Equality Impact Analyses and Screenings

An Equality Impact Analysis (EqIA) is a tool for improving Council services. EqIAs offer an opportunity for Council employees and their teams to think carefully about the impact of their work on local people and on other employees, and take appropriate action to make improvements.

We use Analyses to look at policies and services to identify potential unequal effects (or impacts) on different groups or particular sectors of the community. They are an improvement tool to ensure that our services are accessible to all, that we are properly and adequately serving our diverse communities, and that our employment practices are fair, equitable and inclusive.  The process involves working in partnership with our customers and employees to:

• Improve our understanding of their needs;
• Develop services and policies which eliminate discrimination and, where possible, promote equality.

Key employees have been trained on how to carry out EqIAs, and a programme of assessments has been drawn up which will help us improve our key services and policies.

Proposed changes to policy or practice undergo an initial EqIA screening which identifies:

• any potential adverse effect for people who share a protected characteristic
• ways in which improvements can be made to advance equality of opportunity and/or foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

Where substantial negative impacts and/or significant missed opportunities to promote equality are identified, or if further information is needed a full EqIA will be undertaken.

• Key Council Functions
• EqIA Timetable 2011/13
• Eq1As 2011/12
• EqIAs 2010/11
• EqIAs 2009/10