Your Councillors

Enc. 2 for Workforce Strategy

Appendix Two

Equality Impact Assessment

Initial Assessment

�

The initial assessment is a quick and easy screening process.� It should:

� identify those policies, projects, services, functions or strategies which require a full Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) �by looking at:

v negative, positive or no impact on people that possess any of the protected characteristics

v opportunity to promote equality for people that possess any of the protected characteristics

v data / feedback

� prioritise if and when a full assessment should be completed

� justify reasons for why a full assessment is not going to be completed

�Service

Human Resources and Council Wide

�Title of Policy, Function Or Service

Work Force Strategy 2013 - 2015

�Type of Policy, Function Or Service	Existing:	Yes
	New/proposed
	Changed

�Step 1 - Identify Aims

Q1. What Are the Aims of Your Policy, Function or Service?

The aim of the Workforce Strategy is to align the Council�s workforce with the corporate plan to ensure that we have the right skills, in the right place, at the right time.

To determine the focus of the Strategy and the associated Workforce Plan we have considered both current local and national trends and the impact these will have on our ability to deliver council priorities.

Q2. Who Is Going To Benefit From This Policy, Function Or Service and How?
This is a high level strategic document which could impact on every employee and therefore have an impact on all of our services. The community should benefit if the strategy enables us to focus resources in the most cost effective and efficient manner. Members of staff should benefit as the strategy recommends a planned approach to development and engagement.
Step 2 - Assess Potential Impact
Q3. Thinking about each of the groups below, does, or could the policy, function, or service have a negative impact on people who possess the protected characteristics below?
Group	Yes	No	Unclear
Age		X
Disability		X
Race		X
Sex		X
Sexual orientation		X
Religion or belief		X
Gender Reassignment		X
Marriage and Civil Partnerships		X
Pregnancy and Maternity		X
Relationships between groups		X
Other socially excluded groups		X
If The Answer Is �Yes� Or �Unclear� Consider Doing A Full Assessment

Step 3 - Assess Potential to Promote Equality
Q4. Does, or could, the policy, project or service help to promote equality for people who possess the protected characteristics?
Group	Yes	No	Unclear
Age	X
Disability	X
Race	X
Sex	X
Sexual orientation	X
Religion or belief	X
Gender Reassignment	X
Marriage and Civil Partnerships	X
Pregnancy and Maternity	X
Relationships between groups	X
Other socially excluded groups	X
If The Answer Is �No� Or �Unclear� Consider Doing A Full Assessment One aspect of the strategy particularly strengthens the position for those with protected characteristics as there is a commitment to equality monitoring and equal pay analysis.

Step 4 - Collect and Use Evidence
Q5. Have you undertaken any consultation on this policy, function or service?
Yes	X	No
If yes give details of who has been consulted (internally and externally) and a brief summary of any equality and diversity issues raised
Member Employment and Development Panel Trade Unions Cabinet Member Management Team and Head of Service
Q6. Do you have any feedback data from people with any of the protected characteristics that influences, affects or shapes this policy, function or service?
Group			Yes	No	Unclear
Age			x
Disability			x
Race				x
Sex			x
Sexual orientation				x
Religion or belief				x
Gender Reassignment				x
Marriage and Civil Partnerships			x
Pregnancy and Maternity				x
Relationships between groups				x
Other socially excluded groups				x
If the answer is �no� or �unclear�, no-one knows or opinion is divided consider doing a full assessment There were people affected by several of the protected characteristics � age, disability, race and gender, in the groups consulted. There was no feedback to indicate that the strategy in any way was disadvantageous to those in the protected characteristics

Step 5 � Finalise Your Decision
Q7. Using the assessments in questions 3, 4 and 5 should a full assessment be carried out on this policy, project or service?
Yes		No		X
If you have to complete a full assessment use the easy to follow toolkit and form on Intranet
Q8. How Have You Come To This Decision?
Due to the strategic nature of the document all staff, including those with protected characteristics may be affected at any time. However any specific changes that resulted from the general direction of this strategy would result in a EIA which would look specifically at proposals and the impact on those with protected characteristics.
You only need to answer this question if you answered yes to Q7. Q9. What Is You Priority For Doing The Full Assessment?
High	Medium		Low

Step 6 � Details of People Involved
Q10. Who was involved in the assessment, and how?
The EIA was undertaken individually by the Lead Officer.
Name of Lead Officer	Dena Smart, Head of HR Shared Services
Signature
Date :�� 22/02/2013	Contact number 01622 602712