Person responsible for managing the assessment

Planning Policy and Urban Design Manager

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

Planning Policy – The production of a sound Local Development Framework (LDF) in accordance with the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Objectives of the service/policy to be assessed

Delivery and implementation of Local Development Scheme (LDS)

Baseline/monitoring data

Key Milestones for Development Plan Documents(DPD) included in the LDS

1. Core Strategy DPD

2. Allocations DPD

Service/policy outcome evaluation

The Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) (October 2006) is part of the LDF and sets out the range of methods which the Council will make use of to involve the community in the planning process.

In preparing the LDF the Council is required to undertake a Sustainability Appraisal of the policies and proposals. The Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report prepared by ENTEC (June 2006) identifies “Equality as one of the key sustainability issues for Havant: There is a need to encourage and support different groups such as the young, old, disabled and people from ethnic minorities to contribute to developing a diverse and strong community”. The Scoping Report identifies 18 key sustainability objectives, objective 3 specifically refers to Equality, Poverty and Social Exclusion.

The Scoping Report objectives are used to assess all the policies and development proposals in the LDF.

List of main stakeholders/beneficiaries

Statutory consultees, Agents, Developers, Individuals, Commercial consultees, voluntary groups.

How representative is the ‘stakeholder’ list above?

Certain consultees are required by legislation at certain stages in the LDF process.  However, any individual, group or business can be included on request – the list is not exclusive in any way.

Who benefits from the service/policy?

Public, businesses, tourists, residents.

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

Race

Disability

Gender

Age

Religious beliefs

Sexual Orientation

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

It is not considered that there is any differential impact on any grouping terms of race, disability, gender, religious beliefs or sexual orientation.

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

Many of the consultees who respond as individuals and as members of local amenity groups are of an older age group. Getting younger groups or individuals interested enough to give feedback is a ‘hard to reach’ sector. 

Differential impact

The impact is that many facilities and services included in future development may not include the needs of the younger adults or children in the community.

Reasons for any differential impact

Difficulties in getting feedback from young people.

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

Time – young people are either at school or work and this does not allow them the freedom in terms of time to dedicate to responding to consultations

Complexity of the LDF. This has been recognised in the recent Planning White Paper, where simplification is proposed.

Complaints data

None from this sector

Are there disadvantages caused by discrimination?

Possibility of differential impact having future repercussions.

Are there opportunities to better promote service/policy inclusion?

Yes

Have you undertaken any consultation?

Extensive consultation with demographics monitored highlights the shortfall in the younger age groups. Consultation is mostly through written consultations or web-based and via Community Pulse.  An opportunity could be made to present in person at colleges (schools are currently consulted and presentations made).

Consultation outcomes

We have identified a shortfall of respondents in the younger age brackets.

Assessment conclusion

Need to further our efforts to reach the opinions of the younger age groups.

Monitoring timetable

The Sustainability Appraisal (SA) process includes an equalities objective . Therefore all policies and proposals will be assessed in relation to this objective.

The Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) for the LDF will be used to assess the consultations that we have undertaken against the SCI. The opportunity will also be taken to consider if there have been any changes in the group/people that have responded to our LDF consultations in terms of the equalities headings, but in particular in terms of Age profile.

As part of the consultations programmed for March - April 2008 on the Core Strategy and Allocations DPD’s the two colleges at Havant and Southdown’s will be contacted and offered presentations or some other form of engagement. The views of the college principals will be sought.

In addition, reference will be made to the Council’s new directory of hard to reach groups which will be available from the end of September 2007.

The opportunity will also be taken to follow up the recent work undertaken with Key Stage 4 students from Oaklands School, Purbrook, to consult on the forthcoming documents.

Officers undertaking LDF work will have completed equalities training by March 2008.

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

Additional Comments

Signed:  Planning Policy and Urban Design Manager                       (Completing Officer)

Signed: Head of  Organisational Development                           (Head of Service)

Date: June 2007