accessible communication and additional learning needs. The Welsh Government’s Anti Racist Wales Action plan includes following goal: “That the voices of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Welsh speakers are heard and listened to and that more is done to promote access to the Welsh language by ethnic minority communities in the areas of education, language learning, the workplace and community activities.”

The use of the active offer approach is also important in terms of delivery of our health and inclusion focused projects.

Socially Responsible Procurement Duty

Under the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 the Authority must now comply with the Socially Responsible Procurement Duty. This Duty requires the Authority to improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of its area by carrying out public procurement in a socially responsible way. There are opportunities for actions in this area to align with activities on implementing Welsh specific equality duties on procurement. The Authority has a Socially Responsible Procurement Strategy that will help strengthen the Authority’s wider equality and procurement work.

Mainstreaming and Monitoring Delivery

From experience we have identified that to achieve actions within the strategic equality plan and to give them visibility they need to be integrated into wider delivery and performance models for our corporate planning activities. As a result, actions identified within this plan are mainstreamed through:

  • Delivery Plans that support our wider Well-being Objectives and Corporate and Resources Plan and associated performance reporting.
  • Assurance monitoring reported to Audit and Corporate Services Committee.

Relevant metrics, outputs and outcomes will be identified as part of their inclusion in Delivery Plans or assurance framework. Case studies will also be sought to support evidencing the impact of work in this area.

Progress against this plan will be reported annually through Annual Equality Report and above data will be considered as part of this.

Please note alternative actions may be required to achieve objectives during the plan period, if this is the case these actions will be identified as part of the annual review of Delivery Plans and periodic review of Authority’s Corporate and Resources Plan.

The scope of delivery for some activities will be dependent on the Authority’s ability to secure additional external funding.

How we Developed our Objectives and Plan

We reviewed and identified where our equality objectives and plan could have greatest impact through:

1. Considering performance against our previous equality plan and objectives.

2. Considering the evidence:

3. Considering the feedback from engagement:

    • Regional online survey consultation with other public bodies.
    • Feedback from other consultation activities Traeth Mawr, Beach Wheelchair Survey, Experiences for All Report, National Park Management Plan Special Qualities Survey.
    • Workshop with key Authority officers.
    • Internal and external consultation on the draft plan.

4. Considered how the plan integrates with our other strategic and operational plans and outcome of any integrated assessments on them:

    • National Park Management Plan (and Park Purposes)
    • Local Development Plan 2 and annual monitoring
    • Well-being Objectives, Corporate and Resources Plan and associated Delivery Plans (including deliverables within Delivery Plans that could support delivery of objectives).
    • Welsh Language Promotion Strategy.
    • Socially Responsible Procurement Strategy.
    • Wales Designated Landscapes – Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence Governance Action Plan.
    • Pembrokeshire Youth Manifesto, which identifies areas for action on
      • Youth Empowerment
      • Living – including infrastructure, affordability, community
      • Learning – Aspire to inspire, nature education, support
      • Working – Job Opportunities, More training, low wages

5. Considering Strategic links and policy developments

Please see the supporting evidence document for further information on how the above influenced the creation of our Equality Objectives. An Equality Impact Assessment as part of an Integrated Assessment was completed for the Plan.

The Park – A Landscape for Everyone

Long Term Aim: Create a Park that is a Landscape for Everyone.

Equality Objective: By 2029, promotion of the National Park as a destination is representative of more diverse audiences and we will have removed some barriers to accessing the Park for underrepresented groups or those who face specific barriers. [Child Poverty Objective]

Why this Objective

  • Accessing the National Park can be challenging for some groups due to various barriers. These include issues around transport, cost, lack of representation, safety concerns, physical barriers and lack of accessible facilities such as toilets and informational barriers.
  • The Authority has already begun work in this area but there is more to do. Our approach takes a targeted approach to remove barriers focused on what is feasible in terms of the size and remit of the Authority and working collaboratively with others to influence strategic issues such as transport.
  • Regenerative Tourism approaches for Authority Visitor Services and Centres should take account of inclusion and accessibility.

Actions

Development of Get Outdoors Scheme, focused on:

  • Delivery of Beach Wheelchair and Mobility Equipment Service.
  • Delivery of programme of targeted supported walking, supported volunteering and outdoor engagement activities.
  • Engagement with service users to audit our locations and the way we inform people about them to identify opportunities for improvement

Delivery/Monitoring: Health, Well-being and Access Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion. Health and Well-being Officer.

Delivery of Infrastructure related activities and projects that improve inclusive design/ access across sites in the Park. Informed by learning from Traeth Mawr project and outcomes of car park study and priorities identified as part of this study.

Delivery/Monitoring: Health, Well-being and Access Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Director of Placemaking, Decarbonisation and Engagement. Head of Decarbonisation. Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Engage with strategic partners including Corporate Joint Committee for South Wales to identify how we can best support and where feasible help retain and expand sustainable transport initiatives in the Park including accessible and affordable options.

Delivery/Monitoring: Decarbonisation Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Strategic Policy. Head of Decarbonisation.

As part of development of action plans for each of the centres to support delivery of regenerative tourism, develop inclusion and accessibility action plans informed by site audits.

Delivery/Monitoring: Supporting Regenerative Tourism through the visitor economy Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Regenerative Tourism. Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Develop a targeted main season campaign to raise awareness of easy access opportunities across the Park, including promotion of the beach wheelchair and mobility equipment scheme.

Delivery/Monitoring: Communications and Marketing Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2026
Lead Officers: Head of Marketing and Communications.

Review the accessibility and inclusivity of our communication and interpretation resources to increase representation, diversity and raise awareness of opportunities to experience the Park.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Communications and Marketing Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Marketing and Communications

Equality Objective: By 2029, we will have developed and delivered projects and schemes that have positive benefits for those facing inequalities and deprivation, in particular children and young families from deprived areas. [Child Poverty Objective]

Why this Objective

  • End Child Poverty Coalition analysis of 2021/22 data showed Pembrokeshire as the county with the fifth highest % of children living in poverty in Wales after housing costs are considered at 29.0%.[1]
  • The Authority has experiences in working collaboratively with others to develop targeted projects. Including working with MIND Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire on Roots to Recovery project and working with early years settings as part of its First 1,000 days project.
  • In developing projects, we take a people led approach recognising the importance of getting beneficiaries involved in designing projects. It is important that we embed the 5 steps to mental well-being in our activities.
  • Transport is a big barrier for some groups of people in Pembrokeshire preventing them from taking up opportunities in the Park. Our projects through providing minibus transport to activities can help remove this barrier.
  • Particular groups are underrepresented in the environment sector. It is important that we break down barriers so that more diverse range of people can take part in and feel ownership of nature recovery activities.

[1] Child Poverty Statistics – End Child Poverty / Child-Poverty-AHC-estimates-2015-2022_final.xlsx (live.com)

Actions

Develop and secure funding for nature recovery projects that provide opportunity for a wider range of people to participate in action in support of nature. Building on approach taken to gain funding for Pathways project linked to supported volunteers assisting with invasive species work.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Resourcing and Broadening our Funding Delivery Plan. Health, Well-being and Access Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: External Funding Manager. Head of Nature Recovery. Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Use outcome of stakeholder mapping exercise identifying underrepresented groups and community/ support link groups to build links and empower external groups to increase access and participation in health and well-being benefits of the Park.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Health, Well-being and Access Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029 (Some activity will be dependent on securing additional funding)
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Develop and gain funding for successor project to Roots to Recovery working in partnership with MIND Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Health, Well-being and Access Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029 (Dependent on securing additional funding)
Lead Officers: Learning and Inclusion Team leader.

Deliver First 1,000 days project and use outcomes from project to develop programme of support for young families and children. Including working with groups who are supporting families and people in Pembrokeshire facing poverty – linked to the work of the Pembrokeshire Public Services Board Poverty in Pembrokeshire Sub Group and Strategy.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Health, Well-being and Access Delivery Plan. Pembrokeshire Services Board monitoring of Tackling Poverty, Our Strategy 2023 action plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029 (Dependent on securing additional funding)
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion. Learning and Inclusion Team leader.

Develop a framework for annual participant survey to target regular participants in our volunteering, projects etc. With annual service user report produced outlining – what people said/ what we will do and what we have done and why.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Engagement, Involvement and Learning about the Park Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2026 (Development and piloting – ongoing after this).
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Deliver a programme of opportunities across our outreach work supporting people to use Welsh and develop their Welsh Language Skills.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Pembrokeshire Life Delivery Plan. Welsh Language Promotion Strategy.
Timescale: 2025- 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Provide opportunities for children and young people to benefit from outdoor education, including opportunities to experience, learn about and take practical action in support of the Park and its Special Qualities.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Engagement, Involvement and Learning about the Park Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Explore opportunities with health partnerships to contribute to their delivery (social prescribing, public health) through exploring sustainable sources of funding for initiatives. Looking at physical health, mental health and socio economic determinants of health.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Health, Well-being and Access Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029 (Some activity will be dependent on securing additional funding)
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion. Health and Well-being Officer.

Equality Objective: By 2029, collective and collaborative action with range of partners is supporting designated landscapes to be landscapes for everyone.

Why this Objective

  • Some of the barriers people face to accessing and engaging with the Park are best addressed through developing collaborative approaches and solutions.
  • The Authority through the Strategic Advisor on Governance, Inclusion and Diversity Excellence and Tirweddau Cymru is already working to develop and deliver collaborative projects that are supporting designated landscapes to be landscapes for everyone.

Actions

Work with Tirweddau Cymru, Strategic Advisor on Governance, Inclusion and Diversity Excellence and other partners to develop and deliver collaborative projects that are supporting designated landscapes to be landscapes for everyone. With particular focus on:

  • Collaborative youth engagement work
  • Shared vision
  • Responses to Anti Racist Wales Action Plan and wider Welsh Government equality action plans
  • Responses to just transition that aim to ensure the journey to net zero is fair and to respond to the inequitable impacts of climate change
  • Strengthening connections, for example with Pride Movement (Pride Cymru/ Pride Pembrokeshire)

Delivery/ Monitoring: Wales’ Designated Landscapes – Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence Governance Action Plan and Monitoring. Partnership Framework Monitoring Report. Partnership projects developed that Authority is lead partner on will be incorporated into relevant Delivery Plans.
Timescale: 2025- 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion. Head of People Services.

Equality Objective: By 2029, the Authority through its placemaking activities is supporting an increase in the availability of affordable housing in the Park area. [Child Poverty Objective]

Why this Objective

  • The provision of affordable housing particularly for young people and families, continues to be an issue identified at a national and local level. Housing costs are playing a role in child poverty rates in the county.

Actions

Implement planning policy to support delivery of the Authority’s targets for affordable dwellings to be built over the Local Development Plan period. Secure S106 agreements.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Annual Monitoring Report of Local Development Plan 2. Pembrokeshire Life Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Director of Placemaking, Decarbonisation and Engagement. Strategic Policy Manager. Development Management Manager.

Our Services – Accessible and Inclusive

Long Term Aim: Our services and projects are designed to be accessible and inclusive.

Equality Objective: By 2029, staff, Members and volunteers will be trained and have skills needed to design, procure and deliver accessible and inclusive services.

Why this Objective

  • To deliver inclusive and accessible services, staff, Members, and volunteers need the appropriate knowledge, awareness, skills, and tools.
  • The introduction of Socially Responsible Procurement Duty and creation of associated strategy provides us with an opportunity to review and improve our approach to equality and procurement.
  • The Digital Service Standards for Wales sets out expectations in terms of web accessibility, including meeting requirements under the Public Sector Bodies (Website and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations.

Actions

Integrate training needs on delivering accessible and inclusive services into development of wider staff, Members and volunteer training plans, including sourcing specialist training for relevant staff and volunteers.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Skills Development and Training Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029 (Review annually based on outcome of Workplace well-being and development reviews.)
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Implementing actions within the Socially Responsible Procurement Strategy that support the objective on – Improving fair work and equality practices adopted by suppliers.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality/ Socially Responsible Procurement Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Decarbonisation. Head of Finance and Fundraising.

In support of ‘Fair work’ considerations and seeking living wage accreditation and put in place a plan to pay Authority contractors the real living wage.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality/ Socially Responsible Procurement Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2026
Lead Officers: Head of People Services. Chief Executive.

Implement Digital Service Standards for Wales expectations in terms of web accessibility, including meeting requirements under the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 (amended 2022). Increase the number of documents published as HTML pages by default rather than PDF files, which are not as accessible.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Marketing and Communications.

Ensure revised project development process for IT resources or any website/app procurement takes account of web accessibility compliance considerations.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Digital Transformation Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025-2029
Lead Officers: Head of Decarbonisation. Performance and Compliance Officer.

Development of project checklist to include equality considerations to ensure projects developed are inclusive, accessible and take account of potential barriers or wider representation considerations.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Governance and Decision Making Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2026
Lead Officers: Performance and Compliance Officer. Head of Engagement and Inclusion.

Sign up to the zero-tolerance to racism policy created by Zero Racism Wales. All organisations who sign up to the policy agree to take a stand against racism and promote a more inclusive and equal workplace and society, that gives every individual in Wales the right to feel safe, valued and included.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025
Lead Officers: Chief Executive.

Our Workforce – Diverse, Supportive and Inclusive

Long Term Aim: Our workforce is diverse, we are an employer of choice and staff feel supported within an inclusive and fair work environment.

Equality Objective: By 2029, we will have increased potential routes into employment for underrepresented groups in our workforce.

Why this Objective

  • The Authority has seen an increase in the number of employees under 40, increasing from 21% in 2019/20 to 32% in 2023/24. The Authority took part in Kickstart Scheme and had developed trainee roles in Planning and HR. However wider work is needed to look at pathways to employment opportunities through skills development, training and apprenticeship opportunities.
  • Wider underrepresentation for certain groups in terms of designated landscapes and environment sector impacts on pool of potential applicants. Through working with partners including education providers, we can support the sector to become an attractive employer of choice for all.
  • Our recruitment practices should follow best practice, including addressing issues such as unconscious bias and ensuring we remain a disability confident organisation.

Actions

Continue to be a disability confident organisation, including achieving level 2 of the scheme and promoting our involvement.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Carry out a comprehensive review of the Authority’s recruitment and selection process to ensure fairness within recruitment processes, including looking at potential barriers for younger applicants or those from other underrepresented groups in our workforce.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Explore new pathways to employment opportunities through skills development/ training/ apprenticeship opportunities. Assessing feasibility, making connections with relevant providers and developing scheme where appropriate.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Skills Development and Training Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Review our offer for further and higher education students with framework in place to support research opportunities and student placement requests.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Skills Development and Training Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Development of Establishment and Workforce Plan, to take strategic approach to succession planning and opportunities for developing mechanisms to address underrepresentation in our workforce.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Skills Development and Training Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Equality Objective: By 2029, we will through well-being initiatives, training and associated policies provide a supportive and inclusive workplace.

Why this Objective

  • To get the best out of our employees we need a workplace culture that is safe and inclusive for all. Stress, anxiety, depression continues to be the top cause of absence from the workplace for the Authority, in common with other organisations. People with protected characteristics may face a range of additional factors that can impact on their well-being and experience at work.
  • Line managers play a crucial role in fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment and need support to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve this.

Actions

Undertake a review of all our well-being activities and work with staff reps and union to develop a well-being offer that reflects current best practice.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Continue to review HR policies to ensure they reflect current best practice in terms of promoting inclusive workplace and recruitment practices.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029.
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Source and develop a suite of training for line managers to equip them to manage diverse teams and promote an inclusive culture.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Continue to carry out workplace and recruitment equality monitoring. Improving levels and analysis of data and addressing data gaps in areas such as training.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of People Services. Performance and Compliance Officer.

Equality Objective: By 2029, we will have reviewed outcome pay and grading review and its gender pay gap analysis and developed and implemented an action plan in response if required.

Why this Objective

  • In 2024/25 when this plan was being reviewed the Authority was undergoing a pay and grading review and a gender pay gap analysis was due to be carried out as part of this work. Following outcome of this exercise the Authority will need to assess and if required implement a gender pay gap action plan.

Actions

Review outcome of pay and grading review and its gender pay gap analysis and develop and implement an action plan in response if required.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 -2026 (identify if gender pay gap action plan is required).
Lead Officers: Head of People Services.

Governance and Engagement – Increased Participation

Long Term Aim: A diverse range of people can influence the work of the Authority and decisions that affect the Park area.

Equality Objective: By 2029, we will create opportunities for underrepresented groups within our governance and wider structures to influence decisions about the Park and work of the Authority.

Why this Objective

  • Members play a central role in leading the work of the Authority and making decisions that affect the It is important that we continue to engage with support programmes and plans to increase representation in local politics and in Welsh Government Public Appointee processes.
  • The views of Next Generation matter to us. The Next Generation – Youth Committee provides an important mechanism for young people to have a say on the Park and work of the Authority, including through their Youth Manifesto activities.
  • Our Volunteer Forum provides an opportunity for volunteers from across the Authority including supported volunteers to share, learn and influence the work and volunteer offer of the Authority.

Actions

Support programmes and plans to increase representation in local politics and in Welsh Government Public Appointee processes.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring. Wales’ Designated Landscapes – Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence Governance Action Plan and Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Chief Executive. Democratic Services Manager. Head of People Services.

Delivery of Next Generation and Youth Committee programmes. Including ongoing review and promotion of the PCNPA Youth Manifesto and magnification of Youth Voice in addressing issues related to the National Park and areas for priority action.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Engagement, Involvement and Learning about the Park Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 -2029
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion. Learning and Inclusion Team Leader.

Delivery of Volunteer Forum reflecting the diversity of volunteers.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Engagement, Involvement and Learning about the Park Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 -2029
Lead Officers: Volunteer Development Officer.

Equality Objective: By 2029, we will provide Members and Officers with the skills and information to take account of equality considerations when making decisions.

Why this Objective

  • Learning opportunities for Members can further support effective scrutiny of the work of the Authority on equality and inclusion matters.
  • Equality Impact Assessments as part of our integrated assessment processes provide an opportunity for Authority Members and Officers to consider different perspectives and impacts of policies and decisions on people with protected characteristics.

Actions

Provide Members with equality and inclusion related training and learning opportunities.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring. Wales’ Designated Landscapes – Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence Governance Action Plan and Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Democratic Services Manager. Head of People Services.

Continue to use Equality Impact Assessments as part of Integrated Assessments process to provide Members and Senior Managers with information they need to assess the impact of policies and decisions on protected characteristics. As part of this process explore how we can use wider engagement processes to capture different perspectives to inform assessments.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Equality Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Performance and Compliance Officer.

Equality Objective: By 2029, we will have in place mechanisms to enable a wide range of groups and people to participate in an ongoing conversation about the Park.

Why this Objective

  • Every five years the Authority is required to produce a National Park Management Plan which sets out how it would like to see the National Park managed, not just by the Authority itself, but by the other agencies and organisations whose activities might impact on the Park. It is important that we develop mechanisms to support an ongoing conversation about the Park, including opportunities to capture the wider views and perspectives from groups whose voices are underrepresented in wider environment sector.
  • Planning is a complex area that plays an important role in protecting the National Park. It is important for the Authority to explore ways to support stakeholders and the public in understanding and engaging with the planning process and planning policy to improve inclusivity in this area.

Actions

Offer a variety of ways to get involved, with a particular focus on a range of volunteering and social action opportunities.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Engagement, Involvement and Learning about the Park Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion. Volunteer Development Officer.

Through our engagement and partnership work we will seek to develop opportunities to capture wider views and perspectives from groups whose voices are underrepresented in the broader environment sector. Especially in connection with Nature Recovery and ensuring a Just Transition for Decarbonisation.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Engagement, Involvement and Learning about the Park Delivery Plan. Nature Recovery Delivery Plan. Decarbonisation Delivery Plan.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Head of Engagement and Inclusion. Learning and Inclusion Team Leader. Health and Well-being Officer. Strategic Policy Manager.

Explore opportunities to help stakeholders and the public understand and engage with the planning process and planning policy to improve inclusivity in this area.

Delivery/ Monitoring: Engagement, Involvement and Learning about the Park Delivery Plan. Equality and Planning Assurance Monitoring.
Timescale: 2025 – 2029
Lead Officers: Director of Placemaking, Decarbonisation and Engagement.