Palmers’ Matt Johnson has been appointed as a Commissioner of a new Council Focus Group, called the Fairness Commission.
The decision to start a Fairness Commission was based on a report which considered a great deal of evidence about levels of inequity in Thurrock; some of which has prevailed for many years. The report was compiled by a cross party Task and Finish Group established by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee and covered a number of key issues, including:
- How to ensure fair access to services and opportunities
- How to ensure equal life chances – with special consideration for jobs and health
- How to build stronger communities which are cohesive at a time when the population is growing and its profile changing
- How to involve residents and listen to their views and perceptions on fairness in Thurrock in order to consider appropriate recommendations
The Fairness Commission has been established with its partners and has a number of aims, such as:
- To identify the real issues that will need to be tackled to reduce inequality and create greater fairness
- To consider how the Council and its partners can make best use of its powers, duties and resources to get the best and fairest outcomes for Thurrock’s residents
- To build on the information that we already know about inequality and not replicate research that has already been done
- To listen to Thurrock residents and their perceptions of fairness and strengthen the current asset-based community development approach by examining the communities’ strengths, particularly in relation to those areas that could be perceived to be at a disadvantage
A committee of 13 Commissioners were appointed from different backgrounds and experiences and Palmers’ Matt Johnson has joined as Commissioner for the local business and industry sector.
The Commission will gather evidence over a 12 month period and seek the views of everyone in Thurrock in order to prepare a report of recommendations to Thurrock Council at the end of this period.
Matt Johnson said: “This is exactly the sort of project that Palmers is happy to support. We’re proud to be a part of the local community and want to assist Thurrock’s residents in any way that we can. It is important to me to be on the Fairness Commission because it provides a fantastic opportunity to assist the people living in this area.”