Equality policy 2020 to 2024

Monitoring is an ongoing process of analysis, questioning, investigating and learning. We will monitor progress against our equalities objectives to benchmark performance, gain greater knowledge and understanding of who uses services, what barriers they may experience in trying to take up services and what needs to change to better meet residents’ needs.

A corporate equality action plan will be developed within the first six months of adoption of this policy. Thereafter it will be reviewed annually, and learning and development in this area will be shared via an annual equalities report.

Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs) will be used to ensure that we consider equalities issues and assesses the likely impact of its services, policies and decisions. It is possible to carry out an Equality Impact Assessment when there is a change or review to any aspect of our work and the focus may be policy; strategy; service; major project; or a group of services/policies. The completion of an initial screening template will determine if a full assessment is needed. This approach allows us to:

• consider equality issues where it is relevant to do so. Where it is clear from the initial assessment that a policy or function will not have any effect on equality for any of the protected characteristics, no further action or analysis is required.
• take a proportionate approach to comply with our duty. We give greater consideration where there is potential for substantial impact on discrimination or equality of opportunity for the public or our employees.

Sometimes this process is integrated into another process such as a service review or project implementation document, and sometimes the assessments are standalone documents. If an assessment demonstrates an impact (adverse or otherwise) then the service will consider any possible actions to remedy the situation.

In line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, all EqIAs are published on the corporate website at the point of consultation and following the adoption of a policy or strategic change.