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 Impact of a change of landlord of the Council’s housing stock from Wycombe DC to Red Kite Community Housing
2. What is the purpose? (A short statement about its aim or objectives)
To assess and mitigate the impact for the Council’s tenants and leaseholders should the housing stock transfer.
3. Who is affected? (The people it covers)
Council Tenants, Leaseholders, staff, the Council including members, contractors and their staff, and the wider residents of the District.
4. Are there any other organisations involved in delivery? (Other agencies, Voluntary sector)
Whilst there are consultancies supporting the process of delivering the change of landlord, there are contractors working for the Council delivering services, who will continue to deliver those services but to the new organisation.
5. What are the external drivers for change? (i.e. Legal, National Policy, Partnership, etc)
Tenant and leaseholder representatives recognise that in order to improve their housing, a change of landlord is needed to achieve this. Especially if there is no change in the housing funding regime, and even with a commitment by Government to change this through legislation with a review of HRA and the implementation of a self financing proposal. Further, in order to achieve Decent Homes it would take the Council in excess of 20 years, whereas with a new landlord, Decent Homes could be achieved well within 10 years, with most within 5 years. Tenants have given a clear statement of what they are looking for in a decent home, which is more than the minimum standard, which is what the Governments Decent Homes Standard is. They have developed the Red Kite Standard which forms a key basis for wanting a change. Through a business planning process, this has been shown to be affordable and achievable.
6.Does the service, or the way you implement it, affect the public, Members or staff directly?
A transfer of landlord responsibilities will result in most of the housing staff and a small number of staff from other Council Departments transferring their employment from the Council to Red Kite Community Housing.
Whilst the Council will have three nominees on Red Kites Board of Management, they may or may not be Councillors. Members will no longer have a direct responsibility for the Housing Landlord Service, however, there will be an accountability by Red Kite to the Council, and therefore Members, in its delivery of its promises made through the Housing Transfer Offer. Members as Councillors will continue to represent their constituents who will also be tenants or leaseholders of Red Kite.
For the public, Red Kite will achieve improved ASB management in its social housing areas through having promised in the Housing Transfer Offer, increased resources in this area of work, and will continue to work in partnership with the Council and Thames Valley Police in other areas.
In general, with additional available resources, Red Kite will be able to contribute to local neigh bourhoods and improving conditions for all residents.
7. Does it affect how other services are provided?
Transfer to Red Kite will free up additional resources which will affect other services. As mentioned, ASB resouces will increase, which will result in improved ASB management.
The budget available for aids and adaptations will be increased, as outlined in the Housing Transfer Offer, enabling Red Kite to be more responsive with tenants needs being met with the work being carried out more quickly.
8. Is there information e.g. survey data or complaints that suggest that it is affecting particular groups of people?
There is no information suggesting that particular groups of people are being affected.
9. Does it have employment implications? (eg Recruitment policy)
There are employment implications. These include the transfer of staff from the Council to Red Kite Community Housing through the TUPE process. As a matter of course, Red Kite will need to develop its own employment policies, particularly as it will need to recruit new staff who will not have the protection of the TUPE arrangements.
There are also staff in Homes & Housing who may or may not transfer, and if they do, may in the future TUPE back to the Council due to the contractual arrangements that may be entered into by the Council and Red Kite, for instance in relation to Housing Options.
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?YES
11. What is the justification for the decision about full assessment? (Please provide details)
The transfer of the Housing stock is a major project that will impact across the District affecting over 8000 people who are either tenants or leaseholders, and further may impact the 4000 plus registered on Bucks Home Choice who want to live in the Wycombe District Council area. This means there will be impacts across all equality strands.
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: Tony Turnbull
Job Title: TLT Project Manager
Phone: 07766 725248
Email:
This preliminary impact assessment was approved by the following Head of Service:
Name:
Date:
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.
Stage 2: Information Gathering
Information collected through surveys conducted through Mears, sign up, door knocking, Choice Based and transfer application forms. However, limited on low income, unless known on Housing Benefit, or on tenancy sign up, Neighbourhood Officer has carried out a benefit assessment. Nothing collected on Gender Re-assignment.
Changes to benefit system through Welfare Reform may have consequences on low income.
Choice Based Lettings application and transfer requests generate information on pregnancy but information on expected due dates is not always tracked or updated following the birth .
2. Please describe the groups and / or mechanisms you use to engage / consult with service users?
TLC, Issue Groups, Quality Circle, Mears, staff interaction, brief bite sessions, surveys, newsletters, Vision & Values, Satisfaction Surveys, Muslim Communications Group, AfroCaribbean Forum, NAGS, coffee mornings, door knocking exercises, property inspections, audit inspections, tenancy audits, Community Alarm, New Tenancy Survey, Caretaking Survey, Leasehold Survey, Cleaning Champions survey, Status Surveys.
3. Is this ongoing? (if not please give reasons why)
Many of these are on going. Door knocking exercise was very specific, but as a part of the process, profiling questions were asked, with information collected uploaded to the Housing information system. Star Survey (tenant satisfaction formerly known as Status) is currently being designed nationally and is expected to be introduced from July this year. Decision on its use either on a one off basis, or on a programmed on an annual sample basis will need to be agreed.
4. Have you done any work to understand the impacts of your service/ policy/ review on these user groups? This may include any consultation/ research / studies you have used.
Initial door knocking and sample survey to provide a feasibility study was carried out by Solon. Red Kite Standard, Housing Transfer Offer and Leasehold Consultation were all developed through work carried out by Solon and WDC in conjunction with tenants and leaseholders, in regular meetings, including Steering Group; Project Group; the Communications and Consultants monthly meetings; and Shadow Board. An away day on 22 April 2010 involving Shadow Board members, Issue Group Chairs and Consultants developed the Red Kite Standard.
The PFA Sheltered Housing Service Group has reviewed and sought to take forward recommendations made by Consultants, Peter Fletcher Associates in relation to housing services for older people which included both the Warden and Community Alarm Services.
5. Is there any further consultation or research planned?
Yes New Tenancy Survey continues as does Mears Satisfaction with repairs survey and ASB satisfaction survey. The Cleaning Champions Survey will also continue. With the Status Survey being replaced by the Star Survey, a decision will need to be made whether to use it and add specific questions to it, or create another version that can be used to benchmark against Red Kite surveys to understand how tenants perceive and feel about progress after transfer.
6. If there are gaps in your knowledge are there any experts/relevant groups that can be contacted to get further views or evidence on these issues?
Yes Three areas. These are Gender Re-assignment, Civil Partnership and Religion information. There is no information on Gender Re-assignment, as Bucks Home Choice nor any surveys collect it. However, Information is collected on new tenants via the Home Choice application form on Civil partnership and Religion. The gap on the latter two is information on existing tenants.
6a. If Yes, please list them and explain how you will obtain their views:
For collection of information on Civil Partnerships and Religion, surveys due to be carried out on existing tenants need to include questions on these two areas
Gender Re-assignment – there is current discussion within the Council on this. Capita/IBS housing management system could be configured to record this information when collected via sign up of new tenants or through survey.
7. Do you need to carry out further research?
Yes
7a.If yes give details:
As a part of tenancy audit or surveys, could collect information on all the protected characteristics.
An early Satisfaction Survey, possibly using the new Star Survey, of tenants to assist in benchmarking.
Stage 3: Making a Judgement (Analysis)
Age / Housing Transfer Offer (HTO) to a tenant led-transfer will provide more resources and more opportunity for all the tenants and leaseholders to be involved in the organisation through influencing and making decisions for the business.
Older people
Sheltered Housing and Warden Service – Housing Transfer Offer (HTO) safe guards the service for the future.
Recognising that older people need adaptations, HTO provides increased funding.
Community Alarm offers opportunities for older people within the Council tenant base, but also to others out in the community who live in their own accommodation.
Sheltered Issue Group.
Scheduling meetings to better meet the needs of older people, i.e minimising evening meetings.
Access to the WDC Area Offices for reporting repairs and leaving keys when terminating is particularly useful for older people.
Younger people
Working in the Community on reducing ASB gives opportunities for younger people, through activities.
Garden Competition is open to all, but recently a competition for children has been set up
Disability / Housing Transfer Offer (HTO) to a tenant led-transfer will provide more resources and more opportunity for all the tenants and leaseholders to be involved in the organisation through influencing and making decisions for the business.
Recognising disability affects many people, for different reasons, HTO provides for increased aids and adaptation funding.
Younger people’s needs are increasing through injuries sustained in Afghanistan.
Use of cd’s outlining HTO for people with poor eyesight.
Able to provide documents in bigger print or in word/pdf for use with reading enhancements via PC’s.
Access to the WDC Area Offices for reporting repairs and leaving keys when terminating.
Gender / For tenants, leaseholders applicants and others
Housing Transfer Offer (HTO) to a tenant led-transfer will provide more resources and more opportunity for all the tenants and leaseholders to be involved in the organisation through influencing and making decisions for the business.
Offering child care support for resident involvement.