Agenda item

Consider report by Service Director HR & Communications.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director HR & Communications providing assurance that any potential equality impacts of the proposals brought forward within the Council’s Financial Plan from 2020/21 had been identified and would be managed accordingly.  The report explained that the Council had a legal obligation in terms of the Equality Act 2010, when exercising functions, to have due regard to the need to:

(a)       eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act;

(b)       advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;

(c)       foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

Carrying out and considering the findings of an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) as part of the decision making process was the method of ensuring “due regard” was paid to the effect of the relevant policy or practice on the Council’s obligations under the Public Sector Equality.  Initial Integrated Impact Assessments on the 2020/21 Financial Plan proposals had been undertaken as an integral part of the revenue and capital budget planning processes in order to fully inform decisions proposed by officers and approved by Members.  Some of the proposals had been carried forward from previous years and so had already been subject to an impact assessment.  Where that was the case they had not been re-assessed at this stage, although may be as detailed proposals developed.  While some of the assessed proposals indicated no impact, it was recommended that any potential impact continue to be monitored, given the nature of the proposals.  These 117 proposals may potentially impact in a positive or negative way on one or more of the Protected Characteristics or Socio-Economic Factors and any potential negative impact would require ongoing management through their implementation stage, in terms of mitigating and alleviating these impacts.  Any positive impacts identified at this stage should be maximised during the planning and implementation stage of the proposals. 

DECISION

AGREED:-

(a)     to note the summary outcomes of the 68 Initial Equality Impact assessments undertaken in respect of the 2019/20 Financial Plan proposals, as detailed in Appendix I to the report; and

(b)    that officers undertake further and ongoing Impact Assessment work, as necessary, in respect of these proposals with specific reference to the equality or socio-economic groups on whom there may be possible impact:

(i)      that where there was an identified relevance to the Council’s statutory duty and there was a possible positive impact on one or more equality characteristic or socio-economic group, actions to maximise this impact would be identified and implemented as part of the project planning and delivery of each proposal or project; and

(ii)     that where there was an identified relevance to the Council’s statutory duty and where there was a possible negative impact on one or more equality characteristic or socio-economic group, actions to mitigate and alleviate this impact would be identified and implemented as part of the project planning and delivery of each proposal or project.