Ayrshire
3.0 Relevant functions
Central to the development of the Board's Race and Equality Scheme is the list of relevant functions. The relevant functions take into account: -
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The Board's experience of promoting race equality in the past three years.
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The findings of the Ayrshire Race Equality Partnership Survey.
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Relevant Function |
Impact Assessment Summary |
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Provide electoral registration, council tax, valuation and non-domestic rating valuation services to its constituent authorities and the public. |
We need to be certain that staff are aware of the duties under the act and are equipped to carry out these duties without racial prejudice. We need to ensure that all statutory forms and other enquiry forms provide a contact statement in languages, other than English, that predominate in Ayrshire. |
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Employee Resourcing |
We need to be certain that information is available for applicants from all communities. This includes advertisements. There is a risk that we are not communicating with all possible applicant groups. |
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Employee Relations |
We need to ensure that policies and procedures have equalities aspects built at the design stage and that they are applied fairly and equally to all employees. |
4.0 Action Plans 2006 - 2009
The Board has identified relevant functions as set out at Item 3.0 within the scheme. To turn these issues into actions, the Board has set out the actions to be taken over the next three years to promote race and equality. See Appendix 2.
It is essential that the Race Equality Scheme is seen not as a standalone commitment but as part of the Board's planning and improvement agenda process as a whole and therefore integral to its work to achieve best value.
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Publicity
5.1 The Board is bound by and complies with the requirement of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 in respect of access to information. Anything that might reasonably be regarded as a policy will be the subject of a report to the Board, as will the results of any monitoring of the impact of policies.
5.2 This scheme will be published and circulated to all members and employees of the Board. Copies will be available from the Assessor at 9 Wellington Square, Ayr, KA7 1HL. The scheme will also be placed on the Board's web-site at www.ayrshire-vjb.gov.uk. Translation will be made available on request using the services of “Language Line” or other translation services.
6.0 The Board's Policies
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The Board regulates its meetings and other aspects of its internal administration by means of standing orders, financial regulations, agreed procedures and ad hoc discussions. In addition, it approves appropriate policies and procedures after receiving policy and professional advice from the Assessor. For the purposes of this scheme, all of these are considered to be the Board's policies.
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The Board believes that its policies in relation to standing orders, financial regulations and agreed procedures are applied in a fair and consistent manner and are in no sense inherently unfair. This would however, benefit from a general review and this should include consideration of ways in which they might be improved with a view to promoting equality of opportunity. A review of these processes had been targeted for completion during 2004, but this has not taken place. The review will now be taken forward by the Clerk in consultation with the Treasurer and the Assessor during 2006 - 2009.
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The Board regularly approves altered or new policies. These policies to a large extent mirror policies adopted by South Ayrshire Council (our lead authority). In compiling these policies, South Ayrshire Council considers the likely impact on the promotion of race equality. Should any of the policies prepared by Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board be significantly different from those prepared by South Ayrshire Council or be unique to Ayrshire Valuation Joint Board the impact on the promotion of race equality will be considered by the Board in their compilation.
7.0 Duration and Review
The scheme is intended to cover the period April 2006 to March 2009 and will be subject to review at the end of that period. The Board may however, if considered appropriate, review the scheme or any part of it at an earlier date in response to comments made from individuals, organisations, or consultations with other bodies.
Race Equality Appendices
