Definitions

Equality impact assessment (EIA)

In Tower Hamlets, Equality Impact Assessments (often described as impact assessments) are a process of systematically exploring the potential for a policy or function to have unequal impact on a particular group or community. This includes the impact of a policy or function on employees, existing and potential service users, the wider community and where relevant, staff employed in contracted-out services.

Impact assessments in Tower Hamlets consider the potential for the policy or function to have unequal impact or a detriment on any group likely to face disadvantage. This includes groups defined by their ethnicity, gender, disability, religious belief, sexuality, and age.

Policies or functions that have been identified (through the “test of relevance” – see below) as highly relevant i.e. where there is a relatively high potential for unequal impact to occur, must be subject to an impact assessment. Also, as a matter of course, all new policies must be impact assessed before introduction.

Policy

A written council document setting out the basis on which future decisions should be taken. It could apply to issues of service delivery or staffing. It includes procedures, plans, strategies, and guidance documents. It usually has some formal status, e.g. having been agreed or approved by council, cabinet, corporate management team, directorate management team, or specialist steering group.

Function

This represents a collection of council activities which have a common and clearly defined purpose.

This can be defined in terms of our statutory duties and powers, or the organisational structures that the council has chosen to adopt.

The term includes functions which are directed internally such as human resources and accountancy, as well as front-line functions, such as the youth service function, and council tax collection.

In many cases, the functions may equate to the same organisational structures defined by team or service plans.

Test of relevance

Once the council has identified all its policies and functions, it is required to determine which policies and functions have the most potential to create unequal impact, and those which are less likely to do so.

This is defined as the “test of relevance”. Policies or functions which are likely to have a higher relevance, are those which involve face to face contact, involve making decisions based on someone’s individual characteristics or circumstances, are likely to have a significant impact on someone’s life or wellbeing, or where there is a history or long-established pattern of unequal outcomes.

Those policies and Functions that are assessed as being of high relevance need to be impact assessed by May 2005.

Definitions
Overview of the process
List of impact assessments undertaken in year 1