Saturday Household Drop Off Service Equality Impact Assessment

Name of policies to be assessed

Saturday Household Drop Off Service

1. What is the main purpose of the policies?

The main purpose of the policies is to:

• provide an extra bulky rubbish and garden waste collection option for residents

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

Typically the policy provides either a rubbish HGV and/or a garden HGV known as freighters up to three times a year, on a Saturday morning, during the Summer season at specific locations across the City.

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

The existing Saturday Household Drop Off Service has been reviewed to ensure delivery of service is aligned with the latest deprivation data related to disposable incomes. This has resulted in the addition of a service for Greenstead Ward and some changes around the city. The new service will offer rubbish only following analysis of usage data of the existing service which covered both rubbish and green waste.

In addition a new chargeable household drop off service has been launched allowing residents associations, social housing providers and parish councils to provide their own tailored services on behalf of their residents, including:

• a paid for rubbish freighter and/or
• two options for paid for garden waste freighters

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
• Residents associations
• Managing agents of flats
• Parish councils

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

The policy is intended to ensure the household drop off service is focused on those areas of the city with the lowest disposable incomes.

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

Neighbourhood Services

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.

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.

9. How does the policy help the council to improve health/reduce health inequalities⁵ for residents?

• The service has been reviewed to ensure provision is focussed on those areas of the city with lowest disposable incomes.
• There are existing opportunities for residents to dispose of bulky goods including a paid for special collection, taking the item to an Essex County Council Recycling Centre, or donating good quality items to local charities to sell.
• There are existing opportunities to dispose of green waste via home composting, community composting and by taking garden waste to an Essex County Council Recycling Centre.

10. 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'.

We set out the potential benefits or disadvantages for particular protected characteristics.

Language – English not as a first language

Negative impact

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

10. How negative impacts be minimised or removed?

Areas of potential negative impact have been identified as relating to language – English not as a first language.

Language – English not as a first language

Website information can be translated via online translation tools. Customers whose 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.

Summary and findings of Initial Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA)

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. The 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

22 March 2023

• [1] The Council’s surveys and consultations include ‘equality monitoring information’ to help us identify any particular concerns or views expressed by any particular group or ‘protected characteristic’. It can also help us to assess how representative of our customers the respondent group is.
• [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 are 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 King’s Fund: The district council contribution to public health: a time of challenge and opportunity, 2015