The Group Manager – Transformation and Customer Services presented a report to provide members with an annual update on the Council’s requirement to undertake Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs), an overview of the Council’s approach to EIAs and an outline of EIAs undertaken in Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) service areas in 2021/2022.

He explained that the EIA is a tool to assess whether new (or changes to existing) policies/services/functions, or the removal of services, could impact on different sectors of society in different ways. EIAs should be carried out when making strategic decisions. EIAs help the Council make better decisions, identify how services can be more accessible or improved and consider the nine protected characteristics as well as the impact on the Welsh language.

The Group Manager – Transformation and Customer Services explained that an EIA training module on the E Learning website was available to all employees and provided an overview of EIAs, their role in improving services and a guide to conducting them. At the end of the module, staff have an opportunity to complete an EIA and compare this against an already completed version to assess how the module has assisted in terms of knowledge and understanding. He highlighted the number of staff who had undertaken training in the period Apr 2021 – Mar 2022 as indicated in 4.2.2 of the report.

The Group Manager – Transformation and Customer Services highlighted the EIA’s undertaken in the year 2021/22. Four full EIAs were undertaken and accompanied Cabinet reports and these are listed in Appendix one. 33 EIA screenings were undertaken during this period and these are listed in Appendix two.

The Chairperson stated that it was encouraging to see over 250 staff undertake the EIA training. In terms of front-line services where EIA training is even more important, what was the council doing to promote the importance of EIA as well as the training modules.

The Group Manager – Transformation and Customer Services explained that the team were closely working with HR and the Learning & Development section to promote the importance to staff and it was now included as the managers induction programme. He added that there was also an equalities officer within the team which will further look at Cabinet reports to check on the EIA’s and reach out to the service areas that were lacking experience or completeness in this area.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet Committee Equalities noted the progress made in the Council during 2021/2022 in the completion of Equality Impact Assessments, the progress made with training, e-learning and the development of face-to-face training and workshops in preparation for the implementation of the Socio-Economic Duty.