U.R.N.
Stage 1: Scope of the Equality Impact Assessment
1. What is being assessed? (Title or description of the policy, strategy, service, function)And who implements this policy, strategy, service or function?
Proposed submission of a planning application for new affordable homes on land at Foxes Piece, Marlow
2. What is the purpose? (A short statement about its aim or objectives)
1) Creation of additional general needs housing for rent
2) Better utilisation of the Council’s land assets
3. Who is affected? (The people it covers)
1) Existing tenants, leaseholders and other residents of Foxes Piece
2) Homeseekers from the district and potentially elsewhere
4. Are there any other organisations involved in delivery? (Other agencies, Voluntary sector)
The proposal is for the land to be developed by an RSL, the current proposal being Catalyst Housing.
5. What are the external drivers for change? (i.e. Legal, National Policy, Partnership, etc)
1) Making best use of the Council’s land assets
2) Helping to meet the needs of people on the Housing Register who require general needs housing
6. Does the service, or the way you implement it, affect the public or staff directly?
Yes – (1) the availability of housing stock affects the public (2) Existing tenants, leaseholders and other residents of Foxes Piece will be affected in terms of any building work and a permanent change to the number of homes on the estate
7. Does it affect how other services are provided?
No
8. Is there information e.g. survey data or complaints that suggest that it is affecting particular groups of people?
Yes, there is information on the number of people who are in housing need / are seeking housing assistance via the Council's Housing Register in the form of (1) the Wycombe District Housing Needs Survey update 2006 (2) the Buckinghamshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2008 (3) the local Housing Register - which has 2774 applications registered as at 11 December 2008. If the proposed affordable housing is developed, people who are in these groups could potentially benefit.
9. Does it have employment implications?
No direct employment implications – whilst the application is submitted by the District Council, the intention is for any new dwellings to be provided by an RSL
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?
See above
If the answer to Q10 is ‘yes’ stage 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.
12. Who undertook this assessment?Names:
Rob Blaikie - Principal Housing Officer (Development), WDC
For further information contact Rob Blaikie:
Phone: 01494 421654
Email:
Please send this form to your Equality Champion (See Corporate, Equality and Young People on WySpace for a current list) and copy it to Claire Hook, Equalities Officer at . You must do this to enable the challenge process to be applied effectively.
If, following the challenge process, it is agreed with the Equalities Officer that no further Stages need to be completed please ensure that your Head of Service signs off the assessment (below) and forwards it to the Equality officer for publication.
If, following the challenge process, it is agreed with the Equalities Officer that Stages 2-4 need to be completed there is no need for Head of Service sign off at this Stage.
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
1. Have you carried out work to identify the profile of your users or do you have information that describes the profile? (Please state all sources of information you have used to map and understand the individuals and their needs)Yes, there is information on the number of people who are in housing need / are seeking housing assistance via the Council's Housing Register in the form of (1) the Wycombe District Housing Needs Survey update 2006 (2) the Buckinghamshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2008 (3) the local Housing Register - which has 2774 applications registered as at 11 December 2008. If the proposed affordable housing is developed, people who are in these groups could potentially benefit.
2. Please describe the groups and / or mechanisms you use to engage / consult with service users?
A consultation meeting with residents of Foxes Piece took place in March 2001, before the initial planning application was submitted. Minutes of the Housing & Economic Development Committee state that “the consultation meeting with tenants of Foxes Piece on 1 March 2001 had been very successful with tenants even identifying an additional plot for another dwelling”. Since then, letters have been sent by the Homes & Housing service to inform residents and leaseholders of the latest position.
Because the proposal is to obtain a new planning permission simply to replace the previous permission (which followed consultation and approval by Cabinet) the purpose of update letters is to provide information.
3. Is this ongoing? (if not please give reasons why)
Only update letters - the overall proposal has already been agreed by Cabinet and the aim of this latest application is for the Council to continue to hold a valid planning permission
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.
None, other than outlined above
5. Is there any further consultation or research planned?
No
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?
No
6a. If Yes, please list them and explain how you will obtain their views:
7. Do you need to carry out further research?
No
7a.If yes give details:
Stage 3: Making a Judgement (Analysis)
Age / Disability / Gender / Low income / Race / Religion or belief / Sexual orientation
Overall there is insufficient affordable housing available to meet the need in the district. This is evidenced by the number of applicants applying and waiting for, housing. Staff deal with applicants on a case by case basis and endeavour to ensure that their individual needs are taken into account and provided for.
2. From the information above and the description of your service state the likely positive and negative impacts for each strand
Age / No impact
Disability / Positive impact – the proposal will increase the provision of general needs accommodation for Homeseekers by up to 10 dwellings, which will be built to current standards and therefore be accessible to people with a disability.
Gender / Considered to be no impact
Low income / Positive impact – It is intended that the properties are to be made available at affordable rents.
Race / Considered to be no impact
Religion / belief / Considered to be no impact
Sexual orientation / Considered to be no impact
3. Which impacts are:
a) Avoidable? Please explain your answers.
The only way to avoid the negative impact to the surrounding residents would be if the Council did not go ahead with the proposal for the new homes
The positive impacts identified for low income homeseekers requiring general needs accommodation would not be achieved if the proposal did not go ahead
b) Unavoidable? Please explain your answers
The negative impacts of this proposal are unavoidable if the proposal goes ahead
U.R.N.
Stage 4: Monitoring (Publication and Review)
1. Please state the actions you will take to promote equality or to address any adverse impact
Equality Improvement Plan (EIP)
Equality Target / Equality Action (many actions may work towards one target) / Intended outcome * / Deadline for completion / WDC officer responsible / Job Title / Email address / Phone numberMonitor impact of the scheme on existing residents, to provide learning points for the future (depending upon the issues raised) / To report on a quarterly basis to Housing Project Team / To establish whether the scheme causes any positive or negative impacts on existing tenants / Review quarterly once the works actually commence (TBA) / D Lewis / Neighbourhood Services Manager (Interim) / / 01494 421613
Ext 3613
· Intended outcome relates to how the results of the action will be used. (for eg. If you have an action to consult please provide an intended outcome that shows what you will use the information gained for, and how this will make a real-life equality improvement for people).
· Please note that all actions MUST have a completion date – ‘ongoing’ is not acceptable.
NB you will be required to provide quarterly updates on these actions to your Equality Champion until they are completed.
U.R.N.
Confirmation that actions are agreed and EIA approved for publication:Head of Service signature………………………………………………………….
Date received by Equalities Officer…………………………………………………….
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.