No place for discrimination in NPT – Council backs motion on Strategic Equality Plan

There is no place for discrimination in Neath Port Talbot. That was the strong message from Councillors as they reaffirmed their commitment to equality.

They have pledged to engage fully in the process of renewing and strengthening the Council’s Strategic Equality Plan and to encourage people from all backgrounds to do the same.

The move follows a motion by Councillor Doreen Jones, which was seconded by Councillor Alun Llewelyn, and approved unanimously at a Full Council meeting earlier today.

In proposing the motion, Councillor Jones who is Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Equality, said:

“There is a lot to be proud of in Neath Port Talbot. Recent research marked the friendliness of local people out as one of our unique strengths.

 “The commitment of the Council to equalities is also being recognised in a number of ways, such as attaining the silver award from Chwarae Teg for the work we and our trade union partners are undertaking to advance gender pay equality.”

Councillor Jones highlighted other practical examples of things the Council is doing to deliver its equality duties, including signing up to the Time to Change campaign to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems. Also referenced were arrangements to strengthen the Council’s support to the local BME Community Association, and plans for a poverty symposium later this month to take stock of financial hardship across the county borough and agree what more can be done to relieve this.

As well as focusing on positive action,Councillor Jones condemned a number of recent, racist incidents in the county borough including discrimination against taxi drivers of Pakistani heritage, reports of a swastika being displayed on a Neath address and far right wing graffiti, stating:

“There is absolutely no place for such behaviour or the ideas that sit behind it.

“I call on all councillors and our wider communities to work together to make Neath Port Talbot a place where everyone is able to get along with each other and where discrimination in any form is not tolerated.”

The review of the Council’s Strategic Equality Plan will begin this Autumn and will be informed by an extensive public consultation. The plan will be a key driver for eliminating discrimination, harassment and victimisation; advancing equality of opportunity between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not; and fostering good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

Dim lle yn CNPT ar gyfer gwahaniaethu – cyngor yn cefnogi cynnig ar gyfer Cynllun Cydraddoldeb Strategol

Nid oes unrhyw le ar gyfer gwahaniaethu yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot. Dyna oedd neges gref y cynghorwyr wrth iddynt atgyfnerthu eu hymrwymiad i gydraddoldeb.

Maent wedi addo i ymwneud yn llawn â’r broses o adnewyddu a chryfhau Cynllun Cydraddoldeb Strategol y cyngor ac annog pobl o bob cefndir i wneud yr un peth.

Daw hyn yn dilyn cynnig gan y Cynghorydd Doreen Jones a eiliwyd gan y Cynghorydd Alun Llywelyn yn unfrydol yng nghyfarfod y Cyngor Llawn yn gynharach heddiw.

Wrth gyflwyno’r cynnig, meddai’r Cynghorydd Jones, Aelod y Cabinet dros Wasanaethau Corfforaethol a Chydraddoldeb,

“Mae llawer i fod yn falch ohono yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot.Nododd ymchwil ddiweddar a gyflawnwyd mai cyfeillgarwch pobl leol yw un o’n cryfderau unigryw.

 “Mae ymrwymiad y cyngor i gydraddoldeb hefyd yn cael ei gydnabod mewn nifer o ffyrdd, megis ennill gwobr arian Chwarae Teg am y gwaith rydym ni a’n partneriaid yn yr undebau cydraddoldeb wedi bod yn ei wneud i hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb tâl rhwng y rhywiau.”

Amlygodd y Cynghorydd Jones enghreifftiau ymarferol eraill o’r hyn y mae’r cyngor yn ei wneud er mwyn cyflawni ei ddyletswyddau cydraddoldeb, gan gynnwys cofrestru ar gyfer ymgyrch Time to Change er mwyn rhoi terfyn ar y stigma a’r gwahaniaethu a wynebir gan bobl â materion iechyd meddwl. Cyfeiriwyd hefyd at drefniadau i gryfhau’r gefnogaeth y mae’r cyngor yn ei darparu i’r cymuned BME leol a chynlluniau ar gyfer symposiwm tlodi’n hwyrach y mis hwn er mwyn mesur a phwyso’r caledi ariannol sy’n cael ei brofi ledled y fwrdeistref sirol a chytuno ar ba beth yn rhagor y gellir ei wneud i liniaru hyn.

Yn ogystal â chanolbwyntio ar gamau cadarnhaol, mae’r Cynghorydd Jones wedi condemnio nifer o ddigwyddiadau hiliol yn y fwrdeistref sirol yn ddiweddar, gan gynnwys gwahaniaethu yn erbyn gyrwyr tacsi o dreftadaeth Bacistanaidd, adroddiadau am swastica’n cael ei arddangos ar gyfeiriad yng Nghastell-nedd a graffiti’r asgell dde eithafol mewn cymunedau, gan ddatgan,

“Nid oes unrhyw le am y fath ymddygiad na’r syniadau sydd y tu ôl iddo.

 “Rwy’n galw ar yr holl gynghorwyr a’n cymunedau ehangach i weithio gyda’i gilydd i wneud Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn fan lle gall pawb gyd-dynnu a lle ni oddefir unrhyw ffurf ar wahaniaethau.”

Bydd Cynllun Cydraddoldeb Strategol y cyngor yn cael ei adolygu yn yr hydref a bydd yn destun ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus helaeth. Bydd y cynllun yn brif ysgogwr ar gyfer cael gwared ar wahaniaethu, aflonyddu a fictimeiddio; hyrwyddocyfle cyfartal rhwng y rheini a chanddynt nodwedd warchodedig a’r rheini hebddynt; a meithrin perthnasoedd da rhwng pobl sy’n rhannu nodwedd warchodedig a’r bobl nad ydynt yn ei rhannu.