“Diversity Without the Job Titles”: Hartlepool Council’s EDI Practices Revealed
- HBC Exposed
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
Its been revealed the total cost of external providers for EDI-related training at Hartlepool Borough Council cost the local tax payer £7,980...
27th May 2025
Hartlepool Borough Council has revealed EDI related training has cost local tax payers nearly eight thousand pounds raising the question as to whether this is an appropriate use of public funds by the supposedly 'cash strapped' local council...
It comes following a recent Freedom of Information request submitted by the now Independent MP Rupert Lowe, where Hartlepool Borough Council's been forced to admit some eye-opening truths about its approach to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). The revelations, which come after a delayed response to a February 2025 request, paint a picture that may surprise local taxpayers and public sector watchdogs alike.
Zero Diversity Officers – But Not Zero Spending...
To begin with, Hartlepool Borough Council openly states that it employs no dedicated Equality, Diversity or Inclusion Officers — not a single full-time employee (FTE) is paid to focus solely on EDI. On the surface, this might suggest that the Council has steered clear of the bureaucracy often associated with “woke” job titles and departmental bloat.
But look a little closer....
Because, it seems that whilst having no dedicated EDI staff, the Council has delivered a staggering number of internal training courses focused on these very themes. From online e-learning modules on “Unconscious Bias” and “LGBTQ Awareness” to face-to-face sessions on neurodiversity, dyslexia, ADHD, and even menopause at work, staff have spent hundreds of hours in equality-related training, 30 different courses — many said to have been less than an hour long, with some stretching to full-day workshops — have been logged. With Local Taxpayers footing the bill !
The Price Tag? £7,980
Hartlepool Borough Council confirmed that the total cost of external providers for EDI-related training was £7,980. These costs cover services from Skillgate, ACAS, and Whitaker Training — hardly negligible for a town under financial strain and struggling to balance its books raising the question: If the Council has no dedicated staff focused on EDI, why does it need to invest so heavily in training and networks dedicated to the cause?
Behind-the-Scenes Diversity Networks
Interestingly, the Council does maintain internal equality structures. With the 'troubled' local council reportedly having a staff equality network of 22 members, as well as an EDI Officer Group with 13 members — despite previously claiming that “there is no one in the authority with this job title or job role.”
This contradiction highlights how EDI has quietly been embedded into the Council’s internal culture without overt job roles or public fanfare. The absence of official titles doesn’t mean the agenda isn’t being pushed — it’s just means its being done more subtly.
Tick-Box Procurement Policies
When it comes to procurement, Hartlepool Borough Council includes EDI questions in its tendering process. Contractors must therefore declare compliance with Equality Legislation, disclose any past rulings of discrimination, and confirm similar scrutiny of their subcontractors. Yet there’s no indication of how much weight these criteria carry when awarding contracts.
The Council reportedly also failed to provide the current value of contracts influenced by EDI considerations, despite being asked directly.
Hartlepool’s Quiet EDI Agenda
What we see here is a Council trying to walk a fine line — avoiding public scrutiny for creating diversity-focused roles, whilst still quietly funnelling public money and staff time into EDI training, networks, and box-ticking exercises.
This raises fundamental questions about transparency, accountability, and priorities. In a town grappling with poverty, housing crises, and under-resourced frontline services, many residents might be left asking:
“Is this really the best use of our money?”
What do you think ?
Should all Equality, Diversity or Inclusion courses at local councils be scrapped ?
YES
NO
