Reform UK leaders at Staffordshire County Council have set out plans to scrap and rewrite equality, diversity and inclusion policies at the authority.
The proposals could affect recruitment, staff training, employee networks and what council leaders describe as EDI related symbolism.
The county council is responsible for major services across Staffordshire, including roads, libraries, adult social care, children’s services and education support. It is also a major public sector employer.
Council leaders say the authority has become bogged down by EDI initiatives that go beyond what is required by law. They say the new approach will still comply with the Equality Act.
Opposition councillors have accused Reform of stirring up false outrage, while trade union Unison has warned that protections for workers and people who use council services must not be weakened.
The plans are set out in a document described as a Reform UK cabinet position paper, produced by Reform councillors without involvement from county council officers.
In council terms, that means it should be read as a political position paper rather than a standard officer report. Officer reports would normally set out legal, financial, operational and equality implications before councillors make formal decisions.
What Reform wants to change
The paper calls for a review of recruitment and workforce practices, a reset of staff development, a review of employee training and the end of identity based staff networks.
Reform council leaders have criticised the previous Conservative administration for introducing an EDI action plan in 2022, which they say went well beyond statutory requirements.
The county council’s current careers website lists three interview guarantee schemes. These cover disabled applicants, care leavers and armed forces applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role.
It also lists employee networks including the Black and Brown Heritage Network, the Early Careers Network, the Neurodiversity Forum, The Proud Network, the Lived Experience Network and the Parent Network.
The current page says the networks provide a space for colleagues to learn, connect and share ideas, opportunities and challenges. It also says they help the organisation understand the needs of colleagues from different backgrounds, cultures, jobs and lived experiences.
Council leader Martin Murray said
“When we stood for election in Staffordshire we promised that we would do away with nonsense EDI and ensure that everyone is treated and respected equally, under British law and without fear or favour.
“I spent decades owning and running nightclubs and I lived by one simple truth: equality means the same rules and same respect for every person, whether on a night out or inside a government authority. The steps we have taken today will enshrine equality into the fabric of Staffordshire County Council and ensure people are judged on their ability, not on some EDI ideology.”
What equality law covers
The Equality Act protects people from discrimination linked to nine protected characteristics. These include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
Public bodies, including councils, must also comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
That duty requires public authorities to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
The duty does not force a council to make a particular decision, and government guidance says it should be applied proportionately. But decisions made without proper regard to the duty can be unlawful.
That means Staffordshire County Council can review or change how it approaches equality work, but it cannot opt out of its legal duties.
The phrase “same rules for everyone” is also not the whole legal picture. Equality law can require reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and positive action can be lawful where it is proportionate and evidence based.
A guaranteed interview scheme does not mean someone is given a job because of a protected characteristic. Staffordshire County Council’s current disability scheme says a guaranteed interview applies where a disabled applicant meets the minimum criteria for the post.
Wider questions over work and welfare
The proposals also raise a wider practical question around disabled people and work.
National political debate on welfare has focused heavily on getting more people with health conditions or disabilities into employment where they are able to work.
Supporters of targeted recruitment schemes argue that measures such as guaranteed interviews, reasonable adjustments and manager training can help remove barriers for disabled applicants and staff.
Critics of EDI policies argue that public bodies should avoid unnecessary bureaucracy and focus on merit, capability and role requirements.
The question for Staffordshire County Council will be what support remains if current schemes, networks or training are removed or reduced, and how the authority will show that disabled applicants and other protected groups are not facing greater barriers to work.
Pride display row
The announcement follows recent controversy over Pride displays in Staffordshire libraries.
A Little Bit of Stone previously reported that a Pride Month flag and themed book display had been removed from Stone Library.
Staffordshire County Council said all displays that did not promote the core library offer or wider council services had been paused while the use of library display space was reviewed. It said that included Pride displays, but also applied to other discretionary displays.
The authority stressed that no LGBTQ+ books or materials had been removed from library stock and that residents could still borrow, reserve and request titles as before.
Opposition criticism
Conservative opposition group leader Philip White rejected Reform’s criticism of the previous administration and accused the party of using EDI as a distraction.
He said
“It comes as no surprise that Reform UK is trying to shift the focus away from the chaos they have created since they took charge in Staffordshire with rolling scandals, three leaders in four months and broken promises to cut taxes.
“Before they came along nobody had ever suggested Staffordshire County Council was anything other than a traditionally run council. Reform’s electoral success relies on stirring up false outrage and this appears to be another example of that approach.”
Unison raises concerns
Trade union Unison said equality protections must be maintained at the county council.
Esther Fanos, head of local government at Unison West Midlands, said
“Equality is important in any workplace and everyone deserves to be treated fairly. Preventing discrimination and showing staff respect are vital.
“Any changes proposed by Reform UK must be carefully assessed. There must be no weakening of protection and support for workers, or for anyone who uses the council’s services. It’s a poor reflection on the party’s priorities if it opposes giving people an equal chance.”
Why the timing matters
The proposed reset of equality policy is expected to be carried out over four phases, starting with a two month review and audit.
The new framework is expected to be implemented from month nine onwards.
The timing is significant because Staffordshire County Council is currently due to be abolished and replaced by new unitary authorities in April 2028.
A Government decision on the future shape of local government in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent is expected in summer 2026. Elections to shadow unitary councils are expected in May 2027, with the new councils expected to go live in April 2028.
That means any new equality framework could shape the county council during the transition period, and may influence which employment policies and working practices are carried into the new authorities.
Questions still to answer
Key questions remain over how the changes would work in practice.
These include whether current guaranteed interview schemes will continue, which staff networks will be affected, what training will replace existing courses, and whether a formal officer report and equality impact assessment will be published before changes are implemented.
The council will also need to show how any new approach complies with equality law while delivering the political direction set by Reform’s administration.
1 comment
Janet OMalley
Reform are full of hatred for anyone who isn’t white and male. I’m not surprised what they’re doing. If only more people had understood what these people stand for instead of blindly casting a vote against whoever was in power. History shows what happened in Germany in the 1930’s, it didn’t start with the gas chambers but it began by turning people against others who were different.