Equality Impact Assessment - Inter-Faith Forum

Is this service new or existing?

Facilitation of the Inter-Faith Forum is an existing service

Do you have monitoring data available on the number of people who are using or impacted upon by the service?

There is no monitoring data currently available in relation to the Forum

If monitoring has NOT been undertaken, will this be done in future?

There will be on-going monitoring of attendance and work to promote access to other religious groups.

What is the main purpose of the service?

The main purpose of the service is to facilitate the meeting of various religious leaders in the Borough to improve community relations. The service includes hosting, servicing and promoting the Forum.

Who are the main beneficiaries of the service?

The main beneficiaries of the service are religious groups in the Borough. However, there are positive outcomes for the rest of the Borough in promoting good community relations.

Is the service corporate and far-reaching?

Facilitation of the Inter-Faith Forum is not corporate or far-reaching.

Does the service assist residents in meeting their most basic needs, i.e. shelter and income?

Facilitation of the Inter-Faith Forum does not assist residents in meeting their most basic needs.

Will the impact of the service potentially be short-lived or lasting?

The Inter-Faith Forum has a potentially lasting impact on the Borough.

Does the service deal with delivering front-line services to residents or employees?

The Inter-Faith Forum does not deal with delivering front line services to residents or employees.

Are you expecting to make any changes to the policy during the next year?

See action plan below.

Does this policy potentially have a high impact on Kingston residents, generally?

The Inter-Faith Forum does not potentially have a high impact on Kingston residents generally.

How does the service impact on men and women?

The religious leaders who attend the Forum are virtually all men. This probably reflects the situation within the religious groups represented.

What type of impact does the service have on black and minority ethnic communities?

The Inter-Faith Forum promotes the inclusion of different ethnic religious groups.

What type of impact does the service have on disabled people?

The service does not have a disproportionate negative or positive impact on disabled people

Is there evidence that the service promotes equality, equal opportunities, or improved relations?

Although there is no evidence for this, the inter-faith forum would be expected to promote improved relations between ethnic and religious groups in the Borough.

Completed by:

Marie Gadsden/Andrew Bessant

April 2005

Action Plan

Issue	Action required	Lead officer	Timescale	Resource implications	Comments
The group does not have representatives of all the faiths within the Borough	Further promotion to engage groups not involved.	Andrew Bessant	On-going	Officer time	2009 update: Further groups are now represented on the Forum
The need to capture the work of the Forum in a more systemised way.	Feed into the Equal Opportunities Forum on a regular basis.	Andrew Bessant	Next 6 months	Officer time	The Interfaith Forum minutes are now a standing item on the Equal Opportunities Forum agenda.
Consider the use of the Forum for consultation on issues relating to religion in the workplace.					New policies/strategies of service developments regularly go to the Forum for consultation.