Equality Impact Assessment - Electoral Services

Is this policy new or existing?

Existing

When was it last reviewed?

Directorate

A. Preparation

The work on this section should be done in advance and be used as part of your EQIA. Please attach examples of available monitoring information, research and consultation reports.

1. Do you have monitoring data available on the number of people who are using or impacted upon by your policy, service or project?	Yes	No
Number of people with disabilities?		X
Black and minority ethnic communities	X
Women and Men	x

If you have answered ‘Yes’ to the above questions your monitoring data should be compared to the current available census data to see whether a proportionate number of people are taking up your service.

2. If monitoring has NOT been undertaken, will this be done in the future? (Race Relations Amendment Act 2000)

Yes

If so, specify the arrangements you intend to make; if not, please give a reason for you decision:

Looking at feasibility of using that information for monitoring purposes

3. If you are aware of any relevant local or national equality or diversity-related consultation, research, or good practice guidance, then please list and attach here

B. Your Policy, Service or Project

1. What is the main purpose of the policy, service or project?
To publish the Register of Electors and administer all elections ( Parliamentary, Local, GLA, European) and referenda

2. List the areas of activity of the policy, service or project e.g. the recruitment strategy might have advertising, interviewing, short listing etc. as activity areas.

Canvass every household Sept – November / up to three forms
Relevant publicity to encourage return of forms
Respond to all applications for absent voting
Respond to different electors i.e. service, crown servants, overseas electors and europeans
Prepare for election – liaise with candidate and agents, hire of polling stations, publish statutory notices, employ PS staff, issue of poll cards, organise count of votes
Continuous monitoring and update of records and software

3.Who are the main beneficiaries of the policy?
Electors

4.Is the policy, service or project corporate and far-reaching?
Yes

5. In your view, does the policy assist residents in meeting their most basic needs, i.e. shelter and income?
Yes

6. Will the impact of the policy, service or project potentially be short-lived or lasting?
Long Lasting

7.Does the policy, service or project deal with delivering front-line services to residents or employees?
Yes

8. Are you expecting to make any changes to the policy, service or project during the next year?
Yes

9. Does this policy, service or project potentially have a high impact on Kingston residents or employees?
Yes

If a high impact is indicated you need to progress to a full EQIA

C. The Impact

1. Complete the following tables using ticks.

Consider the information gathered in Section (a) of this Screening Form, comparing monitoring information with census data, and considering any earlier research or consultations. You could also look at point 7 (c) of the EQIA Screening Guidance Notes for areas of possible effect:

·Where you think that the policy could have a negative impact on any of the equality target groups, i.e. it could disadvantage them
Where you think that the policy could have a positive impact on any of the equality target groups or contribute to promoting equal opportunities, or improving relations within the equality target groups

a) How will it impact on men and women e.g. flexible working arrangements might have a positive impact on women with caring responsibilities

Gender	Positive Impact	Neutral Impact	Negative Impact	Reason
Woman/Girls	Yes			National Statistics indicate more women register and vote
Men/Boys			Yes	Less men register and vote than women

b) What type of impact will it have on black and minority ethnic communities use Council services differently, e.g. women from certain minority communities may use the Council’s swimming pool more often if same sex swimming arrangements are in place

Race	Positive Impact	Neutral Impact	Negative Impact	Reason
Asia or Asian British (including Tamil, Gujarati and Korean)		Yes
Black or Black British		Yes
Chinese and other		Yes
White (including Irish)		Yes

c) People of different faith such as Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Humanists or Atheist

Race	Positive Impact	Neutral Impact	Negative Impact	Reason
Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Humanists or Atheist			Yes

d) What type of impact will it have on people with disabilities, e.g. if information about Council Tax benefits are not made available in large print or alternative formats, access to such benefits might be denied to people with a visual impairment or learning disability.

Disability	Neutral Impact	Negative Impact	Reason
Visually Impaired		Yes	Action is being taken to ensure that alternative formats will be used automatically
Hearing Impairment	Yes		However, PS staff to be trained in issues tha tmay affect voters with hearing impairment
Physically disabled		Yes	However, every assistance is made to offer alternative solutions where equal access is not available
Learning disability		Yes	Efforts are made to keep to plain language. Regs change so frequently that we can't always crystal mark
Mental Health Problme		Yes

e) Lesbian, gay men and bisexuals

	Positive Impact	Neutral Impact	Negative Impact	Reason
Lesbian, gay men and bisexuals		Yes

2 .Considering the results of this initial screening, what is the relevance of this policy, service or project to Kingston’s equality target groups? Also see high impact assessment criteria point 7 (c) of the EQIA Screening Guidance Notes, If a high impact is indicated you need to progress to a full EQIA

High

3. Does the policy, service or project have a negative impact on any of the equality target groups? If so, you will need to proceed to a Full Equality Impact Assessment.

Yes

4. Is progression to a full EQIA required?

Yes

Criteria for moving on to a full EQIA (if the answer is yes to any of the following questions a full EQIA is required)

If the general impact of the policy is side and far reaching
If any of our equality target groups are specifically impacted upon by the policy, service or project
If a differential impact has been identified on the equality target groups
Where a lack of information exists about whether Kingston’s equality target groups have been differentially impacted upon
If a negative impact on any of the equality target groups have been identified

Please keep a copy on record to which the public could have full access. Also e-mail a copy to Johanna Renz, Equalities Advisor and to your Equality Directorate Lead.

Signed (EQIA DIrectorate Lead)
SIgned (Completing Officer) - Carol Botwright, Electoral Services Manager

Date:

Equality Impact Assessment: Action Plan

Please list below any recommendations for action that you plan to take as a result of this EQIA

Ensuring that front-line staff regularly attend the Council’s Race and Disability Awareness Training
A complete re-think of the way in which the Service is publicised
·An agreement about future monitoring arrangements

Issue	Action Required	Lead Officer	Time-scale	Resource implications	Comments
Providing alternative format of registration form to those with visual impairment	Obtain list form council tax	CB	Sept. 05	Minimal	Relatively easy to implement with positive results
Objective to consider the visually impaired when producing registration form	Contact Sensory Impairment team for advice	CB	June /July 05	Minimal	ditto
Additional clerical support to free up more time to look at strategic issues in relation to access for voters		CB	ASAP	Seasonal as required	Would have a positive impact on service in all respects
Action to ensure the unavailability of disabled access at Berrylands Hotel is publicised.	Possible mail shot to electors in the polling district	CB	January 2006	Minimal	Positive impact in that polling district
Promote access to polling stations on Disable Go website	Contact Jane Young Access Officer	CB	January 2006	Minimal	Positive impact on public relations
Consideration of use of nationality column for corporate monitoring purposes.

Equality Impact Assessment - Electoral Services

A. Preparation

B. Your Policy, Service or Project

C. The Impact

Equality Impact Assessment: Action Plan

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