Draft Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy: Online consultation report

The majority of respondents agree with the mission statement, the approach, the staged aims of ‘achieving’ and ‘excellent’, and all four key areas outlined in the strategy.

Disagreement levels are 18% or less across all metrics. Disagreement mainly focuses on dislike of the strategy as a whole e.g. too ‘woke’, waste of money, and that it distracts from attention to core services. Others amongst those disagreeing feel that there is no need for such a strategy because, in their view, everyone is already equal and that creating such a strategy only serves to heighten differences.

Levels of agreement with the mission statement, proposed approach, and the staged aims are consistently higher amongst younger respondents and females. Those from ethnic groups other than White British, or with a disability do not generally agree in significantly higher proportions than anyone else. Those with a non-heterosexual orientation are slightly more in agreement with the draft mission statement than heterosexuals.

The main aims of the research were to:

• Gather feedback on the EDI mission statement
• Collect feedback on the proposed approach to the EDI strategy based on the Equalities Framework for Local Government
• Measure levels of agreement / disagreement with the four key draft strategy areas and highlight any additional ideas which could be added to the strategy

An online survey was launched on 2 October 2023 and closed on 13 November 2023. It could be completed online or by phone, and was promoted through:

• A press release announcing the start of the consultation
• Regular emails to community and voluntary sector organisations across Portsmouth encouraging them to share the survey with their members and contacts
• Social media promotion
• Website news story, banners and the ‘Your Say’ page
• Inclusions in email news bulletins
• Inclusion in staff bulletins and all-staff emails

In total the survey received 565 online responses. No responses were received by telephone. Assuming a total population of 170,818 (the latest 2021 census data from the Office for National Statistics for people aged 16+ in Portsmouth), this volume of responses ensures a 95% confidence level with a margin of error of 4%, within acceptable parameters.