Equality, Diversity and the Disability Duties

Section 75 Statutory Duties

Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires public authorities, in carrying out their functions, powers and duties, to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity:

• between persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation
• between men and women generally
• between persons with a disability and persons without
• between persons with dependants and persons without

In addition, without prejudice to its obligations above, the Act requires that regard is given to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council aspires to ensure that fairness, inclusion and respect are at the heart of everything we do. We ensure this by:

• Engaging with local communities within the Borough.
• Equality proofing our policies using a screening mechanism and publishing this information in Screening Outcome Reports and in Equality Impact Assessments.
• Publishing our Equality Scheme which gives details on our how we fulfil our Section 75 duties

The Council’s Equality Scheme was approved by the Equality Commission on 25 March 2015 and reviewed again in August 2020.

Our Equality Action Plan sets out specific actions we are taking to meet our equality duties and to ensure that equality is central to our policy and decision-making processes.  The Council is currently in the process of developing its Equality Action Plan and a copy will be included here when finalised.

Disability Duties

Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006) requires the Council, in carrying out its functions, to have due regard to the need to:

• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people; and
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is committed to the fulfilment of our disability duties throughout the Council and our Disability Action Plan sets out how we intend to do this.