Customer Access Review

Transcription

1 Assessment Area Customer Access Review Assessment Details Grants Funding Process Date of Assessment 27 June 2011 Directorate & Service Policy & Corporate Support Manager Tony Philips Lead Officer Stephen Jefferson Key Questions Step 1 Scoping the assessment 1. What are you looking to achieve i.e. aims/outcomes? Community Grant: Award financial contributions to support local community groups and projects and to offer information and advice. Salute To Youth: To celebrate, support and endorse exemplary and consistent achievement for those groups and young people in the Borough who set the standards others should follow. These awards will encourage and support young people to engage in positive, organised but challenging activities and traditional pursuits even though the awards will only be able to support projects requiring capital expenditure e.g. equipment and minor repair works. Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI): Environmental improvements related to heritage assets in the town centre. 2. Who will be affected? Community Grant/Salute To Youth: Groups who apply for grants and those who don't. And those unable to apply for grants due to the criteria. Council Members who take part in the screening process and who visit groups who receive grants. The participants who take part in/engaged in the activity as a result of the organisation receiving the funding. THI: Owners of the building stock who receive funding and the public through the visual improvement of the building stock.

2 3. How do the activities/changes a) contribute to any national indicators? b) meet or hinder other policies, values or objectives of the Council? 4. Which aspects of the activity are dictated by legislation / regulation and where do we have discretion in how they are delivered? a) THI: Meets objective ED4: Improve the economic performance of Dartford Town Centre against the standard range of health check indicators. b) All grants meet the Council s overall vision: To make Dartford the place of quality and choice, a place where people choose to live, work and enjoy their leisure time. Community Grant: No legislation but best practise in terms of the decision making process, which is undertaken by a cross party panel. The criteria and process for the grant have been agreed by Cabinet. The DBC Community Grant requires projects to meet the following objectives: Sporting Provision We will support projects that: o Promote excellence o Reach new audiences or o Work towards improving club standards, e.g. gaining accreditation, training Young People We will support projects that: o Provide new or expand upon positive activities which directly benefit young people (aged 25 or under) Older People We will support projects that: o Provide new or expand upon current services or activities which directly benefit older people Salute To Youth: Discretionary for DBC. The criteria and process for the grant have been agreed by Cabinet. Nominees will have been invited to apply after initial proposals for project ideas have been presented to the Leader, Deputy Leader (or their nominated representatives). Nominees are asked to complete a short nomination form which will enable their project to be assessed against the scheme criteria. The Managing Director will, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, determine the eligibility of the project for funding and the amount of grant to be awarded. 2

3 THI: Discretionary for DBC. Several surveys were undertaken to identify eligible properties through the preparatory stages of the bids and with the ongoing approval process for individual buildings to HLF. Owners are able to approach for ad hoc funding that may be approved. Step 2 The Heritage Lottery Fund requires the scheme to meet these outcomes: Preserving and enhancing the character and appearance of conservation areas affected by high levels of deprivation and in need of regeneration. Bringing historic buildings back into appropriate and sustainable use. Safeguarding the character of conservation areas through: increasing training opportunities in heritage skills; increasing community participation; and improving approaches to conservation management and maintenance Consideration of data and information Note: Ethnic monitoring data from relevant SNAP Surveys and Dartford population data can be found at: <\\serverc\common data\equality and diversity monitoring> 5. What do you know about the groups who will be affected e.g. demographic information etc? Information taken from KCC Equality and Diversity Profile % female 48.9% male yr olds highest proportion of the pop. 85+ smallest proportion 12.1% Dartford pop are from a BME group Largest group being Indian 4.6%, 2.9% other white, 1.7% black African 6.4% Dartford pop claiming disability related benefit THI: Information collected on ownership but not directly relevant for the scheme operation (but does not include demographic information). 6. What consultation has taken place with affected groups? Who was consulted and what were the key findings? 7. What additional research is needed to ensure that all equality groups needs are taken into account? Community Grant: None Salute To Youth: None THI: Every building owner has been contacted several times about the scheme by letter and personal visits to the property. Generally little interest in the scheme due to financial pressures and only buildings in owner occupation or by corporations are interested. Community Grant and Salute to Youth: it would be best practice to collect feedback from groups on how the grant process worked in practice, to identify any barriers, problems etc. THI: All owners personally contacted; no issues identified. 3

4 8. How do you propose to gather the additional information? Step 3 Assessing the equality impact Community Grant and Salute to Youth: Via an addition to the evaluation form, to allow recipients of a grant to give feedback on experience of the application process. THI: Not applicable 9. Based on information you already know, in relation to each of the following groups, consider: a) for existing activities, how they are actually working in practice for each group b) whether there is anything in any proposed activities/changes that could discriminate or put anyone at a disadvantage or assist in promoting equality of opportunity. Equality groups a. All groups Community Grant: Applications to Dartford Borough Council Community Grant are assessed by a cross party grants approval panel. Each member is requested to declare any expression of interest with the groups who have applied and leave the room when the application is discussed. Currently members have not received equality and diversity training. Application form is available to be completed and submitted on line but also available as a hard copy. We advertise the Dartford Borough Council Community Grant via DBC website and press releases. Salute To Youth: The uniformed organisations have national equality and diversity policy which sanctions groups to be fair, open and inclusive. The scheme is advertised through press releases and through informing groups who have made enquiries on funding. The uniformed organisations of Dartford are made aware of this grant through the work of lead councillors. THI: The scheme was advertised by leaflet and personal visits; if any communication issues were to arise (disability/ race) these would be addressed at that point. b. Age Community Grant: Community grants have been accessed by a wide spectrum of community groups and organisations from newly constituted groups to long term established community groups. Applications have been received from age specific groups, such as Active Retirement Associations. Salute To Youth: The Salute to Youth grant awards activities that bring out or enhance leadership qualities in young people between the ages of 5 25 years old. THI: Not applicable 4

5 c. Disability Community Grant: Community grants have been accessed by a wide spectrum community groups, applications have been received from disability groups and projects for disabled people, such as Dartford Association for the Disabled, Dartford Ladies FC. The online application form is accessible to people with a visual impairment. d. Gender (including reassignment) THI: Will fund improvements to buildings to meet disability access. Community Grant: Applications have been received from gender specific groups, such as Getup Go Mums. Salute To Youth: Applications have been received from gender specific organisations i.e. Girl Guides and mixed gender organisations Air Cadets. e. Race Community Grant: Applications have been received from race specific groups, such as African Caribbean Forum. f. Religion/Belief Community Grant: We will not fund the religious and political groups who are looking to fund their primary purpose. THI: Could fund religious buildings but none were identified as needy at the point of bidding to the HLF. g. Sexual Orientation Community Grant: Have not received any applications from LGBT groups; however they would be eligible to apply if they meet the criteria. h. Pregnancy/Maternity Community Grant: Applications have been received from pregnancy/maternity specific groups, such as Getup Go Mums. Salute To Youth: Not applicable 10. If the Local Authority works with partners to deliver activities/changes, please describe any that could give rise to inconsistent customer experiences? No Step 4 Reviewing and scrutinising the impact 11. Summarise any positive or adverse impact you have identified and who is affected. Community Grant/Salute To Youth: Positively grants are available and are being accessed by a range of groups: young and old, ethnically diverse, same gender groups and mixed gender groups. No translation/alternative format strap line on the form or website. We were carrying out equality monitoring for those making an application, however equality monitoring from does not work for whole groups. Councillors who award funding have not received equality and diversity training. 5

6 12. What changes can be made to address any adverse impact? 13. If an adverse impact remains, how can this be fairly justified? 14. Summarise the expected residual impact once steps have been taken to minimise adverse impact and identify who remains affected. THI: Positive impact as actively involves businesses with personal visits and through leafleting. The fund is available to address disability issues and religious venues if required. Community Grant/Salute To Youth: Add translation strap line on the application form and make available form in large print, Braille or website. Ask groups to provide their equal opportunities policy as part of their application. Suggest that Councillors receive training on Equality and Diversity. None None Step 4 continued Actions to be inserted into Equality Action Plans Based on your answers to questions 11 14, please finalise your actions here. These actions will then be incorporated into our equality action plans. Identified impact (including Action Monitoring Date for Responsible who is affected) (include expected outcomes, milestones and targets) Completion Officer If an adverse impact was found or unmet needs identified, which actions will you put in place to address this: Race and disability All groups Add translation strap line onto the application form and make form available in large print, Braille and advertise this on the website. Add to application criteria the need for groups to include their equal opportunities policy. Advise Corporate Policy and Support Manager on a training requirement for councillors to attend Equality and Diversity training. September 2011 September 2011 S Jefferson S Jefferson If you did not find any evidence of unmet needs or adverse impact, list the actions you will put in place to maintain good practice: 6

7 All groups Amend evaluation form to include opportunity for groups to feed back on the funding process. September 2011 S Jefferson Step 5 Decision making and future monitoring 15. Which decision making process do these changes need to go through i.e. who do they need to be approved by? 16. How will you continue to monitor the impact of the activity/service/ policy on diverse groups? Approval by Managing Director Through the application forms and also the returned evaluation form. 17. When will you review this Customer Access Review? April 2014 Final steps For an existing activity/service/policy: Send your assessment to the West Kent Equalities Officer. For a new activity/service/ policy: Summarise your findings in the committee report. Ensure planned consultations address the findings of this impact assessment. 7