Strategic Equality Plan 2020 - 24
An Easy-Read version is currently being prepared.
For further information contact
Sarah Worby
Corporate Research & Policy Officer
Pembrokeshire County Council
sarah.worby@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
We have developed a tool to assess the impact of proposed strategies and policies on equality and diversity issues, sustainable development, the Welsh language and health and wellbeing (including child poverty).
The Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) tool is applied to all our strategic policy and practice decisions and ensures we fulfil our obligations concerning:
The IIA should be completed as early as possible during the policy development process. It asks the lead officer responsible for the policy or practice being assessed a series of questions relating to each of the themes set out above. The officer is asked to consider whether the policy or practice concerned will have a positive, negative or neutral impact.
Where a negative impact is anticipated the IIA requests further information regarding the steps that have been taken to mitigate the effects.
What are we trying to achieve and why is it important?
It is important that the things we do improve equality and diversity, sustainable development, use of the Welsh language, and health and wellbeing. It is also important that any negative impacts are minimised. It is possible to carry out separate impact assessments for sustainable development, use of the Welsh language, and health and wellbeing but we recognise that an integrated approach is more effective. Combining the various assessments will not only take less time, but it will also ensure that negative and positive impacts are not viewed in isolation because often they are interrelated. Consistent use of the tool will improve quality of life in Pembrokeshire.
Integrated Impact Assessments are published as part of the papers for the relevant decision-making committee (i.e. Cabinet and Council).
Dan Shaw
Corporate Planning Manager
01437 775857
Are you involved in a group that provides a focus for people with an equality interest?
Equality interests are:
Want to make sure the voices of people you support are heard by public sector organisations when they plan and deliver services in Pembrokeshire?
Join Pembrokeshire Voices for Equality, which was established in 2014, to help make sure this happens.
The public sector organisations involved are:
The group has agreed to:
The group aims to meet four times a year.
It has a third sector Chairperson.
Members also receive regular news about equality issues and events.
There are similar groups in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
Join Us!
Want to find out more, please contact:
Sarah Worby (Co-ordination)
Pembrokeshire County Council
sarah.worby@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
01437 775263
Pembrokeshire Voices for Equality Leaflet
When we propose a change in or development of a policy or service we are required to complete an Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA). This is in order to show that we have taken the potential impact on those who share protected characteristics and on the Welsh-language into account. The Integrated Impact Assessment also requires us to describe what steps we will take to lessen any anticipated negative impacts, where applicable.
We ask questions about protected characteristics and Welsh-language in order to help us gather evidence on which to base our IIAs. The information that we gather is used for statistical purposes only.
We have developed a standard set of questions, which we encourage all departments within the Council to use. This is to help ensure that we have a consistent approach to this across the organisation. The questions we use are based on questions developed by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
Anonymity and Confidentiality
Wherever possible, we will gather information on protected characteristics and Welsh-language anonymously (i.e. we will not ask for your name, postcode, national insurance number etc, which would enable us to identify you individually). In some instances, we may need to ask for information on protected characteristics and Welsh-language at the same time as we ask for information that means that we can identify you individually. If we do this we will treat the information confidentially and handle it accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations 2016 and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Equality and Protected Characteristic - Standard Questions
The nine characteristics, protected under the Equality Act 2011 are:
We often also include a standard question on caring responsibilities, as this helps us to gain a broader understanding in relation to disability.
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Age Are you? (please tick only one)
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Pregnancy and maternity/paternity Please indicate if any of the following apply to you (please tick all that apply)
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Sex How would you describe yourself? (please tick only one)
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Disability Are your day-to-day activities limited because of a health problem or disability which has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months? (please tick only one)
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Gender reassignment Is your present gender the same as the one assigned to you at birth? (please tick only one)
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Caring responsibilities Do you provide regular, unpaid, substantial care for a relative, friend or neighbour who is unable to manage at home without help because of sickness, age or disability? (please tick only one)
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Sexual orientation What is your sexual orientation (please tick only one)
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Ethnic group What is your ethnic group? (please tick only one)
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Marriage and civil partnership Are you? (please tick only one)
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Religion What is your religion? (please tick only one)
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Finally we will ask:
If you feel that your response to this survey has been influenced (positively or negatively) because of any of the following: your ethnic origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious beliefs or non-belief, use of Welsh language, BSL or other languages, nationality or responsibility for any dependents, please give details below.
For further information please contact:
Sarah Worby
Corporate Communications Officer
01437 775263
Sarah.worby@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Or
Dan Shaw
Corporate Planning Manager
01437 775694
Dan.shaw@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Under the public sector equality duty, which came into force in April 2011, public sector bodies must have due regard to the following when exercising their duties:
Protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.
In Wales, there are also a number of additional duties which include having a Strategic Equality Plan in place; engaging with those in protected characteristic groups; developing and publishing equality impact assessments, and providing employment statistics.
In addition, from April 2021, the Welsh Government will enact the socio-economic part of the Wales-specific duties. This means that, when making strategic decisions, the Council must consider how its decisions might help reduce inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.
For further information please contact:-
Dan Shaw
Corporate Planning Manager
dan.shaw@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
01437 775857