Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) are public documents. EIAs accompanying reports going to County Councillors for decisions are published with the committee papers on our website and are available in hard copy at the relevant meeting. To help people to find completed EIAs we also publish them in the Equality and Diversity section of our website. This will help people to see for themselves how we have paid due regard in order to meet statutory requirements.
| Name of Directorate and Service Area | Central Services |
|---|---|
| Lead Officer and contact details | Jon Holden, Head of Property Service - 01609 534076 |
| Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the EIA |
Karen Adamson, Accommodation Service Manager - 01609 535288 |
| How will you pay due regard? for example, working group, individual officer | Via consultation meetings with the services who utilise the buildings |
| When did the due regard process start? | During 2019 and continues running up to the end of the lease and beyond to ensure the transition to the new locations |
Section 1. Please describe briefly what this EIA is about. (for example, are you starting a new service, changing how you do something, stopping doing something?)
The review of the Catterick area was undertaken earlier in 2019, officers have been working to firm up the County Council’s property requirements, and what options are available. This approach was aimed at improving the effectiveness of the Council’s management of corporate assets. The key proposal is to release the leased building, Swaledale House by the 11th March 2020.
The Accommodation Strategy Study showed that there were a total of 105 FTEs based in office/delivery – type accommodation in and around Catterick. The properties covered within this EIA include:
- B2347 Swaledale House, Catterick – with building vacated and lease not extended
- B5531/3980 Colburn Children’s Centre & Prevention Office – Early Help staff will remain within the site
- B0649 Richmond Prevention Hub and Youth Delivery – refurbishment of the site to consolidate Early Help staff from Hipswell House alongside staff already based at the site
- B0872 Hipswell House, Colburn – refurbishment of the site to accommodate HAS staff based at Swaledale House
- B2233 Brompton Highways Office – minor refurbishment of the site to accommodate BCS staff based at Swaledale House
As a result at the end of the works and movement of staff and customer access points across the above sites the following sites will be vacated and released from the Corporate Accommodation Portfolio:
- Swaledale House
Section 2. Why is this being proposed? What are the aims? What does the authority hope to achieve by it? (for example, to save money, meet increased demand, do things in a better way.)
Whitby Hospital is subject to an NHS consolidation, reconfiguration and refurbishment project, as a result NYCC services that utilise the site will need to move from the Hospital. This also coincides with the 2020 Property Programme which will result in the transformation of the County Council’s property portfolio to achieve a reduction of £1.5 million in respect of revenue expenditure and to optimise the use of the property portfolio.
This will be achieved through:
- a reduction in the total floor area for the delivery and management of front line services
- the delivery of the 2020 Modern Council NWOW Programme
The overarching objectives of the 2020 Property Programme, are to achieve -
- the implementation of more efficient working practices within all of the County Council’s property
- a reduction in the total floor area occupied by the County Council, resulting in a reduction in revenue expenditure
The staff and services utilising the associated buildings moved to other locations within the Property estate. The relocation of the services to other locations will not have an impact on the delivery of front line services or staffing structure in relation to the properties.
Section 3. What will change? What will be different for customers and/or staff?
Services will be relocated to alternative locations within the NYCC Property estate, which will result in a change of location for customers and staff of the current services located across the properties within scope of this EIA, to locations within the geographical area.
Communication will occur with any customers that visit the services to ensure that they are aware of their new location and where to visit the services in the future. The new locations are within the same district and will offer the same access to transportation links as previously.
Section 4. Involvement and consultation (What involvement and consultation has been done regarding the proposal and what are the results? What consultation will be needed and how will it be done?)
Consultation has commenced and will continue with the services that are located within the building, so that they have been aware of the proposals and involved in the discussions around locations to be re-located to.
Communication will occur with any customers of the services to ensure that they are aware of their new location and where to visit them in the future as required.
Section 5. What impact will this proposal have on council budgets? Will it be cost neutral, have increased cost or reduce costs?
Please explain briefly why this will be the result.
The review of the area and the sites changes as a result of the changes within this EIA contributes towards a reduction in Property’s revenue budget and the total floor space within the Corporate Accommodation Property portfolio, contributing towards Property’s overarching saving target.
Section 6. How will this proposal affect people with protected characteristics?
| Section 6. How will this proposal affect people with protected characteristics ? | No impact | Make things better | Make things worse | Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | X |
Staff: Customer: |
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| Disability | X |
Staff / Customer: |
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| Sex | X |
Staff : Customer: |
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| Race | X |
Staff : Customer: |
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| Gender reassignment | X |
Staff : Customer: |
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| Sexual orientation | X |
Staff : Customer: |
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| Religion or belief | X |
Staff : Customer: |
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| Pregnancy or maternity | X |
Staff : Customer: |
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| Marriage or civil partnership | X |
Staff : Customer: |
Section 7. How will this proposal affect people who…
| Section 7. How will this proposal affect people who… | No impact | Make things better | Make things worse | Why will it have this effect? Provide evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ..live in a rural area? | X |
Staff: Customer: |
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| …have a low income? | X |
Staff: Customer: |
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| …are carers (unpaid family or friend)? | X |
Staff: Customer: |
Section 8. Geographic impact – Please detail where the impact will be (please tick all that apply)
| Section 8. Geographic impact – Please detail where the impact will be (please tick all that apply) | |
|---|---|
| North Yorkshire wide | |
| Craven district | |
| Hambleton district | |
| Harrogate district | |
| Richmondshire district | The site is within the Richmondshire district |
| Ryedale district | |
| Scarborough district | |
| Selby district | |
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If you have ticked one or more districts, will specific town(s)/village(s) be particularly impacted? If so, please specify below. |
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Section 9. Will the proposal affect anyone more because of a combination of protected characteristics? (for example, older women or young gay men) State what you think the effect may be and why, providing evidence from engagement, consultation and/or service user data or demographic information etc.
There is no anticipated adverse impact on a combination of any protected characteristics but it will be monitored through the process and this document will be updated if anything is raised which needs to be included.
Section 10. Next steps to address the anticipated impact. Select one of the following options and explain why this has been chosen.
| Section 10. Next steps to address the anticipated impact. Select one of the following options and explain why this has been chosen. (Remember: we have an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services and work for us) | Tick option chosen |
|---|---|
| 1. No adverse impact - no major change needed to the proposal. There is no potential for discrimination or adverse impact identified. | X |
| 2. Adverse impact - adjust the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We will change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, or we will achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people. | |
| 3. Adverse impact - continue the proposal - The EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. We cannot change our proposal to reduce or remove these adverse impacts, nor can we achieve our aim in another way which will not make things worse for people. (There must be compelling reasons for continuing with proposals which will have the most adverse impacts. Get advice from Legal Services) | |
| 4. Actual or potential unlawful discrimination - stop and remove the proposal – The EIA identifies actual or potential unlawful discrimination. It must be stopped. | |
| Explanation of why option has been chosen. (Include any advice given by Legal Services.)
This is an office building closure as a result of an end of lease Swaledale House – no requirement to consult with community, however communication has / will occur with any customers of the services to ensure that they are aware of their new locations and where to visit them in the future as required. For staff affected discussion has commenced with the services that are located within the buildings, as they will have to re-locate to other locations within the NYCC Property estate within the same district. HR representation has also been included as part of the discussions. |
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Section 11. If the proposal is to be implemented how will you find out how it is really affecting people? (How will you monitor and review the changes?)
Discussions will occur with members of the services that have been re-located following re- location to talk through any issues and concerns and monitor how things have gone etc.
Section 12. Action plan. List any actions you need to take which have been identified in this EIA, including post implementation review to find out how the outcomes have been achieved in practice and what impacts there have actually been on people with protected characteristics.
| Action | Lead | By when | Progress | Monitoring arrangements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post move review meetings with the services | Property | Will occur following the building closures / relocation of services | On-going | Property Service with links to Modern Council Programme (where relevant) |
Section 13. Summary Summarise the findings of your EIA, including impacts, recommendation in relation to addressing impacts, including any legal advice, and next steps. This summary should be used as part of the report to the decision maker.
The spaces are used by NYCC staff who have been involved in discussions around the relocation of their services within the same district. There is no anticipated impact on people with protected characteristics as a result of the proposals.
Section 14. Sign off section
This full EIA was completed by:
Name: Karen Adamson
Job title: Corporate Accommodation Manger Directorate: Strategic Resources Signature: Karen Adamson
Completion date: 23rd August 2019
Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature): Howard Emmett Date: 2 June 2020