The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 strengthened the legislative framework, outlawing discrimination in all public functions, ensuring public authorities across the UK provide services to the public in a way that is fair and accessible to all, irrespective of their race or colour; that greater protection is provided from unlawful race discrimination; and that equality is promoted.
The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 provides a statutory underpinning for the mainstreaming of equal opportunities in the implementation of Best Value, Community Planning and the Power of Wellbeing for local authorities.
With the required and increasing involvement of all agencies in Community Planning; the proposed roll out of Best Value to other statutory organisations, the Community Planning Board decided to take on promoting and sponsoring the equalities agenda, including sharing resources between organisations to ensure the timely and successful implementation of the Race Equality Schemes (RES) of the statutory partners and the mainstreaming of equal opportunities across Shetland.
There are a number of other forms of legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), Human Rights Act, Race Relations Act, Sex Discrimination Act, Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations and Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations, which this approach will be able to assist in the systematic implementation.
As an overarching principle in Shetland, the equal opportunity agenda is being addressed under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998:
'the prevention, elimination or regulation of discrimination between persons on the grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, langauge or social origin or of other personal attributes, including beliefs or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political beliefs'.