Liberal Democrats in Haringey have demanded action to tackle widespreadprejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered residents andcouncil staff. They are seeking implementation of all the recommendationsmade in an independent review of Haringey Council’s policies and practicestowards sexual minorities.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on LGBT issues, Councillor Ron Aitken,expressed concern at the full findings of a consultant’s report received inAugust, which he says has not been circulated widely enough to councillorsand staff.

The report was delivered to members of the Sexual EqualitiesReview body, on which Cllr Aitken sat and chaired several of the meetings,together with LGBT voluntary organisations in Haringey. Among the manyworrying findings in the report, Haringey staff expressed the view that theyhad no confidence in either reporting complaints of homophobic incidents orin how those complaints would be dealt with.

Cllr Ron Aitken comments:

“I was shocked at the high levels of homophobia found by the consultants intheir survey and the interviews they undertook with Haringey staff andresidents.

“The Council suffers from widespread and entrenched institutional homophobiaand this must be tackled as a top priority through a third party reportingscheme, such as that pioneered by the Metropolitan Police. We also needmeasures to root out bullying by homophobic managers and staff.”

Note:

Among the key findings of the consultant’s report were:

“The Council’s responses in practice, to identifying and meetings the needsof the LGBT might best be described as indifferent or ambivalent andreluctant”. (p8)

“Half of staff respondents had experienced some form of harassment withinthe workplace and where the harassment was directly related to theindividuals known or perceived sexual orientation”. (p7)

An attempt to interview all Lead Cabinet Members about LGBT issues had to beabandoned due to lack of response. (p19)

Residents expressed concerns that their confidentiality regarding sexualitymight be breached. (p35)

Residents expressed the view that the Council was not genuinely committed tosexual equality. (p34)