This request relates to the Intercom Trust, an LGBTQ+ charity.
1) Please outline Devon County Council’s dealings with the Intercom Trust.
The Intercom Trust is a registered charity providing support to LGBTQ+ people and their families in the South West region. They also provide training and consultancy on LGBTQ+ awareness.
Devon County Council engages with many Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations to help connect with communities and reduce inequalities. The Council established an Equality Reference Group (ERG) in 2002 to act as a ‘critical friend’ to the Council and advise on things like Equality Impact Assessments. The ERG is made up of representatives of the VCS, covering protected characteristics/minority or disadvantaged groups under the Equality Act 2010. ERG members are selected via a procurement exercise and the relationship is managed through a contract. The Intercom Trust were successful in representing the LGBTQ+ strand.
In addition to the Equality Reference Group contract, services across Devon County Council may commission the Intercom Trust to provide LGBTQ+ training or consultancy, or fund staff to attend their own training events (including conferences).
2) The charity offers training and consultancy. Has Devon County Council (DCC) paid for any training and/or consultancy provided by the Intercom Trust?
DCC’s records go back to 2010. Please refer to the table below:
| Financial Year | Amount | Reason |
| 2010/2011 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 30.00 | Training | |
| 2011/2012 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 2012/2013 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 1000.00 | Consultancy (Hate Crime Strategy) | |
| 2000.00 | Consultancy (Survey) | |
| 2013/2014 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 510.65 | Consultancy (Survey) | |
| 2014/2015 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 4050.00 | Training | |
| 2015/2016 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 2016/2017 | 1000.00 | Consultancy (LGBT Toolkit development) |
| 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group | |
| 190.00 | Training | |
| 2017/2018 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 37.80 | Training (for a school) | |
| 450.00 | Training | |
| 2018/2019 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 1350.00 | Training | |
| 2019/2020 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
| 6375.00 | Training | |
| 2020/2021 | 4250.00 | Equality Reference Group |
a) If yes, was this for ‘in-house’ (for council staff) or did DCC pay the Intercom Trust for training and/or consultancy in schools/education providers it is responsible for?
DCC’s records do not state who attended the training, however, it is likely that all training listed was for Council staff, with the exception of £37.80, which was provided specifically for a school.
b) If it was for schools, can you provide the names of the schools that have received training from the Intercom Trust?
Dartmouth Academy.