Management Plan - Dedham Vale AONB

Name of policies to be assessed

Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Stour Valley Project Area Management Plan 2021-2026  

Management Plan – Dedham Vale AONB

1. What is the main purpose of the policies?

The main purpose of the policies is to:

• To meet the statutory duty placed on the local authorities under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
• To produce such a plan for local authorities, including Colchester City, that have part of their administrative area designated as an AONB (Area of natural beauty) 
• To coordinate the management of the AONB and Stour Valley
• Bring together individuals and representatives of all those organisations that have an interest in the area, to maintain and enhance its natural beauty

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

The management plan sets out practical guidelines to co-ordinate the management of the area to protect and enhance its natural beauty, it seeks to deliver the agreed vision identified under six individual topics: 

• The Countryside  
• Villages, Infrastructure and Residents  
• Enjoying the Area  
• Climate Change and Nature Recovery 
• The River and its Tributaries  
• Working Together 

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

There are no changes to an existing policy being considered in this assessment.

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:

• Residents
• Visitors
• Businesses within the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Stour Valley 

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

The management plan seeks to deliver its visions identified under the six individual themes listed in part 2 above.

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

Yes: organisations and local authorities as listed within the Partnership Members, governed through the Joint Advisory Committee and in conjunction with relevant officers within Colchester City Council. 

Partnership Members – Dedham Vale AONB (dedhamvalestourvalley.org) 

7. Relevant information, data, surveys or consultations

The following relevant information, data, surveys or consultations¹ help us assess the likely or actual impact of the policy upon customers or staff.

• A full scoping and public consultative process was undertaken within the Management Plan compilation process

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:

• Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all, by seeking to deliver the agreed vision identified under six individual topics of the Management Plan. 

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+) and younger people (17-25)

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

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

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

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

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

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

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

Language – English not as a first language

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

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

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

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

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

Sex – Men and Women

Positive impact – Men

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

Positive impact – Women

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

Gender reassignment - Transgender/Transsexual

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

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

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

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

Positive impact

Maintaining and/or improving usage of the AONB as a resource for all within this category. 

10. How negative impacts be minimised or removed?

No areas of potential negative impact have been identified.

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

Adam John – Landscape Adviser 

14. Date of completion

31st March 2022 

15. Date for update or review of this screening

31st March 2027 

• [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’.