For all council decisions that require a consideration of the equalities duties an Equality Impact Assessment is completed before decisions are taken. Equality Impact Assessments support good decision-making, helping the council make society fairer by tackling discrimination and providing equality of opportunity for all. 

Equality Impact Assessments are completed when changes are made that will affect front-line services, when decisions are being taken that will have a different impact on different groups of people and when the council is making staff redundant.

The council undertakes equality impact assessments to ensure that we do not unlawfully discriminate in the design of our services. We train our staff to ensure they are aware of their need to comply with equalities legislation and apply this in their daily work.  A dedicated officer is available to support all staff in completing Equality Impact Assessments and a corporate Performance Team provides tailored demographic information for individual service changes when required to ensure all the council’s decisions are taken with due regard for the equalities duties. 

Below you can view the City Council’s Equality Impact Assessment tool and examples of how equality issues have been considered in the decision-making process.