Recreation and Heritage Race and Equality
Summary Impact Assessments

A growing body of legislation, such as The Race Relations (Amendment) Act, places a duty on public authorities to ensure that equality and diversity issues are taken into full account when developing policies and planning initiatives.

Hampshire County Council is committed to the use of Race and Equality Impact Assessment as a key element in the planning process. It is a systematic way of ensuring that decision-making takes into proper consideration the needs and interests of disadvantaged minorities and all groups who face discrimination.

Each Department of the County Council is required to carry out individual Impact Assessments on all its policies and on any changes to service delivery. Recreation and Heritage is fully committed to this process and takes pleasure in publishing the following evidence.

Equality and Diversity policy

1. General

1.1 As a department of Hampshire County Council, Recreation and Heritage (RandH) is committed to the County Council's Corporate Equality and Diversity Strategy. It welcomes the County Council's legislative obligations to promote equality of opportunity. The departmental management team takes responsibility for ensuring that this policy is implemented.

1.2 No discrimination, direct or indirect, by a member of staff against others (whether they be members of staff, customers or other visitors) on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnicity or nationality, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, responsibility for dependants or for any other reason, will be tolerated. All claims of discrimination will be taken seriously and all appropriate measures will be taken to eradicate it.

2. Our staff

2.1 Equality of opportunity is at the core of our staff recruitment and promotion. In accordance with County Council policy, vacancies will be advertised as widely as possible and applications are welcomed from all sectors of the community.

2.2 Individual services within RandH will be represented on the departmental equalities group. The chair of the group (or other appropriate delegate) will represent the department on the corporate Equalities and Diversity Action Group (EDAG).

2.3 The induction process provided for all new staff will include sessions on equalities issues (to include disability awareness) and the procedures to be followed in the event of becoming a victim of discrimination, either directly or indirectly. Training and development in equalities issues will form an integral part of every employee's personal development

2.4 The normal complaints procedure will be followed for any complaints received from employees and non-employees.

2.5 We will ensure that the contractors whom we use and the partner organisations with which we work comply with corporate equalities requirements.

3. Our Customers, Services and Sites

3.1 The RandH department provides services for and promotes access to its facilities and events by all. In order not to discriminate against any member of the community and to eliminate unconscious discrimination, all service plans and associated policies will be assessed for their impact on inclusion.

3.2 Our policy is to consult our customers on service-delivery and to encourage comments, suggestions and complaints, with the aim of continuous service improvement. Consultation processes will be monitored for effectiveness in equalities issues and improved as required. The normal complaints procedure will be followed for any complaints received from non-employees.

3.3 Within overall budgetary limitations, and other practical considerations (especially in the field of health and safety) our sites, premises and facilities will be adapted to meet the needs of all our customers. We will make as much use as possible of aids such as hearing loops, magnification systems, textphone, description services and different software to accommodate the needs of our customers and these services will be widely advertised on the internet and elsewhere.

3.4 Information about our services will be made available in a variety of formats including electronically, and on request, will be translated into other languages and into braille.

3.5 We are committed to making our services accessible to all.