Stage 1: Scope of the Equality Impact Assessment
** NB. It is important that your Equality Champion (See Corporate, Equality and Young People on WySpace for a current list) is aware that the EIA is being undertaken, and is kept updated throughout the entire process **
1. What is being assessed? (Title or description of the policy, strategy, service, function (this includes reports to Cabinet as appropriate)).And who implements this policy, strategy, service or function?
The Environmental Permitting function carried out by the Control of Pollution team in Environmental Health.
2. What is the purpose? (A short statement about its aim or objectives)
A prescribed list of industrial activities requires a permit from us to operate and these are inspected on a scheduled basis. The purpose of a permit is to minimize and reduce emissions to air and includes conditions to this effect. At this time the Council has approximately 55 permitted processes.
3. Who is affected? (The people it covers)
The operators of activities that require a permit are all businesses. These range from large public limited companies to partnerships or small businesses. We have no control over who requires a permit as this is prescribed in central government legislation. If an operator runs a business that includes a prescribed industrial activity then they need to obtain the required permit.
4. Are there any other organisations involved in delivery? (Other agencies, Voluntary sector)
The proposal at this time is to have an agreement whereby officers from Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) who do this work in that district also do this work in this district. The Environment Agency is also involved in this function but our responsibilities are clearly separated.
5. What are the external drivers for change? (i.e. Legal, National Policy, Partnership, etc)
We wish to change the arrangements at this time in response to a reduction in staffing so that the workloads of the remaining officers in the Control of Pollution team are reasonable.
6.Does the service, or the way you implement it, affect the public, Members or staff directly?
Members of the public are not usually directly involved in this function other than as outlined in 7 below. As we will not be carrying out this function in future then work activities of the Control of Pollution team staff will change, however we are responding to a reduction in staff brought about by a resignation and a decision not to fill this post at this time.
7. Does it affect how other services are provided?
There is a small overlap with requests for service in respect of permitted processes but these are few in number and this area has been the subject of a separate EIA.
8. Is there information e.g. survey data or complaints that suggest that it is affecting particular groups of people?
No, but those operators we deal with are mostly limited companies.
9. Does it have employment implications? (eg Recruitment policy)
No
If you have answered ‘yes’ to one or more of questions 6,7,8 or 9 you will need to carry out a full Equality Impact Assessment.
10. Using the assessment in Questions 6-9 above, should a full assessment be carried out?NO
11. What is the justification for the decision about full assessment? (Please provide details)
This activity does not usually involve individuals but businesses and those that it does involve are defined in central government legislation. In any case the businesses will notice very little difference as an officer will visit them in the same way but this officer will be from AVDC not this Council. There will be an internal staff reorganisation but this has come about because of a resignation and a decision not to fill this post.
If the answer to Q10 is ‘yes’ stages 2-4 of the assessment must be completed within 3 months. If applicable, it will also need to be completed in line with the rolling 3 year plan. Head of Service sign off will be required after Stage 4 only.
If the answer to Q10 is ‘no’ the EIA will need to go through the challenge process and needs to be sent to Claire Hook, Equality Officer at . Then, if following the challenge process
a) it is agreed with the Equality Officer that no further Stages need to be completed please ensure that your Head of Service signs off the assessment (below) and returns it to the Equality Officer for publication.
OR
b) it is agreed with the Equality Officer that Stages 2-4 need to be completed there is no need for Head of Service sign off at this until Stages 2-4 have been completed.
12. Who undertook this assessment?Name: Julian Smith
Job Title: Divisional Environmental Health Officer
Phone: 01494 421702 (Ext 3702)
Email:
This preliminary impact assessment was approved by the following Head of Service:
Name: Caroline Hughes
Date: 18th March 2011
NB Heads of Service are responsible for ensuring that the EIA accurately reflects the service area and has been completed in line with the rolling 3 year programme.