The Group Manager – Transformation and Customer Services presented a report which provided the committee information on the Socio-economic Duty one year on from its implementation on 31st March 2021.

He explained that the Socio-economic Duty came into force in Wales on 31 March 2021 as a statutory requirement, with an aim to improve decision making and help those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, tackling inequality at the heart of decision-making, and build on the good work public bodies are already doing. The introduction of the Socio-economic Duty meant that public bodies now must think about how their strategic decisions, such as setting objectives and developing public services, can improve inequality of outcome for people who suffer socio-economic disadvantage.

The Group Manager – Transformation and Customer Services highlighted that to ensure that the socio-economic duty is fully considered as part of the Council’s governance and strategic decision-making processes, Bridgend Council has adopted the following initiatives:

• Include the Socio-economic Impact within the full corporate Equality Impact Assessments (EIA) and initial screenings, to ensure Managers consider implications to the socio-economic disadvantaged.

• Produce guidance and corporate learning and development training for staff on the implementation of the Socio-economic Duty and Equality Impact assessment.

He added that a total of thirty-three EIA screenings and four full EIA’s have been completed in the 2021/2022 financial year across directorates. Of the thirty-three EIA’s completed, four indicated that there would be a positive impact on the Socio-economic disadvantaged, where the other ten were identified as no impact. Further details on this were at 4.3 of the report.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet Committee Equalities received and considered this information.