Nottingham City Council has pledged its ongoing support to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and questioning (LGBT+) community.

A formal motion at the Full Council meeting today (8 July) unanimously agreed that the city should continue its commitment to celebrating equality, inclusivity and respect – building on years of work to support LGBT+ people in Nottingham.

The motion also agreed that the City Council will continue to support the teaching of LGBT+ relationships in schools in an age appropriate way as part of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE).

City Council Leader Cllr David Mellen said: “Nottingham is a diverse city that celebrates equality, inclusivity and respect.

“We are proud of our diverse LGBT+ residents and we want all of our citizens to feel supported to live their lives in the way they choose.

“As a council, we have worked hard to ensure we lead by example – we actively look for foster carers who are LGBT+ and we are proud that equality charity Stonewall has again recognised us in their top 100 employers. It’s a real badge of honour for us.

“We are also supporting our schools to have positive conversations with children and young people about healthy, respectful and safe relationships. It is important that children and young people are given the opportunity to explore a range of family and relationship types in a way that is supportive, inclusive and affirms children’s different experiences of family life.”

Cllr Mellen’s comments come as the city again prepares to celebrate the annual Nottinghamshire Pride festival on Saturday 27 July.

To mark the occasion – and to demonstrate the council’s commitment to LGBT+ – the official council logo has been adapted to include rainbow stripes. The Council House will also be lit up with rainbow colours and a ‘rainbow road’ will be painted in Broad Street in the city centre – the finishing point of this year’s Pride parade.

Cllr Rebecca Langton, Portfolio Holder for Communities, said: “Nottinghamshire Pride festival will be another opportunity for everyone to unite in a positive celebration of diverse relationships. It’s an important date in Nottingham’s calendar.

“As a council, it is our duty to encourage and facilitate the forming of positive relationships across the city.

“We will continue to work in partnership with other organisations such as Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Homes, Health services and community groups to address discrimination and enable inclusivity.”

Nottingham City Council is one of the most inclusive employers in Britain – and features in this year’s Top 100 Employers list by lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans equality charity Stonewall. The council had to demonstrate its expertise in 10 areas of employment policy and practice, including networking groups, senior leadership, procurement and how well they have engaged with LGBT+ communities.

This year marks the 50th anniversary since the Stonewall riots in America, which led to the movement for greater equality.

Rosey Donovan, Community, Engagement, Equality and LGBT Lead for Nottingham City, said: “I’m proud to work for an organisation that proactively demonstrates its commitment, visibility and support for LGBT+ and equality – not only within its own organisation but across the whole of the city.”

For more details about Nottinghamshire Pride, visit www.nottinghamshirepride.co.uk.