Equality impact assessment - publications

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1. What is the name of the function, policy or service that is being assessed?

The production of Promotional and Information Literature within the Council through Wiltshire Design & Print Services.

2. What are the aims of the function, policy or service? Whose needs it is designed to meet? What are the current priorities?

To produce a wide range of publications within the council to provide both the public and staff members with clear and concise information on services provided by Wiltshire Council. It is necessary that essential information should be made available/accessible in an appropriate format to all who require it when requested.

3. In what ways might this function, policy or service affect some groups of people differently? Might some groups find it harder to access the service? Do some groups have particular needs that are not well met by the current policy or service?

• Large Print version required for Partially Sighted
• Audio/Brail version required for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• Foreign Language version required for ethnic minorities

There is a requirement to provide information in a format that is widely acceptable to all users. The cost of producing a small number of modified copies needs to be weighed up against the potential demand. However all reasonable requests for obtaining access to information in an appropriate format will be considered.

4. What evidence do you have for your judgement? Is there evidence of public concern (e.g. complaints)? Have staff raised concerns? Is there local or national research to suggest that there could be a problem?

There is a legislative requirement to provide reasonable availability of information in an appropriate format. This has not been identified as a problem to date as translators have been available in key languages to assist non-English speakers.

Census information indicates “pockets” of ethnic minorities in some areas of the county also national statistics on immigration and visually disabled.

5. Who have you consulted with as part of your assessment? What were the results? Have you published the results of that consultation? If so, where?

Census information indicates “pockets” of ethnic minorities in some areas of the county also national statistics on immigration and visually disabled.

6. If you have found that the function, policy or service might have an adverse impact on a particular group of people, can you justify this?

Non-Fluent English Speakers

Translating each page of each document would be unreasonably expensive however it is reasonable to look at alternatives i.e. translators to assist, through the Customer Care Language Line, or through partner organisations.

7. If the impact cannot be justified, what do you intend to do about this? Are there changes that you could introduce which would make the function, policy or service work better for this group of people? Is further research or consultation required?

There is a need to ensure that all staff members are aware of the options available to ensure appropriate formats/translations can be provided if requested.

8. How will you monitor the take-up or impact of the function, policy or service in future?

Production of large print versions or translation would be on an ad-hoc basis and therefore easy to monitor numbers produced.

9. What actions do you plan to take as a result of this equality impact assessment? Please state any resource implications

No additional measures to be put in place. To date demand has not warranted a large scale investment with publications currently being produced in the required format on an occasional basis as required. The use of translators has primarily been sufficient in dealing with any requests received.

10. There is a legal requirement to publish the outcomes of Equality Impact Assessments. Please outline how / where this will happen

This assessment can be included with other Council Assessments that are to be published collectively.

11. Name of person completing form

Administration & Information Services Officer

Date assessment completed

June 2007

12. Senior manager approval

Assistant Director - Planning & Regeneration

Date

12 November 2007

Last updated: 14 May 2009