EQUALITY SCHEME

Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires all public sector bodies to promote equality of opportunity and good relations. In carrying out its functions, the Council must now have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between:-

• persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation
• between men and women generally
• between persons with a disability and persons without
• between persons with dependants and persons without.

In addition, the Council must have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

THE COUNCIL'S EQUALITY SCHEME

The Council's Equality Scheme is a statement of Council's commitment to the promotion of equality of opportunity and good relations and also outlines how it will meet its obligations under Section 75. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland recently approved a revised Equality Scheme for Council prepared in accordance with the Commission's revised guidance on the implementation of Section 75.  A copy of the revised Equality Scheme is available to download below, together with a summary version. Copies of the Council's Annual Report to the Equality Commission on its implementation of Section 75 are also available below.

Craigavon_Borough_Council_Revised_Equality_Scheme_March_2012.pdf

Craigavon_Borough_Council_Revised_Equality_Scheme_-_Summary_Version.pdf

Craigavon Borough Council - Annual Report to Equality Commission 2011-12

EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

The Council’s  revised equality scheme includes a commitment to develop an action plan of measures to promote equality of opportunity and good relations.  The action plan did not form part of the approval process for the equality scheme, but was recommended by the Commission as a demonstration of a public authority’s commitment to implementation of the scheme.  A copy of the Action Plan is available to download below.  Also available is a summary of responses from the consultation exercise on the Action Plan and the Inequalities Audit report which formed the basis of the action plan.

CBC_Equality_Action_Plan_July_2012.pdf

CBC_Equality_Action_Plan_-_Summary_of_Consultation_Responses.pdf

Craigavon_Borough_Council_Inequalities_Audit_2011-2012.pdf

POLICY SCREENING AND EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Under Section 75, the Council is required to screen all its services and policies to identify any existing or potential impact on equality of opportunity and good relations. Where there is an adverse impact, the Council will conduct a detailed review of the policy and seek ways to eliminate or reduce the impact. This process is called equality impact assessment. Both policy screening and equality impact assessment reports are subject to public consultation.

Quarterly reports are shown below on new and revised policies screened out for equality impactment assessment (i.e. impact assessment not considered necessary because of low or zero impact on any Section 75 category).  Copies of the policies included in the report and their screening forms are also included below.

CRAIGAVON BOROUGH COUNCIL SCREENING REPORT Jan - March 2013

Good Relations Small Grant Scheme Policy Document

Good Relations Small Grant Scheme Policy Screening

ARCHIVE REPORTS

• Armed_Forces_Day_Equality_Impact_Assessment_-_Final_Report.pdf
• Armed_Forces_Day_Equality_Impact_Assessment_-_Executive_Su.pdf
• Women in Local Councils Initiative - Declaration of Principles (.pdf)
• EQIA_on_Display_of_Queens_Portrait_.pdf
• EQIA_on_Community_Hub_Brownlow_May_08.pdf
• EQIA_on_Flying_of_the_Union_Flag_on_Civic_Occasions.pdf
• Civic Recognition Policy - Equality Impact Assessment Final Report (.pdf)
• Corporate Pricing Policy EQIA Final Report (.doc)
• EQIA_-_Council_Representation_on_Other_Bodies_Final_Report.pdf
• Future_Indoor_Leisure_Provision_-_EQIA.doc
• Screening Report - July - September 2012
• CBC Policy Screening Report - April, May, June 2012

Attachments:

File	Description	File size
CBC Policy Screening report - April, May, June 2012.pdf		16 Kb