Disposal of Property

Name of policies to be assessed

Disposal of Property

1. What is the main purpose of the policies?

The main purpose of the policies is to:

• To market and dispose of Council owned property in accordance with best practice, standing orders and statute.

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

Marketing and disposal of land and property.

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

None

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

The main groups who will be affected by the policy are:

• Internal customers
• Selling agents
• Prospective purchasers
• Community groups.

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

• Appropriate marketing
• Timely disposal
• Best value and proper consideration of transfers to community groups

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

• Legal and Planning Services

7. Relevant information, data, surveys or consultations

None

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

Not all policies help us to meet the ‘general duty’, but most do.

This policy helps us to meet the ‘general duty’ by:

• By having clear sales particulars free from jargon. 
• Requesting that prospective agents provide details of their Equality and Diversity policies
• Support budgets for The Council’s Enabling roles

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'.

The following applies to all protected characteristic groups:

Age - older people (60+)

Positive impact

None Identified

Age - those who are typically in the age group 45-55 and younger people (17-25)

None Identified

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

Positive impact

Accessibility to clear sales particulars

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

None Identified

Language – English not as a first language

Accessibility to clear sales particulars

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

None Identified

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

None Identified

Sex – Men and Women

None Identified

Gender reassignment - Transgender/Transsexual

None Identified

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

None Identified

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

None Identified

10. How negative impacts be minimised or removed?

By consulting with tenants and leaseholders any negative impacts will be removed or minimised. A task and finish group will be used to monitor the strategy where appropriate.

11. Could the policy discriminate⁵ 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 (A). No negative impacts have been identified – Action is to sign off screening and finish

13. Name and job title of person completing this form

Elizabeth Simpson – Head of Estates, Colchester Amphora Trading on behalf of Colchester City Council

14. Date of completion

25 April 2022

15. Date for update or review of this screening

24 April 2025

• [1] National Census 2021 ethnicity categories are: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British; Irish; Gypsy or Irish Traveller; Roma; Any other White background (White); White and Black Caribbean; White and Black African; White and Asian; Any other Mixed or Multiple backgrounds (Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups); Indian; Pakistani; Bangladeshi; Chinese; Any Other Asian background (Asian or Asian British); Caribbean; African; Any other Black, Black British or Caribbean, Any other Black, Black British or Caribbean background (Black, Black British, Caribbean or African); Arab, Any other ethnic group (Other ethnic group).
• [2] The Equality Act’s `protected characteristics’ include age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sex and sexual orientation. It also covers marriage and civil partnerships, but not for all aspects of the duty. 
• [3] This involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to (a) remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a protected characteristic that are connected to that characteristic; (b) take steps to meet the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that is different from the needs of persons who do not share it, and (c) encourage persons who share a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activity in which participation by such persons is disproportionately low.
• [4] This involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to (a) tackle prejudice, and (b) promote understanding.
• [5] The Council has a general duty to ‘eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation’. Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably than another in a comparable situation because of their `protected characteristic’ whether on grounds of age, disability, pregnancy and maternity, ethnicity; religion or belief; sex (gender), sexual orientation, or marriage and civil partnership. Indirect discrimination occurs when an apparently neutral provision or practise would nevertheless disadvantage people on the grounds of their `protected characteristic’.