TERMS OF REFERENCE

IERUK Working Group Terms of Reference 

PURPOSE OF ORIGIN

IERUK has adopted the following principles to govern its collection, use, retention, transfer, disclosure, and destruction of personal data:

  • The Working Group (WG) is established in response to the motion unanimously adopted by York City Council at the council’s full meeting on 21 October 2021. Our mission to collaboratively develop and implement a long-term anti-racism and inclusion strategy and action plan for the city that:

    • Identifies and tackles structural barriers and institutional racism;

    • Encourages the participation of marginalised ethnic groups;

    • Works to ensure equitable representation from marginalised ethnic groups in local governance;

    • Ensures equal access for those same groups to health (including mental health) and social services; and

    • Ensures that the narratives and visibility of York's history are acknowledged and that citizens from marginalised ethnic groups are promoted and celebrated for what they have to offer.

  • The Working Group is an independent body responsible for its own Terms of Reference. It is to collaborate and partner with agencies, communities and organisations in making sure the long-term anti-racism and inclusion strategy is robust, equitable and responsive.

  • The long-term anti-racism and inclusion strategy is to be developed for the period of 12 months from February 2022. It is to be submitted to the council following its completion and all parties are expected to act swiftly to implement the strategy.

MEMBERSHIP

The membership will reflect the motion thus ‘an independent, ethnically diverse and intersectional working group, to include people with lived experiences’ of up to approximately of twenty Working Group members;

  1. Membership will include both those with lived experience of racism and ally members providing specific and defined forms of support, skills, and advice, with the aim being to have the size of these groups roughly in balance;

  2. Members of the group participate as individuals and not as representatives of any particular organisation or sectional interest and;

  3. Non-member observers may attend meetings by invitation.

OPERATIONAL PRACTICES

  1. The group will meet roughly once per month either face to face or by electronic means in venues agreed upon, or as it shall decide from time to time;

  2. The agenda for each meeting shall be drawn up by the officers in consultation with members;

  3. A record will be kept of the transactions of each meeting and made available to interested parties as soon as possible thereafter;

  4. It is intended to make decisions consensually. Should a vote relating to the development of the anti-racism and inclusion strategy be needed, a decision will need a two-thirds majority of those with lived experiences present and voting, to be ratified;

  5. Officers of the group will be appointed from time to time by consensus;

  6. The Working Group can delegate specific tasks to individual members or to defined subgroups, will then report back as agreed;

  7. The Working Group develop proposals, commission research, write reports and make recommendations on an agreed basis;

  8. The Working Group will be constituted to ensure it is fully controlled by its members, gain credibility and to be able to seek funding to fulfil identified anti-racist and inclusive initiatives that do not require local government endorsements/funding.

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