Chargeable Garden Waste Service

Name of policies to be assessed

Chargeable Garden Waste Service

1. What is the main purpose of the policies?

Provide an optional chargeable Garden Waste Service for kerbside Colchester City residents with private gardens

2. What main areas or activities does the policies cover?

Fortnightly Collection of Garden Waste with a scheduled winter break

3. Are there changes to an existing policy being considered in this assessment?

Currently there is a free universal Garden Collection service based on a mix of Garden Sacks and Wheeled Bins. The new service will be optional, chargeable and be delivered solely with Wheeled Bins.

4. Who are the main audience, users or customers who will be affected by the policy?

All residents with a private garden

5. What outcomes does the Council want to achieve from the policy?

There is a need to move from a free universal service to a chargeable one to generate a new revenue stream for Recycling and Waste.

6. Are other service areas or partner agencies involved in delivery?

• Customer Service Team
• Essex County Council
• Neighbourhood Services Team
• Digital and online teams

7. Relevant information, data, surveys or consultations

No consultation has been commissioned as of this time.

8. The ‘general duty’

The ‘general duty’ states that we must have “due regard” to the need to:

1. eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
2. advance equality of opportunity between people who share a ‘protected characteristic²’ and those who do not³
3. foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not⁴

• It is not held that that this policy/ service will specifically help us to meet this aim.

9. Disproportionate impacts

This section helps us to identify any disproportionate impacts. We will indicate whether the policy is likely to particularly benefit or disadvantage any of the 'protected characteristics'.

This policy will help sustain health and physical activities by continuing to provide adequate numbers of sites and sports pitches, maintained to an acceptable standard.

It is not held this policy change will impact on this duty.

Age - older people (60+) and younger people (17-25)

Positive impact

Many Residents prefer the better containment offered by Wheeled bins to Garden Sacks

Negative impact

Some older people may have particular difficulty in manoeuvring wheeled bins.

Age - those who are typically in the age group 45-55

Positive impact

Many Residents prefer the better containment offered by Wheeled bins to Garden Sacks

Disability – physical, sensory, learning, mental health issues, other

Positive impact

The Assisted Collection service will continue to benefit this group.

Ethnicity - White; Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups; Asian or Asian British; Black, Black British, Caribbean or African; Other ethnic group

Positive impact

The Assisted Collection service will continue to benefit this group.

Language – English not as a first language

Negative impact

Printed and online information is provided in English which could impact negatively upon this group.

Pregnancy and maternity - Women who are pregnant or have given birth in the last 26 weeks

Positive impact

The Assisted Collection service will continue to benefit this group.

Negative impact

Individuals within this group may have particular difficulty in manoeuvring wheeled bins.

Religion or belief - People with a religious belief (or none)

Positive impact

The Assisted Collection service will continue to benefit this group.

Sex – Men and Women

Positive impact

n/a

Gender reassignment - Transgender/Transsexual

Positive impact

n/a

Sexual Orientation – Straight/Heterosexual, Gay or Lesbian, Bisexual, Other sexual orientation

Positive impact

n/a

Marriage and Civil Partnership - People who are married or in a civil partnership

Positive impact

n/a

10. How negative impacts be minimised or removed?

The Assisted Collection Service will continue to help customers who have particular difficulty in presenting their waste on the boundary of their property. This will extend to assisting with wheeled bins where appropriate.

Website information can be translated via online translation websites/tools. Customers which first language is not English can request that letters or leaflets are provided in a preferred language. Officers have access to a range of translation tools including text translation, instant telephone translation and face-to-face translation services.

The Assisted Collection Service will continue to help customers who have particular difficulty in presenting their waste on the boundary of their property. This will extend to assisting with wheeled bins where appropriate. 

11. Could the policy discriminate against any ‘protected characteristic’ either directly or indirectly?

No

Summary and findings of Initial Equality Impact Assessment

12. Confirmation of findings

There are four options to describe the finding of the EqIA:

1. No negative impacts have been identified – Action is to sign off screening and finish.
2. Negative impacts have been identified but have been minimised or removed  - Action is to sign off screening and finish.
3. Negative impacts could not be minimised or removed – Action is to sign off screening and complete a full impact assessment – Section 2.
4. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement - Action is to sign off screening and complete a full impact assessment – Section 2.

The findings and action are confirmed as (B). Negative impacts have been identified but have been minimised or removed  - Action is to sign off screening and finish.

13. Name and job title of person completing this form

John Kellett
Business Improvement Manager

14. Date of completion

10 January 2023

15. Date for update or review of this screening

9 January 2023