Action Measures

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
 
Public Authority Statutory Equality and Good Relations Duties 
Annual Progress Report 2020-21

Part B

 

 

1.  Number of action measures for this reporting period that have been:

Fully achieved                 16

Partially achieved              3

Not achieved                     2

 

2.  Please outline below details on all actions that have been fully achieved in the reporting period.

2(a)
Please highlight what public life measures have been achieved to encourage disabled people to participate in public life at National, Regional and Local levels:

 

Level: National

Public Life Action Measures: N/A

Outputs: --

Outcomes / Impact: --

 

Level: Regional

Public Life Action Measures: N/A

Outputs: --

Outcomes / Impact: --

 

Level: Local

Public Life Action Measures: Equality Forum reinstated within Causeway Coast and Glens.

Outputs: Wide range of S75 groups represented on Equality Forum including a range of groups representing those with particular disabilities.

Outcomes / Impact:  The Equality Forum offers the opportunity for representatives to be involved in the on-going formation of public policy by Council.

 

Level: Local

Public Life Action Measures:  Representatives from local Disability Groups invited to participate in consultations on major policy initiatives

Outputs: Involvement of a wide range of local disability groups in consultation initiatives in relation to the development of:  Council’s Corporate Strategy/Plan   &  Causeway Coast and Glens Disability Action Plan

Outcomes / Impact: These consultation exercises offered the opportunity representatives to be involved in the formation of major policies by Council and its statutory partners.

 

 

2(b)
What training action measures were achieved in this reporting period?

Training Action Measures:  Induction Training Sessions

Outputs:  Quarterly induction training sessions for all new employees of Council.  These sessions include a section on equality, diversity and good relations

Outcome / Impact:  New employees are aware of the legislative requirements relating to equality and good relations and that they have the basic skills and knowledge on which to build their awareness of equality and good relations issues.

 

Training Action Measures:   Training Sessions for staff on: Equality Screening   &    Rural Needs Assessment 

Outputs:  Training for all staff on a range of equality and disability issues.

Outcome / Impact:  Employees of Council have greater awareness of equality and disability issues affecting people with specific disabilities.  Promotion of positive attitudes towards people with a disability.  

 

Training Action Measures:  Awareness raising training for staff and elected members 

Outputs:  Monthly awareness emails to all staff and elected members

Outcome / Impact:  Promotion of positive attitudes towards disabled people through acknowledging the contribution of people with a disability.

 

Training Action Measures:  Members training programme

Outputs:  Members training programme developed

Outcome / Impact:  Training providers have been sourced and the developed programme will be rolled-out to elected members in the next reporting period.  This will develop the capacity of members to ensure awareness of legal obligations in relation to employment and service delivery. 

 

 

 

2(c)
What Positive attitudes action measures in the area of Communications were achieved in this reporting period?

 

Communications Action Measures:  Attendance of Diversity Champion at training and networking events.

Outputs:  Training and networking events for Disability Champions arranged on a quarterly basis by the Local Government Staff Commission

Outcome / Impact: Greater awareness and knowledge of issues facing people with disabilities and development of positive attitudes to people with a disability.  Sharing of equality and diversity information between elected representatives.

 

Communications Action Measures:  Improve disability awareness of staff via e-briefings, newsletters, staff meetings, emails, intranet and internet

Outputs:  Provision of an awareness programme for staff continued in 2020 - 2021.  16 disability related topics were highlighted to staff. 

Outcome / Impact:  Greater awareness of disability and equality issues.  Increased understanding and acceptance of staff regarding individuals within the S75 groupings.

 

Communications Action Measures:  Accessible communication section was added to the Equality and Diversity toolkit

Outputs:  Information resource provided by email to all staff and added to the staff portal.

Outcome / Impact: Improved accessible communication used by staff and elected representatives.

 

2(d)
What action measures were achieved to ‘encourage others’ to promote the two duties:
 

Encourage others Action Measures:  Improve disability awareness via information and links on the Council website 

Outputs:  Articles by the Diversity Champion provided via social media.  Specific information provided on the website. 

Outcome / Impact:  Information provided to Citizens via the website will raise awareness and acceptance.

 

Encourage others Action Measures:  Encouraging consultation and asking people to feed into Councils decision making process. 

Outputs:  Advertisement in local papers and via Social Media to encourage others to take part in our consultation exercises by becoming consultees or joining the equality forum. 

Outcome / Impact: New individuals joined the consultation list.  New individuals/representatives joined the equality forum.

 

 

 

2 (e)

Please outline any additional action measures that were fully achieved other than those listed in the tables above:

Action Measures fully implemented (other than Training and specific public life measures):  Screening of new and revised policies for impact on the Disability Duties.  

Outputs:  Screening process included consideration of the Disability Duties.

Outcomes / Impact:  Improved awareness of the Council’s obligations under the Disability Duties and inclusion in policy development work within Council.

 

Action Measures fully implemented (other than Training and specific public life measures):  Advice provided to disabled Councillors and staff on reasonable adjustments. 

Outputs:  Practical actions and advice available on reasonable adjustments. 

Outcomes / Impact:  Improved participation in the workplace by Councillors and staff with a disability.

Action Measures fully implemented (other than Training and specific public life measures):  Appropriate risk assessments conducted for individual needs. 

Outputs:  Conduct risk assessments when necessary for Councillors and staff in relation to disability issues. 

Outcomes / Impact: Improved work environments and participation in the workplace by Councillors and staff with a disability.

Action Measures fully implemented (other than Training and specific public life measures):  Improve Disability awareness via information and links on the Council website. 

Outputs:  The website has been updated to include a dedicated web-page detailing disability awareness information. 

Outcomes / Impact:  Individuals accessing our website can be linked to information relating to various disabilities.

Action Measures fully implemented (other than Training and specific public life measures):  Review the feasibility of providing 1 additional changing places facility. 

Outputs:  Identification of potential facilities. 

Outcomes / Impact:  2 potential facilities have been identified.  1 at Roe Mill Recreation Grounds planned to open in September 2021 and 1 at Portrush Recreation Grounds planned to open in June 2022.

 

 

 

3. Please outline what action measures have been partly achieved as follows:

Action Measures partly achieved:  Develop inclusive initiatives in partnership with Autism NI. 

Milestones/ Outputs:  Increased Autism friendly sport and well-being initiatives.  Design of a sport and well-being Autism Friendly Development Plan 

Outcomes/Impacts:  Some Autism friendly initiatives took place, however others were cancelled due to the pandemic.  The development plan was pushed back to the next reporting period, subject to Government restrictions. 

Reasons not fully achieved:  Due to the pandemic, social distancing restrictions and the furloughing of staff some initiatives were cancelled.  In addition the above factors meant that the plan had to be rescheduled to Autumn 2021.

Action Measures partly achieved:  To improve information for people with disabilities 

Milestones/ Outputs:  Development of an information section on the website detailing accessible leisure in the 4 centres.  Improved information for individuals with Autism. 

Outcomes/Impacts:  Improved information regarding facilities and accessible equipment/services available. 

Reasons not fully achieved:  Date for completion is in the following reporting period, delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Action Measures partly achieved:  Review the role of organisational Diversity champions. 

Milestones/ Outputs:  Extend the role to organisational directorates to sit on working groups 

Outcomes/Impacts:  Improved promotion of equality and embedding of equality matters. 

Reasons not fully achieved:  The role has been reviewed, however due to the pandemic and staff furlough.  The identification of new champions has been rescheduled until all staff are back in post.

 

 

 

4. Please outline what action measures have not been achieved and the reasons why.

Action Measures not met:  Improve Learning Disability Awareness of staff via training. 

Reasons:  Face to face training of Leisure Services Staff was cancelled due to restrictions as a result of the pandemic.  The training has been moved to the next reporting period, subject to Government guidelines and restrictions.

 

Action Measures not met:  The recruitment process review to identify adjustments for applicants with learning difficulties has been delayed to the next reporting period. 

Reasons:  The review had to be pushed back into the next reporting period as a result of covid and the increasing pressure on the OD/HR function. 

 

 

5. What monitoring tools have been put in place to evaluate the degree to which actions have been effective / develop new opportunities for action?

(a) Qualitative
• Review of substance of relevant Complaints/Comments
• Feedback from service users
• Review of the Disability Action Plan

(b) Quantitative
• Number of complaints received regarding accessibility and disability related issues.
• Number of requests for specific services received, eg interpretation services, information in alternative formats, etc
• Number of training sessions provided and attendance at same
• Audits undertaken as part of the “Every Customer Counts” initiative and number of actions in Action Plans delivered.
 

 

6. As a result of monitoring progress against actions has your organisation either:

• made any revisions to your plan during the reporting period or 
• taken any additional steps to meet the disability duties which were not outlined in your original disability action plan / any other changes?

 
Yes

If yes please outline below:

 
Revised/Additional Action Measures:  The 2 Actions not achieved have been allocated extended timescales for completion. 

Performance Indicator:  Learning Disability Staff Training and Review of recruitment process to support individuals with learning difficulties. 

Timescale:  End of next reporting period.

 

Revised/Additional Action Measures:  Increased staff awareness regarding health and wellbeing initiatives. 

Performance Indicator:  Performance indicator has been changed from ‘maintain a dedicated webpage on the staff portal’ to ‘inclusion in the staff news’ as this ensures greater coverage and contact with staff and elected members. 

Timescale:  Ongoing – 2020 - 2024

 

 

 

7. Do you intend to make any further revisions to your plan in light of your organisation’s annual review of the plan?  If so, please outline proposed changes?

No; the Disability Action Plan was fully reviewed in 2020/21 following the completion of an Audit of Inequalities and the continued adoption of the Every Customer Counts initiative and associated action plans.

 

 

 

i)  Outputs – defined as act of producing, amount of something produced over a period, processes undertaken to implement the action measure e.g. Undertook 10 training sessions with 100 people at customer service level. 
ii) Outcome / Impact – what specifically and tangibly has changed in making progress towards the duties? What impact can directly be attributed to taking this action? Indicate the results of undertaking this action e.g.  Evaluation indicating a tangible shift in attitudes before and after training.
iii)  National : Situations where people can influence policy at a high impact level e.g. Public Appointments
iv)  Regional: Situations where people can influence policy decision making at a middle impact level
v)  Local : Situations where people can influence policy decision making at lower impact level e.g. one off consultations, local fora.