Ballycastle Leisure Centre Part 2

S75 Equality And Good Relations Screening Form

Section 75 Category
Details of Evidence/Information:

• The Census statistics in 2021 collated by NISRA statistics detailed the usual resident population of Causeway Coast & Glens Local Government District to be 141,746 accounting for 7.45% of the N.I. total.     Statistical information with regards to the Districts makeup and individuals therein was also reviewed. 
• Council’s Equality Action plan and Disability Action Plan, specifically sport and wellbeing actions to:
  • Support persons with a disability to attend and fully engage in Council events and programmes.
  • Improve accessibility for individuals with a disability to participate in physical activity and improve well-being - by supporting individuals with a disability to access specialist equipment and facilitate exercise.
  • Improve social inclusion and leisure information for people with disabilities.
• The Council does not currently hold complete Section 75 monitoring data for historical and existing users of the Sheskburn House Facility in Ballycastle, however it does hold data on membership which indicates that only:
  • 1% of members are aged between 0 and 15years.
  • 7% are aged 65+.
  • 55% of members are female.
  • 36% of users are from a ward in the bottom 25% for Multiple Deprivation Measurements in NI. 
• Sport NI’s Sport and Physical Activity Survey (SAPAS) in 2010 provides empirical evidence of NI wide participation levels by some of the Section 75 groupings:
•  The consultation process with stakeholders has also identified particular needs of different user groups across the various components of the project as follows:
  • Play Park – the draft Play Strategy (which was subjected to Consultation as part of the equality screening procedure. This involved parent/carers, Children, Young people and community providers. Council also carried out an audit of all its 99 play facilities. The outcome was that the play park strategy did not need a full EQIA) has guided the projects development to take account of the particular needs of young people and disabled users;
  • Public changing/toilets and parking – particular needs of people with a disability;
  • Walking/Running Path – particular needs of people with a disability;
  • General events – particular needs of visitors from surrounding rural areas and ‘out of state’ visitors;
  • The need for shared neutral space for the community to come together in a setting away from religious settings.
• All of the above needs of different user groups have to be weighed up to achieve a balance in terms of accessibility, safety, visibility and clarity of procedures across the site.

It is also clear that the majority of the Borough is rural in composition and therefore the specific needs of those individuals will be considered further in the Rural Proofing Form.

  

Religious Beliefs 

The 2021 Census outlined:

Religion / religion brought up in:

Census 2021                                               CC&G Borough Council            Northern Ireland
Roman Catholic                                             40.12%                                      45.70%
Protestant & Other Christian
(including Christian related)                           51.17%                                     43.48%
Other Religions                                                0.78%                                       1.50%
None/Not stated                                               7.94%                                       9.32%
 

Staff breakdown by Religious Belief / Community Background                    (Figures as at 21 October 2022)
Religious Belief / Community Background            Gender           Number of Staff 
Roman Catholic                                                       Male              119 (19.67%)
                                                                              Female            126 (20.82%) 
Protestant                                                                Male              199 (32.89%)
                                                                              Female            128 (21.16%)
Non-Determined                                                     Male                 17 (2.81%)
                                                                              Female              16 (2.65%)
Total                                                                                                605

In terms of religion or religion brought up in the 2011 Census indicates that our resident’s religious beliefs are comparable to those in Northern Ireland in that there are 2 predominant groupings i.e. Roman Catholic and Protestant.  However we also have a number of individuals (5.64%) who do not practice a specific religion or who do not wish to be grouped into a specific religion.  In addition we have a small number of individuals who practice other religions.

The cumulative population of people living within a 10 mile radius of the project site is 14,966 with a 39% Catholic and 57% Protestant mix, the Ballycastle settlement has a population of 5,465 with a 75% Catholic and 21% Protestant mix. Note that 31,518 residents (12,264 households) live within 20 mins drive time.

The DfC Strategy for Sport from 2009 to 2019 states that we should:
"ensure that 90% of the population have quality accredited, multi-sports facilities, that have the capacity to meet demand, within 20 minutes travel time".

No issues regarding religious beliefs were raised during consultation to date with current stakeholders who have various religious beliefs and multiple identities. 

The opening hours demonstrate that they are wide and varied to facilitate enjoyment by all 7 days a week to accommodate those of various religious and non-religious beliefs.)

In conclusion, this project should not impact upon any religious group and will be a shared space where everyone should feel welcome and therefore have a neutral impact on this Section 75 group.

Political Opinion

The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey (2021) provides the following information on the political parties people in Northern Ireland feel closest to (this information is not available at local government level) :

                                                                                            %
DUP/Democratic Unionist Party                                         12
Sinn Féin                                                                            13
Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)                                               13
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)                     13
Alliance Party                                                                     19
Green Party                                                                         5
Other Party                                                                          4
None of these                                                                    11
Other answer                                                                      1
Don't know                                                                          9
 

In conclusion, this project should not impact upon any political affiliation and will be a shared space where everyone should feel welcome and therefore have a neutral impact on this Section 75 group.  

Racial Group

On Census Day 21 March 2021 the resident population was:  
 
Census 2021                           CC&G Borough Council             Northern Ireland
White                                             98.55%                                    96.55%
Irish Traveller                                   0.03%                                     0.14%
Roma                                               0.01%                                     0.08%
Indian                                               0.15%                                     0.52%
Chinese                                            0.22%                                     0.50%
Filipino                                              0.10%                                     0.23%
Pakistani                                           0.03%                                     0.08%
Arab                                                  0.03%                                     0.10%
Other Asian                                       0.10%                                     0.28%
Black African                                     0.12%                                     0.42%
Black Other                                       0.04%                                     0.16%
Mixed                                                0.51%                                     0.76%
Other ethnicities                                0.11%                                     0.19%


The 2021 Census detailed 98.55% of our population is white, with 1.45% from an ethnic background. The largest minority ethnic groups in Causeway Coast and Glens are the Chinese (0.22%), Indian (0.15%) and Filipino (0.10%). The proportion of ethnic groups from a non-white background has increased in Causeway Coast and Glens over the last 10 years by 0.95% slightly increasing the diversity in our population.

Country of Birth (basic detail)
Table MS-A16: Census 2021                         CC&G Borough Council
Europe: United Kingdom: Northern Ireland       127,171
Europe: United Kingdom: England                        5,991
Europe: United Kingdom: Scotland                       1,556
Europe: United Kingdom: Wales                              234
Europe: Republic of Ireland                                  1,931
Europe: Other EU countries                                  2,733
Europe: Other non-EU countries                              149
Africa                                                                        384
Middle East and Asia                                               825
North America, Central America and Caribbean      499
South America                                                            55
Antarctica, Oceania and Other                                219

Number of people born outside UK/Ireland in CC&G Borough Council for the years 2011 and 2021 
Census 2021                                                             2011      2021
Number of people born outside UK/Ireland              4,100    4,900

Of the total population in Causeway Coast and Glens 3.45% of our residents were born outside the UK/Ireland as demonstrated in the table above this is an increase over the last 10 years of 0.56%.

National identity (person based)
Census 2021                                            CC&G Borough Council
British only                                                       38%
Irish only                                                          22%
Northern Irish only                                           23%
British & Irish only                                           <1%
British & Northern Irish only                              9%
Irish & Northern Irish only                                 2%
British, Irish & Northern Irish only                     1%
Other national identities                                    5%

Main Language
Census 2021                                 CC&G Borough Council
English                                                          98%
Other languages                                            2%

Although our population is becoming more diverse 97.8% speak English as their main language.  The other main languages spoken are Polish, Irish and Portuguese closely followed by Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese and Cantonese.

Main Language (Count)
Census 2021 MS-B12a
All usual residents aged 3 and over           CC&G Borough Council
English                                                          134,147 (97.80%)
Polish                                                                1,524 (1.11%)
Lithuanian                                                              49 (0.04%)
Irish                                                                     231 (0.17%)
Romanian                                                             79 (0.06%)
Portuguese                                                           39 (0.03%)
Arabic                                                                   63 (0.05%)
Bulgarian                                                              66 (0.05%)
Chinese (not otherwise specified)                        68 (0.05%)
Slovak                                                                   32 (0.02%)
Hungarian                                                             18 (0.01%)
Spanish                                                                 50 (0.04%)
Latvian                                                                   36 (0.03%)
Russian                                                                  29 (0.02%)
Tetun                                                                        6 (0.00%)
Malayalam                                                             24 (0.02%)
Tagalog/Filipino                                                     46 (0.03%)
Cantonese                                                             69 (0.05%)
Other languages                                                  584 (0.43%)
All Residents                                                  137,160

It is important to note that while other family members may be able to support translation, 1.30% or 750 households do not speak English as their main language and therefore would require translation services.

Household language (Count)
Census 2021 MS-B11a                                        CC&G Borough Council
All people aged 16+ years have
English as a main language                                    56,063 (97.37%)
At least one but not all people aged
16+ years have English as a main language                600 (1.04%)
No people aged 16+ years have English as a
main language, but at least one person
aged 3-15 years has English as a main language       163 (0.28%)
No people have English as a main language               750 (1.30%)
                                                                                   57,576

Knowledge of Irish 
Census 2021                                                       CC&G Borough Council
No ability in Irish                                                           90%
Some ability in Irish                                                      10%

Knowledge of Ulster-Scots 
Census 2021                                                    CC&G Borough Council
No ability in Ulster-Scots                                             81%
Some ability in Ulster-Scots                                        19%

 

Staff breakdown by Racial Group / Ethnic Origin              (Figures as at 21 October 2022)
Racial Group / Ethnic Origin                             Number of Staff
Mixed Ethnic Group                                             1 (0.16%)
Other                                                                    2 (0.33%)
White / White European                                   546 (90.25%)
Unknown                                                            56 (9.26%)
Total                                                                  605

The signage proposed will use plain English and pictorial formats in-line with industry best practice to support the wide range and backgrounds of tourists expected.

As Ballycastle is a tourist destination, and this project will help to enhance the visitor experience, it is hoped that many different nationalities will visit. To help ensure inclusivity and accessibility to all, council will ensure up to date information is help on its website so that information may be translated to different languages using the free translation function.

This project should not impact upon any racial group and will be representative of the demographics above and therefore have a neutral impact on this Section 75 group.

Age

Age: (NISRA Census 2021 – Table MS-A02) 

                           CC&G Borough Council               Northern Ireland
0-4 years                        7,973 (5.62%)                  113,820 (5.98%)
5-9 years                        8,878 (6.26%)                  124,475 (6.54%)
10-14 years                     9,113 (6.43%)                  126,918 (6.67%)
15-19 years                     8,326 (5.87%)                  113,203 (5.95%)
20-24 years                     7,873 (5.55%)                  111,386 (5.85%)
25-29 years                     7,713 (5.44%)                  116,409 (6.12%)
30-34 years                     8,460 (5.97%)                  126,050 (6.62%)
35-39 years                     8,528 (6.02%)                  127,313 (6.69%)
40-44 years                     8,513 (6.01%)                  122,163 (6.42%)
45-49 years                     9,322 (6.58%)                  121,670 (6.39%)
50-54 years                   10,412 (7.35%)                  130,967 (6.88%)
55-59 years                   10,150 (7.16%)                  129,276 (6.79%)
60-64 years                     9,171 (6.47%)                  113,049 (5.94%)
65-69 years                     7,769 (5.48%)                    93,464 (4.91%)
70-74 years                     6,990 (4.93%)                    83,467 (4.39%)
75-79 years                     5,659 (3.99%)                    66,377 (3.49%)
80-84 years                     3,718 (2.62%)                    43,776 (2.30%)
85-89 years                     2,126 (1.50%)                    25,879 (1.36%)
90+ years                        1,051 (0.74%)                    13,512 (0.71%)
TOTAL Population           141,745                            1,903,174


Statistics in the table above highlight an ageing population.  

Age Comparison for CC&G Borough Council for the years 2011 and 2021 
Census 2021           
Age Range (years)              2011      2021
0-14                                     19%       18%
15-39                                    33%      29%
40-64                                    33%      34%
65+                                       15%      19%

It can be seen from the 2 tables above, that in the 44 and under groupings our borough statistics have decreased and are lower than the Northern Ireland average.  Whereas the number of individuals aged 45 years and upwards has increased and our percentages in these groupings are higher than the Northern Ireland Average.

This is a trend which is forecast to continue as identified in NISRA’s 2020-based Interim Population Projections for Northern Ireland, which states that "by mid-2027, the number of people aged 65 and over is projected to overtake the number of children" . 

Staff breakdown by Age       (Figures as at 21 October 2022)
Age Group                          Number of staff
22-29                                   21 (3.47%)
30-34                                   28 (4.63%)
35-39                                   64 (10.58%)
40-44                                   71 (11.74%)
45-49                                   99 (16.36%)
50-54                                  115 (19.01%)
55-59                                    92 (15.21%)
60-64                                    88 (14.54%)
65-120                                  27 (4.46%)
Total                                           605

The site has been designed to provide a facility for all age ranges and a wide variety of abilities.  The play area will be used by children up to early teens (‘Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play’) and those with young families.  The BMX/PUMP area can be used by very young children in balance bikes as well as by teens and young adults.  The Swimming pool will be used by all age groups. The climbing wall will be used by Teenagers and adults. The walking/running path is for all ages and those of varying levels of athletic ability - low level pathways for walks and cycling, seating for relaxation and breaks, it will also link in with open spaces already at the site for relaxation, sports and events to facilitate and encourage social and community interaction between all ages.

The information will be promoted in line with industry best practices and will ensure it is easy to read and understand. This may result in large print signage and pictorial formats when appropriate. The information will also be available on council’s webpage and therefore may be accessed using a screen-reader for individuals whose sight may be affected by age. 

Managing the diverse mix of provision with signage and clear procedures will be required to maximise this positive impact on all age groupings. 

In conclusion, the project will have a positive impact on all age groupings given the diverse nature of leisure provision on the site.
 

Marital Status

Marital status by former legacy Council area (most recent figures available from Census 2021):

Marital and civil partnership status
MS-A30: Census 2021                                         CC&G Borough Council      Northern Ireland
Single (never married or never
registered a civil partnership)                                  40,720 (35.67%)             576,708 (38.07%)
Married                                                                    54,576 (47.81%)             690,509 (45.59%)
In a civil partnership                                                     155 (0.14%)                    2,742 (0.18%)
Separated (but still legally married or
still legally in a civil partnership)                                3,795 (3.32%)                 57,272 (3.78%)
Divorced or formerly in a civil partnership
which is now legally dissolved                                   7,258 (6.36%)                 91,128 (6.02%)
Widowed or surviving partner from a
civil partnership                                                          7,655 (6.71%)                96,384 (6.36%)
All usual residents aged 16 and over                        114,159                         1,514,743

Causeway Coast and Glens follows a similar pattern to that of Northern Ireland in that the highest percentage of residents are married (47.81% compared with the NI average of 45.59%).  The patterns are all higher than the NI average with the exception of Individuals in a civil partnership lens at 0.14% is slightly lower than the NI average of 0.18%.  

Same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland has been legal since 13 January 2020. (Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019)

Staff breakdown by Marital Status       (Figures as at 21 October 2022)
Marital Status                              Number of staff
Unknown                                       60 (9.92%)
Married \ Civil Partnership           336 (55.54%)
Divorced                                        12 (1.98%)
Other                                             19 (3.14%)
Separated                                     12 (1.98%)
Single                                          164 (27.11%)
Widowed                                         2 (0.33%)
Total                                             605

The consultation process for this project raised no impactful issues with regards to Marital status. 

In conclusion, there is no evidence to assess the project’s impact on this Section 75 group and will be assumed as having a neutral impact.

Sexual Orientation

The 2021 census for the first time included a question on sexual orientation.  

Sexual orientation
MS-C01: Census 2021                 CC&G Borough Council         Northern Ireland
Straight or heterosexual                 104,205 (91.28%)                1,363,859 (90.04%)
Gay or lesbian                                       906 (0.79%)                       17,713 (1.17%)
Bisexual                                                 596 (0.52%)                       11,306 (0.75%)
Other sexual orientation                        135 (0.12%)                         2,597 (0.17%)
Prefer not to say                                 4,502 (3.94%)                       69,307 (4.58%)
Not stated                                           3,816 (3.34%)                       49,961 (3.30%)
All usual residents aged 16 and over     114,160                                 1,514,743

Sexual orientation by broad age bands
MS-C02: Census 2021                CC&G Borough Council               Northern Ireland
All usual residents
aged 16 and over                                    114,158                                1,514,745
Straight or heterosexual                          104,203 (91.28%)                1,363,859 (90.04%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other
sexual orientation                                        1,637 (1.43%)                        31,617 (2.09%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                       8,318 (7.29%)                      119,269 (7.87%)

Usual residents aged 16-24 years            14,576                               201,369
Straight or heterosexual                            13,099 (89.87%)               175,346 (87.08%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other
sexual orientation                                           517 (3.55%)                     9,283 (4.61%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                          960 (6.59%)                  16,740 (8.31%)

Usual residents aged 25-39 years            24,700                              369,770
Straight or heterosexual                            22,732 (92.03%)              330,734 (89.44%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other
sexual orientation                                           649 (2.63%)                   13,991 (3.78%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                       1,319 (5.34%)                   25,045 (6.77%)

Usual residents aged 40-64 years            47,568                              617,126
Straight or heterosexual                            44,419 (93.38%)               571,502 (92.61%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other
sexual orientation                                           419 (0.88%)                      7,459 (1.21%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                       2,730 (5.74%)                    38,165 (6.18%)

Usual residents aged 65+ years               27,314                               326,480
Straight or heterosexual                            23,953 (87.69%)                286,277 (87.69%)
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, other
sexual orientation                                            52 (0.19%)                         884 (0.27%)
Prefer not to say/ Not stated                       3,309 (12.11%)                   39,319 (12.04%)

The council currently has no data specific to its workforce.

In addition the NI Rainbow Project estimates between 6-10% of any given population could be considered as LGBT. 

The consultation process for this project raised no impactful issues with regards to Sexual Orientation. 

In conclusion, there is no evidence to assess the project’s impact on this Section 75 group and will be assumed as neutral impact.
 

Men and Women Generally

Gender:  

(Census 2021 – Table MS-A07)  
                             CC&G Borough Council          Northern Ireland
Male                        69,848 (49.28%)                   936,132 (49.19%)
Female                    71,898 (50.72%)                  967,043 (50.81%)


Staff breakdown by Gender       (Figures as at 21 October 2022)
Gender                                    Number of staff
Male                                          335 (55.38%)
Female                                      270 (44.62%)
Total                                          605

There will be single occupancy toilets available for all genders. 

The village changing’ facility will provide totally flexible individual changing rooms for all genders. 

The facility will make breastfeeding welcome.

In conclusion, the project will have a positive impact on all genders given the diverse nature of leisure provision on the site and changing facilities provided.