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Name of Directorate and Service Area |
Central Services, Strategic Resources – Property Service |
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Lead Officer and contact details |
Jon Holden, Head of Property Service |
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Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the EIA |
Karen Adamson, Rationalisation Manager 01609 535288 Katherine Edge, Senior Property Officer 01609 534917 |
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How will you pay due regard? e.g. working group, individual officer |
Via stakeholder consultation meetings, as required (which have included HR representation when relevant), Rationalisation meetings, New ways of working / modern council focus groups and staff engagement sessions |
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When did the due regard process start? |
During 2016 – on-going - as plans are developed for future years around Property Rationalisation interlinked with the modern council programme |
Section 1. Please describe briefly what this EIA is about. (e.g. are you starting a new service, changing how you do something, stopping doing something?)
Rationalisation of the property portfolio to include:
- disposal of a council property asset
- non-renewal of existing leased in property (from an external provider)
- transfer of a council property asset to an external concern (e.g. community service)
- implementation of modern council principles i.e. new ways of working
The programme has no impact on frontline service delivery or council directorate structures.
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.)
The rationalisation will result in the transformation of the council’s property portfolio to achieve an annual reduction of £1.5 million (with the cumulative amount achieved over several years starting from 2017/18) 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 modern council programme
The overarching objectives of the property rationalisation programme, are to achieve -
- the implementation of more efficient working practices within all of the council’s property
- a reduction in the total floor area occupied by the council, resulting in a reduction in revenue expenditure
A number of buildings have either already closed / leases have not been renewed during 2017/18 through to 2022/23, with this continuing into future years with buildings closed / leases not renewed.
Buildings which are either leased, underutilised or where service delivery could be transferred to be delivered out of another building are being reviewed as part of the programme, as this enhances usage of property assets, with the staff and services utilising the associated buildings moved to other locations within the property estate, enabling savings to be made in respect of property revenue expenditure. 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.
The proposed property savings for 2023/2024 are made up of a number of different elements – linked to vacating some buildings and lease ends. Some of these are associated with previous geographical area EIAs, these being the wider Northallerton workplace strategy phase one (signed off on the 20 October 2021) and the Ryedale workplace strategy – phase one (signed off on the 20 October 2021). The final detail behind the full saving for 2023/2024 is still being worked through, as well as work with service areas around lease ends specifically associated with their service delivery. Once the details are finalised specific building EIAs will be undertaken where this is relevant and proportionate, as the savings are finalised.
Section 3. What will change? What will be different for customers and/or staff?
Front line service bases will move to alternative locations within the geographical area.
Modern council new ways of Working principles deliver the opportunity for greater flexibility in the workplace and the opportunity to work from the most appropriate place.
Staff may need to travel to a new base, in a small number of cases this may result in a greater distance and time to travel, however this has been considered and discussed through the consultation meetings.
Communication will occur with any customers that visit the services to ensure that they are aware of their new location and where to visit them in the future. The new locations should offer more flexibility as it I hoped that they will have easy access to transportation links.
Individual equality impact assessments will be carried out for individual building closures where this is relevant and proportionate.
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?)
There is a modern council process which includes engagement with all levels of staff affected by the programme.
Communication has/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 ending of the leases / closing of buildings contributes towards a reduction in property’s revenue budget and the total floor space within the corporate property portfolio, contributing towards property’s overarching saving target.
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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. |
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Age |
X |
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Staff: It is not anticipated that there will be an impact as a result of the changes. We will be compliant with the legislation to ensure that staff are not disadvantaged because of their age. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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Disability |
X |
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Staff / Customer: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. As an organisation, the council must continue to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, which obligates us to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled individuals as employees, service users or customers in any location. |
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Sex |
x |
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Staff : The change to staffs location does not introduce any change in terms of the current profile. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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Race |
x |
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Staff: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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Gender reassignment |
x |
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Staff: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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Sexual orientation |
x |
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Staff: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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Religion or belief |
x |
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Staff: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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Pregnancy or maternity |
x |
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Staff: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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Marriage or civil partnership |
x |
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Staff: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
Section 7. How will this proposal affect people who
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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. |
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..live in a rural area? |
x
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Staff: There might be proposed changes in the work location for the staff located within the buildings closed / proposed to close, but the impact of this will be minimised due to discussions occurring as part of the consultation. Customer: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes, with this offset by communicating with customers of the services so that they are aware of the change of location as the situations occur. |
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…have a low income? |
x
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Staff: No impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
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…are carers (unpaid family or friend)? |
x |
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Staff: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. Customer: No adverse impact is anticipated as a result of the changes. |
Section 8. Geographic impact – Please detail where the impact will be (please tick all that apply)
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Section 8. Geographic impact – Please detail where the impact will be (please tick all that apply) |
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North Yorkshire wide |
The proposed property savings for 2023/2024 are made up of a number of different elements – linked to vacating some buildings and lease ends across different geographical areas. Some of these are associated with previous geographical area EIAs, these being the wider Northallerton workplace strategy phase one (signed off on the 20 October 2021) and the Ryedale workplace strategy – phase one (signed off on the 20 October 2021). The final detail behind the full saving for 2023/2024 is still being worked through, as well as work with service areas around lease ends specifically associated with their service delivery. Once the details are finalised specific building EIAs will be undertaken where this is relevant and proportionate, as the savings are finalised. |
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Craven district |
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Hambleton district |
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Harrogate district |
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Richmondshire district |
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Ryedale district |
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Scarborough district |
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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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No specific town(s) / village(s) will be particularly impacted. |
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Section 9. Will the proposal affect anyone more because of a combination of protected characteristics? (e.g. 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 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.
Remember: we have an anticipatory duty to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services and work for us.
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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 |
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X |
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Explanation of why option has been chosen. (Include any advice given by legal services.) These are office building closures / end of leases – resulting in no requirement to consult with the community, however in situations where the location of service delivery has changed communication has / 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. For staff affected consultation will occur with the services that are located within the buildings, as they will have to re-locate to other locations within the council’s property estate. This will include HR representation and Unions within the process when this is required. |
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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?)
Consultation will occur with members of the services that will be 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.
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Action |
Lead |
By when |
Progress |
Monitoring arrangements |
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Post move review meetings with services |
Property |
Will occur following all building closures |
On-going |
Property with links to modern council programme (where relevant) |
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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.
There is no anticipated impact on people with protected characteristics as a result of the proposals. As property rationalisation continues consultation will continue to occur with members of services to talk through changes in location of office and service delivery spaces. The area will be monitored through the process and this document updated if there are specific proposals that will have an effect to people with protected characteristics.
Section 14. Sign off section
This full EIA was completed by:
Name: Katherine Edge
Job title: Senior property officer
Directorate: Central services
Signature:
Completion date: 09/01/2023
This is an updated version of v0.4 of the EIA which was agreed by the relevant Assistant Director on the 26 July 2019
Authorised by relevant Assistant Director (signature):
Date: 10 January 2023