Annex B
Who is submitting the proposal?
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Directorate:
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City Development |
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Service Area:
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Regeneration |
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Name of the proposal:
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Heritage programme |
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Lead officer:
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Tania Weston |
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Date assessment completed:
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16/10/25 |
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Names of those who contributed to the assessment: |
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Name |
Job title |
Organisation |
Area of expertise |
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Step 1 – Aims and intended outcomes
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1.1 |
What is the purpose of the proposal? Please explain your proposal in Plain English avoiding acronyms and jargon. |
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This proposal will create a 10-year strategic delivery plan which is focussed on making the most of York’s heritage assets. The delivery plan will result in well-managed heritage assets across the city, including council-owned assets, with funding secured to maintain and develop sites. Individuals and communities will feel a sense of pride in their heritage and become involved in the care and interpretation of heritage, whether through greater access to information, volunteering, education, training or employment. |
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1.2 |
Are there any external considerations? (Legislation/government directive/codes of practice etc.) |
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Relevant legislation includes:
· Equality Act 2010, which aims to protect people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. The Act includes a Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires public bodies to consider how their decisions and policies affect people with protected characteristics. The public body also should have evidence to show how it has done this It also requires that public bodies have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people when carrying out their activities. The Equality Act 2010 covers the following protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
· Human Rights Act –sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone is entitled to. In making a decision the council must consider carefully the balance to be struck between individual rights and the wider public interest and whilst it is acknowledged that there could be interference with a Convention right, the decision must be reasonably justified as it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. |
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1.3 |
Who are the stakeholders and what are their interests? |
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· Heritage asset owners/tenants who are responsible for repair and management · Heritage businesses that provide services and skills · Local and national organisations/charities with an interest in heritage e.g. Historic England, York Civic Trust · Funders that may support activity · University/college/specialist training providers · Residents who may want to be more actively involved in heritage · Residents who care for their local areas |
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1.4 |
What results/outcomes do we want to achieve and for whom? This section should explain what outcomes you want to achieve for service users, staff and/or the wider community. Demonstrate how the proposal links to the Council Plan (2019- 2023) and other corporate strategies and plans. |
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The outcomes the programme seeks to achieve are: · Increased investment in the city’s heritage · Increased employment and training opportunities in the heritage sector · Increased community activity and opportunities to support local heritage · Increased sense of pride in the city’s heritage
The programme vision aligns with the Council Plan (2023-2027) and directly supports the following objectives: · A fair, thriving, green economy for all · A health generating city, for children and adults · Education and skills: High quality skills and learning for all · Sustainability: Cutting carbon, enhancing the environment for our future · Housing: Increasing the supply of affordable housing
The Climate Change Strategy, Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and Economic Strategy are also relevant.
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Step 2 – Gathering the information and feedback
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2.1 |
What sources of data, evidence and consultation feedback do we have to help us understand the impact of the proposal on equality rights and human rights? Please consider a range of sources, including: consultation exercises, surveys, feedback from staff, stakeholders, participants, research reports, the views of equality groups, as well your own experience of working in this area etc. |
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Source of data/supporting evidence |
Reason for using |
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Our City Centre Vision and public engagement findings |
Our City Centre vision was developed following consultation with residents. This has provided information about how people feel about the historic nature of the city centre and opportunities to improve them. Consultation included responses from residents across different ages, ethnic groups, genders, religions, employment status, carer status and disability status. |
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Other council public engagement findings for the wider council area, including neighbourhood plan engagement |
Engagement evidence that shows what heritage local communities consider important to them. |
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Council datasets on designated assets, vacancy etc. |
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Historic England (and other heritage organisations) datasets and research on heritage at risk, economic and social impacts. |
Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund has conducted a lot of research into the public benefits of heritage |
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Public reports from other organisations’ projects within the city |
Provide an understanding of best practice, understanding activity already taking place and identifying further opportunities. |
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Step 3 – Gaps in data and knowledge
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3.1 |
What are the main gaps in information and understanding of the impact of your proposal? Please indicate how any gaps will be dealt with. |
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Gaps in data or knowledge |
Action to deal with this |
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There may be some gaps in baseline information that would impact on project delivery and evaluation, such as level risk to heritage assets. This may be more the case for certain types of heritage, such as archive and artefacts, related to those with protected characteristics.
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Initial project team activity to identify any potential gaps. Engagement with relevant groups and heritage organisations who may be able to close gaps. |
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Historically, some communities, especially people with protected characteristics have not been able to have their stories told and have been less likely to be involved in heritage projects. |
Where activity is developed that involves communities the project team will explore what their definition of “heritage” is to understand what is important locally and to co-design activity. |
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Step 4 – Analysing the impacts or effects.
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4.1 |
Please consider what the evidence tells you about the likely impact (positive or negative) on people sharing a protected characteristic, i.e. how significant could the impacts be if we did not make any adjustments? Remember the duty is also positive – so please identify where the proposal offers opportunities to promote equality and/or foster good relations. |
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Equality Groups and Human Rights. |
Key Findings/Impacts |
Positive (+) Negative (-) Neutral (0) |
High (H) Medium (M) Low (L) |
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Age |
The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Engagement in heritage has perhaps been traditionally undertaken by older populations. Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that people of all ages are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate for different age groups.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Disability
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The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that all people are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate. Materials will need to be available in different formats to enable participation.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Gender
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The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that all people are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate. Materials will need to be available in different formats to enable participation.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Gender Reassignment |
The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that all people are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate. Materials will need to be available in different formats to enable participation.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Marriage and civil partnership |
The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
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0 |
L |
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Pregnancy and maternity |
The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that all people are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate. Materials will need to be available in different formats to enable participation.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Race |
The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that all people are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate, noting that some communities may have felt less engaged with local heritage in the past. Materials will need to be available in different formats to enable participation.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Religion and belief |
The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that all people are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate, noting that some religious communities may have felt less engaged with local heritage in the past. Materials will need to be available in different formats to enable participation.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Sexual orientation |
The strategic delivery plan is unlikely to have a direct impact.
Where community activity is developed it will be important to make sure that all people are able to participate and that a range of activities may be needed that is appropriate, noting that some people may have felt less engaged with local heritage in the past. Materials will need to be available in different formats to enable participation.
Where physical projects are developed, these will need to make sure that they do not have a negative impact.
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0 |
L |
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Other Socio-economic groups including : |
Could other socio-economic groups be affected e.g. carers, ex-offenders, low incomes? |
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Carer |
As the programme develops there may be opportunities for activities that involve carers. |
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L |
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Low income groups |
As the programme develops there may be opportunities for activities that involve low income groups. |
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L |
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Veterans, Armed Forces Community |
As the programme develops there may be opportunities for activities that involve the armed forces community and veterans. |
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L |
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Other
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Impact on human rights: |
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List any human rights impacted. |
Right to participate in cultural life (and enjoy the benefits of scientific progress) The strategic delivery plan will identify opportunities and develop projects both by the council and other stakeholders that will enable people to participate in cultural activities.
Right to highest possible standard of physical and mental health Engagement with heritage has been shown to have a positive impact on health and wellbeing, especially mental health. |
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L
L |
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Use the following guidance to inform your responses:
Indicate:
- Where you think that the proposal could have a POSITIVE impact on any of the equality groups like promoting equality and equal opportunities or improving relations within equality groups
- Where you think that the proposal could have a NEGATIVE impact on any of the equality groups, i.e. it could disadvantage them
- Where you think that this proposal has a NEUTRAL effect on any of the equality groups listed below i.e. it has no effect currently on equality groups.
It is important to remember that a proposal may be highly relevant to one aspect of equality and not relevant to another.
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High impact (The proposal or process is very equality relevant) |
There is significant potential for or evidence of adverse impact The proposal is institution wide or public facing The proposal has consequences for or affects significant numbers of people The proposal has the potential to make a significant contribution to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights.
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Medium impact (The proposal or process is somewhat equality relevant) |
There is some evidence to suggest potential for or evidence of adverse impact The proposal is institution wide or across services, but mainly internal The proposal has consequences for or affects some people The proposal has the potential to make a contribution to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights
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Low impact (The proposal or process might be equality relevant) |
There is little evidence to suggest that the proposal could result in adverse impact The proposal operates in a limited way The proposal has consequences for or affects few people The proposal may have the potential to contribute to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights
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Step 5 - Mitigating adverse impacts and maximising positive impacts
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5.1 |
Based on your findings, explain ways you plan to mitigate any unlawful prohibited conduct or unwanted adverse impact. Where positive impacts have been identified, what is been done to optimise opportunities to advance equality or foster good relations? |
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Developing a strategic delivery plan for the city’s heritage will allow cultural organisations across the city to come together and enhance opportunities for positive engagement and activity for all people, including those with protected characteristics. It is considered extremely unlikely that there would be any adverse impacts. The programme will include a stakeholder group and wider partnership, and these will help to ensure the city’s various communities are considered and adverse impacts avoided/mitigated.
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Step 6 – Recommendations and conclusions of the assessment
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6.1 |
Having considered the potential or actual impacts you should be in a position to make an informed judgement on what should be done. In all cases, document your reasoning that justifies your decision. There are four main options you can take: |
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- No major change to the proposal – the EIA demonstrates the proposal is robust. There is no potential for unlawful discrimination or adverse impact and you have taken all opportunities to advance equality and foster good relations, subject to continuing monitor and review. |
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- Adjust the proposal – the EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. This involves taking steps to remove any barriers, to better advance quality or to foster good relations.
- Continue with the proposal (despite the potential for adverse impact) – you should clearly set out the justifications for doing this and how you believe the decision is compatible with our obligations under the duty
- Stop and remove the proposal – if there are adverse effects that are not justified and cannot be mitigated, you should consider stopping the proposal altogether. If a proposal leads to unlawful discrimination it should be removed or changed.
Important: If there are any adverse impacts you cannot mitigate, please provide a compelling reason in the justification column. |
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Option selected |
Conclusions/justification |
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No major change to the proposal
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The EIA demonstrates the proposal is robust and should have positive impacts. There is no potential for unlawful discrimination or adverse impact, subject to continuing monitor and review. |
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Step 7 – Summary of agreed actions resulting from the assessment
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7.1 |
What action, by whom, will be undertaken as a result of the impact assessment. |
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Impact/issue |
Action to be taken |
Person responsible |
Timescale |
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Dataset gaps |
Compilation of datasets required and any gaps |
Programme Manager |
First 3 months, and reviewed annually |
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Equitable participation |
Understanding previous activities and what groups have been underrepresented |
Programme Manager |
First 6-12 months as projects are developed, and reviewed annually |
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Step 8 - Monitor, review and improve
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8. 1 |
How will the impact of your proposal be monitored and improved upon going forward? Consider how will you identify the impact of activities on protected characteristics and other marginalised groups going forward? How will any learning and enhancements be capitalised on and embedded? |
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Equalities impacts will be as the programme progresses and specific projects are identified and developed. |