7. What is an Equality Impact Analysis?
One of the ways we will demonstrate that we are complying with our Equalities Duties will be through the completion of Equality Impact Assessments for key service changes and policy change. Officers use our Equality Impact Assessment Form and Guidance to help them identify possible areas of risk of unlawful discrimination. The Form helps them analyse the potential and prompts them to consider steps and opportunities to remedy this. These will be included in Cabinet reports
Assessing the impact on equality helps us to understand need by looking at the effect or possible effect our work may have on different groups of people. By anticipating the consequences of our work we can make sure that, as far as possible, any negative consequences are eliminated, minimised or counterbalanced by other measures, and opportunities for promoting equality are maximised. This also improves efficiency because we can identify where to target our resources most effectively.
All project leaders are responsible for incorporating equality into their projects or strategies starting at the very beginning of the project and maintain this focus so that it is a continuous process. The Equality Impact Assessment Form is available on the intranet to assist with this work. Any project or policy team can use the this form to help them assess the potential impact of their project, regardless of whether it has been identified by the directorate as requiring an assessment. The complexity of the impact assessment will vary dependent on the nature of the issue being assessed.
Other indicators of disadvantage can also be considered that are relevant to East Devon including rural isolation and poverty. This process allows action to be taken to eliminate, minimise or balance any discriminatory or negative consequences.