Protocol for the Operation of the Planning Committee
S75 Equality And Good Relations Screening Form
| General Information |
| Service/ Function ☐ |
Policy/ Procedure ☒ |
Project ☐ |
Strategy ☐ |
Plan ☐ |
Guidance ☐ |
| Is this an existing, revised or a new function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance? Existing ☐ Revised ☒ New ☐ |
| Operational Area | Planning |
| Title | Protocol for the Operation of the Planning Committee |
| Brief Summary
The Protocol for the Operation of the Planning Committee offers guidance to Elected Members, applicants, agents and the general public on how the Planning Committee meetings will operate and how they can participate in the Committee meeting. The Protocol should be read in conjunction with Council’s Standing Orders and the Code of Conduct for Councillors. |
| What is it trying to achieve? (intended aims and outcomes) The Protocol for the Operation of the Planning Committee sets out the operation of the Planning Committee meeting. The key aim of the Protocol is to ensure that the Committee makes decisions that are sound, lawful and transparent. |
| Who owns and who implements each element of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance?
Planning Committee and the Planning Department |
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Other policies etc. which have a bearing on this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance? The Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011; the Planning (Development Management) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, The Northern Ireland Planning Monitor Framework, Council’s Standing Orders, the Northern Ireland Code of Conduct for Councillors. |
| Available Evidence Evidence to help inform the screening process may take many forms. Public authorities should ensure that their screening decision is informed by relevant data. What evidence/information (both qualitative and quantitative have you gathered to inform this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance? Specify details for relevant Section 75 categories. |
| A workshop was held with Elected Members and the issues raised have been incorporated into the revised Protocol. The Northern Ireland Planning Monitor Framework 2018/19 Annual Report. The Northern Ireland Planning Statistics 2018/19 Annual Report. The NISRA Census 2011. |
| Section 75 Category | Details of Evidence/Information |
| Religious Beliefs |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to be 48.36% Protestant/other Christian, 45.14% Roman Catholic, 0.65% other Religions/Philosophies and 4.35% No religion/non stated. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of an individual’s Religious Belief and will not create inequality based on Religious Belief. |
| Political Opinion |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council first preference votes to be 49.4% Unionist parties, 34.9% nationalist parties and 15.7% other parties/Independent. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of an individual’s Political Opinion and will not create inequality based on Political Opinion. |
| Racial Group |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to be 91.02% born in Northern Ireland, 4.99% born in rest of UK, 1.42% born in republic of Ireland, 1.45% born in rest of Europe and 1.06% born in rest of the World. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of an individual’s Racial Group and will not create inequality based on Racial Group. |
| Age |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to be 20.4% aged 0-15 years, 64.2% 16-64 years and 15.4% to be 65+ years. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of an individual’s Age and will not create inequality based on Age. |
| Marital Status |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that of the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council over the age of 16 years 34.77% single/never married, 53.09% married/remarried/separated/same-sex civil partnership, 5.54% divorced, 6.6% widowed/surviving partner from same-sex civil partnership. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of an individual’s Marital Status and will not create inequality based on Marital Status. |
| Sexual Orientation |
There are no specific figures available on the sexual orientation of the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of an individual’s Sexual Orientation and will not create inequality based on Sexual Orientation. |
| Men and Women Generally |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to be 49.46% male and 50.54% female. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless if an individual is a man or woman and will not create inequality based on whether an individual is a man or woman. |
| Dependants |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that the households of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to be 33.37% with dependent children and 9.6% of the population providing unpaid care. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of whether an individual has dependents or not and will not create inequality based on whether an individual has dependents or not. |
| Disability |
The NISRA Census 2011 found that the population of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to be 20.17% with limiting long term illness, 80.02% with very good and good general health. The Protocol applies equally across the whole Borough regardless of whether an individual has a disability or not and will not create inequality based on whether an individual has a disability or not. |
| Screening Questions 1. What is the likely impact on equality of opportunity for those affected by this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance? |
| Section 75 Category | Positive impact |
Neutral | Negative impact |
Reason | |
| Gender | Women | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all genders |
| Men | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Transgender men/women | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Other please specify | ☐ | ☐ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Race (As used in the 2011 census) |
Asian | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all race. |
| Black | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Chinese | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Mixed race White |
☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Other please specify | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Disability | Long term health impairment could include mental health problems, asthma, heart conditions, chronic fatigue etc. | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all irrespective of disability
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| Sexual orientation | Heterosexual, lesbian, gay men, bisexual, others | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all irrespective of sexual orientation |
| Age | Older People | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all ages. |
| Younger people and children | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
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| Political Opinion | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all irrespective of political opinion | |
| Religious Belief | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all irrespective of religious belief | |
| Marital Status | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all irrespective of martial status | |
| Dependants | ☐ | ☒ | Major ☐ Minor ☐ |
This will have equal impact on all |
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| Screening Questions 2. Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within any of the Section 75 categories? |
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| Section 75 Category | If Yes, provide details | If No, provide details | ||
| Gender | Women | This will have equality of opportunity for all gender as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | ||
| Men | ||||
| Transgender men/women | ||||
| Other please specify | ||||
| Race As used in the 2011 census. |
Asian |
This will have equality of opportunity for all race as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. |
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| Black | ||||
| Chinese | ||||
| Mixed race White | ||||
| Other please specify | ||||
| Disability | Long term health impairment could include mental health problems, asthma, heart conditions, chronic fatigue etc. | This will have equality of opportunity for all with or without a disability as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | ||
| Sexual orientation | Heterosexual, lesbian, gay men, bisexual, others | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of sexual orientation as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | ||
| Age | Older People, Younger people and children |
This will have equality of opportunity for all ages as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | ||
| Political Opinion | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of political opinion as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | |||
| Religious Belief | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of religious belief as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | |||
| Marital Status | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of martial status as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | |||
| Dependants | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of whether they have dependents or not as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. | |||
| Screening Questions 3. To what extent is the policy likely to impact on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? |
| Section 75 Category | Details of policy impact | Level of impact major/minor/none |
| Religious Belief | This does not distinguish between people of different religious beliefs | |
| Political Opinion | This does not distinguish between people of different political opinion | |
| Racial Group | This does not distinguish between people of different racial groups. |
| Screening Questions 4. Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? |
| Section 75 Category | If Yes, provide details | If No, provide details |
| Religious Belief | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of religious belief. | |
| Political Opinion | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of political opinion. | |
| Racial Group | This will have equality of opportunity for all irrespective of race. |
| Additional Considerations | |
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Generally speaking people can fall into more than one Section 75 category. Taking this into consideration, are there any potential impacts of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance on people with multiple identities? (For example: disabled minority ethnic people, disabled women, young Protestant men, young lesbians, gay and bisexual people.) It is not considered that this will impact greater on people with multiple identities as there are opportunities for them to participate in the process or have others participate on their behalf. |
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| Provide details of data on the impact of the function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance on people with multiple identities. Specify the relevant Section 75 categories concerned. | |
| This procedures impacts on all Section 75 categories equally. Those who participate in the planning process are from all Section 75 categories and there has been no evidence gathered or received to indicate that the procedure impacts on any category. | |
| Disability Considerations Is there an opportunity to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people by altering this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance? ☐ Yes ☒ No |
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| If yes, please give further information and examples: |
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| Is there an opportunity to encourage participation by disabled people in public life by altering this function, service, policy, procedure, project, strategy, plan or guidance? ☐ Yes ☒ No |
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| Please give further information and examples: All sections of the community can participate in the planning process and avail of the opportunity to submit planning applications, make comments on planning applications and address the Planning Committee at its meeting. It allows for others to represent their views where they consider it difficult to do so themselves. |
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Screening Decision
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If the decision is not to conduct an equality impact assessment (i.e. likely impact = None), please provide details of the reasons for this: All sections of the community can participate in the planning process and avail of the opportunity to submit planning applications, make comments on planning applications and address the Planning Committee at its meeting. It allows for others to represent their views where they consider it difficult to do so themselves. |
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| Mitigation | |
| When the Council concludes that the likely impact is ‘Minor’ and an equality impact assessment is not to be conducted, the Council may consider mitigation to lessen the severity of any equality impact, or the introduction of an alternative policy to better promote equality of opportunity or good relations. Can the policy/decision be amended or changed or an alternative policy introduced to better promote equality of opportunity and/or good relations? ☐ Yes ☒ No |
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If YES, give the reasons to support your decision, together with the proposed changes/amendments or alternative policy: N/A |
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| Timetabling And Prioritising | |
| If the policy/decision has been ‘screened in’ for equality impact assessment, then please answer the following questions to determine its priority for timetabling the equality impact assessment. On a scale of 1 to 3, with 1 being the lowest priority and 3 the highest, assess the policy in terms of its priority for equality impact assessment. |
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| Priority Criterion | Rating (1 to 3) |
| Effect on equality of opportunity and good relations | N/A |
| Social Need | N/A |
| Effect on people’s daily lives | N/A |
| Relevance to the Council’s functions | N/A |
| Monitoring | |
| Please outline proposals for future monitoring of the policy/decision: The procedures will be reviewed at the request of Planning Committee Members at least 12 months after implementation. |
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| Approval And Authorisation | |
| Screened and Approved By Position/Job Title Date | Date |
| Head of Planning | 07/02/2020 |
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*Sources:
Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (NILT), Queen’s University Belfast and the Ulster University www.ark.ac.uk/nilt
5 https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/nlgccg.htm
Northern Ireland Statistics website: www.nisra.gov.uk
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