Person responsible for managing the assessment (author)

Property Services Manager

Name and brief description of the service / policy to be assessed

Landlord functions for property

Objectives of the service/policy to be assessed

To ensure that the Council’s land and property holdings are managed efficiently and effectively in accordance with the prevailing needs of the Council

Baseline/monitoring data

The Council currently has 214 current property leases which have been granted in respect of property owned by the Council

Service/policy outcome evaluation

No complaints received

List of main stakeholders/beneficiaries

Businesses and individuals wishing to make use of HBC property

How representative is the ‘stakeholder’ list above?

No information is collected regarding groups to which these main stakeholders/beneficiaries belong

Who benefits from the service/policy?

HBC

Tenants

In what area are there concerns that the policy could have a differential impact

Race 

Disability

Please explain for each of the target equality groups, but in particular race, disability and gender:

Areas of concern that the service/policy could have a differential impact  

Race: Although any vacant properties are often advertised, we may not be reaching all groups who might be interested in occupying the property

Disability: Although the Council takes care to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act, some of its buildings cannot be made accessible at an economic cost. This may put off some disabled prospective tenants.

No concern regarding Gender, Age, Religious beliefs or sexual orientation

Differential impact

Most lettings will be to businesses or voluntary groups rather than individuals so that differential impact unlikely to be significant

Reasons for any differential impact

Insufficient publicity regarding available properties. Lack of funding to remove obstacles to disabled access from older buildings.

Are there any barriers to opportunities or access for some groups?

There may be language barriers and physical barriers for disabled access in some properties. Some funding is made available through the Council’s capital programme to overcome problems of physical access.

Complaints data

No complaints have been received in respect of equality issues.

Are there disadvantages caused by discrimination?

The Council may not be reaching all potential tenants with publicity regarding available premises

Are there opportunities to better promote service/policy inclusion?

The Council has recently started to use ‘Serving You’ and the HBC website to publicise available property.

Have you undertaken any consultation?

Not recently. Directory of hard to reach representatives being prepared (target - October 07) which will be considered in case it offers opportunities for consultation.

Consultation outcomes

Not applicable

Assessment conclusion

There is a low risk that the Council may not be reaching all possible tenants with information regarding available property.

A tenant survey should be considered to provide data for future assessments.

Monitoring timetable

Because there is perceived only to be a low risk that there is differential service provision it is considered that the assessment should be reviewed by 30/12/08 at which time further consideration will be given to the need for a tenant survey.

Learning Plan requires that Equalities training is to be completed by all service partners, staff, and Members by March 08

Equalities project team are looking at ways of incorporating Equalities issues into customer surveys  - guidance by November 07.

Please ensure that you have provided as much evidence as possible to support the responses you have given.

Additional Comments

None

Signed:   Property Services Manager                                           (Completing Officer)

Signed:      Head of Customer & Support Services                     (Head of Service)

Date:  27 September 2007