Initial Equalities Screening Record Form
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Date of Screening: April 2021 |
Directorate: Place, Planning and Regeneration |
Section: Planning |
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1. Activity to be assessed |
Bracknell Town Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum version, incorporating modifications) |
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2. What is the activity? |
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3. Is it a new or existing activity? |
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4. Officer responsible for the screening |
Principal Planning Officer, Development Plan |
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5. Who are the members of the screening team? |
Head of Planning, and Team Manager - Development Plan |
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6. What is the purpose of the activity? |
Bracknell Town Council has written a Neighbourhood Development Plan (the Plan) for its area with the involvement and help of the local community.
The Plan sets out objectives for the future of the area and contains planning policies to guide the development and use of land in Bracknell Town Parish, and covers the period 2016-2036. The Plan has been subject to two formal public consultations (under Regulation 14 and Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations (2012) (as amended)) and has been examined by an Independent Examiner.
The Examiner has recommended that, subject to the modifications recommended in his report, the Bracknell Town Neighbourhood Plan is submitted to referendum. Should more than half of those voting, vote in favour of the Plan at a referendum, it will become part of the statutory Development Plan for Bracknell Forest.
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7. Who is the activity designed to benefit/target? |
The Bracknell Town Neighbourhood Plan aims to create benefits for everyone who lives, works, shops or spends leisure time in Bracknell Town parish. The planning policies will be used when determining planning applications relating to land within the neighbourhood area of Bracknell Town. The Plan will be used by applicants and Council officers to shape new development within the parish. Neighbourhood Planning is an initiative which was brought in by the government to help empower local communities. |
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Protected Characteristics
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Please tick yes or no |
Is there an equality impact? If so, what kind of equality impact may there be, and is the impact positive or adverse or is there a potential for both? If the impact is neutral please give a reason. |
What evidence do you have to support this? E.g equality monitoring data, consultation results, customer satisfaction information etc Please add a narrative to justify your claims around impacts and describe the analysis and interpretation of evidence to support your conclusion as this will inform members decision making, include consultation results/satisfaction information/equality monitoring data |
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8. Disability Equality – this can include physical, mental health, learning or sensory disabilities and includes conditions such as dementia as well as hearing or sight impairment.
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Y |
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There is likely to be an overall positive impact. |
Whilst there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people, the Plan includes policies to support proposals which retain, improve and enhance community facilities and support development that will allow for complementary uses alongside present and future community facilities, together with the retention of community facilities, which are often used by various groups. There are also policies which support the retention of open space of public value, and protect local green spaces, which will be of benefit to all within the community in terms of physical and mental wellbeing. Policies which allow for reprovision of certain facilities under certain conditions, include criteria for these to be accessible by foot (for example allotments and open space). There are also policies which support the retention and enhancement of cycleways and footpaths between Bracknell Town Centre, schools and residential neighbourhoods.
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9. Racial equality
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There is likely to be a neutral impact.
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It is not envisaged that there will be a differential impact based on racial equality, as there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people.
The policies within the Plan relate to: · the protection and enhancement of the character of the environment and community (such as protection of open spaces, community facilities, heritage assets, policies relating to air quality and biodiversity, managing street scape and local character), · supporting the local economy (such as small businesses, maintaining and enhancing existing neighbourhood shopping centres (including Bracknell Town Centre), and supporting the use of two centres for lifelong learning), and · strengthening local transport infrastructure and ensuring Bracknell is sustainable (such as retaining and enhancing cycle ways and footpaths, supporting school pick up and drop off areas).
These policies should have a positive impact on all who live and work within the neighbourhood plan area equally rather than specific groups, so there is not considered to be any equality impact. |
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10. Gender equality
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There is likely to be a neutral impact.
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It is not envisaged that there will be a differential impact based on gender equality, as there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provisions for specific groups of people.
The policies within the Plan relate to: · the protection and enhancement of the character of the environment and community (such as protection of open spaces, community facilities, heritage assets, policies relating to air quality and biodiversity, managing street scape and local character), · supporting the local economy (such as small businesses, maintaining and enhancing existing neighbourhood shopping centres (including Bracknell Town Centre), and supporting the use of two centres for lifelong learning), and · strengthening local transport infrastructure and ensuring Bracknell is sustainable (such as retaining and enhancing cycle ways and footpaths, supporting school pick up and drop off areas).
These policies should have a positive impact on all who live and work within the neighbourhood plan area equally rather than specific groups, so there is not considered to be any equality impact.
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11. Sexual orientation equality
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There is likely to be a neutral impact.
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It is not envisaged that there will be a differential impact based on sexual orientation equality, as there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people.
The policies within the Plan relate to: · the protection and enhancement of the character of the environment and community (such as protection of open spaces, community facilities, heritage assets, policies relating to air quality and biodiversity, managing street scape and local character), · supporting the local economy (such as small businesses, maintaining and enhancing existing neighbourhood shopping centres (including Bracknell Town Centre), and supporting the use of two centres for lifelong learning), and · strengthening local transport infrastructure and ensuring Bracknell is sustainable (such as retaining and enhancing cycle ways and footpaths, supporting school pick up and drop off areas).
These policies should have a positive impact on all who live and work within the neighbourhood plan area equally rather than specific groups, so there is not considered to be any equality impact.
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12. Gender re-assignment
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There is likely to be a neutral impact.
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It is not envisaged that there will be a differential impact based on gender re-assignment equality, as there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people.
The policies within the Plan relate to: · the protection and enhancement of the character of the environment and community (such as protection of open spaces, community facilities, heritage assets, policies relating to air quality and biodiversity, managing street scape and local character), · supporting the local economy (such as small businesses, maintaining and enhancing existing neighbourhood shopping centres (including Bracknell Town Centre), and supporting the use of two centres for lifelong learning), and · strengthening local transport infrastructure and ensuring Bracknell is sustainable (such as retaining and enhancing cycle ways and footpaths, supporting school pick up and drop off areas).
These policies should have a positive impact on all who live and work within the neighbourhood plan area equally rather than specific groups, so there is not considered to be any equality impact.
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13. Age equality
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Y |
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There is likely to be an overall positive impact.
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Whilst there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people, the Plan includes policies to support proposals which retain, improve and enhance community facilities, and support development that will allow for complementary uses alongside present and future community facilities retention of community facilities, which are often used by various groups of any age. There is also a policy which will support proposals for retention and continued use of Bracknell and Wokingham College and Bracknell Open Learning Centre for lifelong learning. There are also policies which support the retention of open space of public value, and protect local green spaces, which will be of benefit to all within the community. There are also policies which support the retention and enhancement of cycleways and footpaths between Bracknell Town Centre, schools and residential neighbourhoods.
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14. Religion and belief equality
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There is likely to be a neutral impact.
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It is not envisaged that there will be a differential impact based on religion and belief equality, as there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people.
The policies within the Plan relate to: · the protection and enhancement of the character of the environment and community (such as protection of open spaces, community facilities, heritage assets, policies relating to air quality and biodiversity, managing street scape and local character), · supporting the local economy (such as small businesses, maintaining and enhancing existing neighbourhood shopping centres (including Bracknell Town Centre), and supporting the use of two centres for lifelong learning), and · strengthening local transport infrastructure and ensuring Bracknell is sustainable (such as retaining and enhancing cycle ways and footpaths, supporting school pick up and drop off areas).
These policies should have a positive impact on all who live and work within the neighbourhood plan area equally rather than specific groups, so there is not considered to be any equality impact.
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15. Pregnancy and maternity equality |
Y |
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There is likely to be an overall positive impact.
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Whilst there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people, the Plan includes policies to support proposals which retain, improve and enhance community facilities, and support development that will allow for complementary uses alongside present and future community facilities retention of community facilities, which are often used by health workers, and for play groups etc.
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16. Marriage and civil partnership equality |
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There is likely to be a neutral impact.
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It is not envisaged that there will be a differential impact based on marriage and civil partnership equality, as there are no specific policies in the Plan that make provision for specific groups of people.
The policies within the Plan relate to: · the protection and enhancement of the character of the environment and community (such as protection of open spaces, community facilities, heritage assets, policies relating to air quality and biodiversity, managing street scape and local character), · supporting the local economy (such as small businesses, maintaining and enhancing existing neighbourhood shopping centres (including Bracknell Town Centre), and supporting the use of two centres for lifelong learning), and · strengthening local transport infrastructure and ensuring Bracknell is sustainable (such as retaining and enhancing cycle ways and footpaths, supporting school pick up and drop off areas).
These policies should have a positive impact on all who live and work within the neighbourhood plan area equally rather than specific groups, so there is not considered to be any equality impact.
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17. Please give details of any other potential impacts on any other group (e.g. those on lower incomes/carers/ex-offenders, armed forces communities) and on promoting good community relations. |
Overall the Plan aims to improve the social wellbeing, environment and economic prospects of the Plan area:
• protect open space of public value and local green space (Policies EV1 and EV2), and support proposals which support improved public access to watercourses and river corridors (Policy EV8) • protect/provide additional habitat resources for wildlife through protection of trees, new tree planting, and green space biodiversity corridors in private gardens (Policies EV3, EV4, EV5, and HO5) • protect air quality (Policy EV9) • safeguard heritage assets (Policies HE1-HE3) • support proposals for smaller business (Polices EC1 and EC2), maintain and enhance neighbourhood shopping centres (Policy EC3), safeguard community facilities (Policy EV12), support proposals which ensure retention and continued use of centres which provide long-term learning opportunities (Policy EC4), and support proposals which incorporate a mix of uses in Bracknell Town Centre (Policy EC5) • safeguard local character (Policies HO7 and HO8) • retain, improve and enhance cycleways and footpaths (Policies TR2 and TR3), support provision of school pick up and drop off areas (TR5), seek to avoid severe cumulative impacts upon the highway network (Policy TR8).
The Plan therefore should result in a positive impact on the community overall. In addition, this is a Plan that has been prepared and written by the local community - not Bracknell Forest Council - and as such it reflects local community issues/views and aspirations.
Furthermore, through the examination process, the independent Examiner concluded that ‘I am also content that the plan has no conflict with the Human Rights Act and no representations on that issue have been submitted.’ |
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18. If an adverse/negative impact has been identified can it be justified on grounds of promoting equality of opportunity for one group or for any other reason? |
N/A |
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19. If there is any difference in the impact of the activity when considered for each of the equality groups listed in 8 – 14 above; how significant is the difference in terms of its nature and the number of people likely to be affected? |
No negative impacts have been identified in respect of any of the groups listed in 8-16, above.
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20. Could the impact constitute unlawful discrimination in relation to any of the Equality Duties? |
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N |
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21. What further information or data is required to better understand the impact? Where and how can that information be obtained? |
The Bracknell Town Neighbourhood Plan will form part of the statutory Development Plan for Bracknell Forest once it is ‘made’ (brought into legal force), and therefore relevant planning policies will be monitored as part of the ‘Authority Monitoring Reports’. |
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22. On the basis of sections 7 – 17 above is a full impact assessment required? |
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N |
Full assessment is not required, as no potentially negative impacts have been identified. The Plan has been produced by and for the local community of Bracknell Town. Furthermore, the electorate of Bracknell Town parish will have the opportunity to vote on whether the Plan is ‘made’ at a local community referendum. |
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23. If a full impact assessment is not required; what actions will you take to reduce or remove any potential differential/adverse impact, to further promote equality of opportunity through this activity or to obtain further information or data? Please complete the action plan in full, adding more rows as needed. |
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Action |
Timescale |
Person Responsible |
Milestone/Success Criteria |
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Hold a local community referendum.
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Summer 2021
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BFC Electoral Services |
Holding the local community referendum so a democratic decision on the Plan is made. Yes or No vote will decide whether or not the Neighbourhood Plan should form part of the Development Plan for Bracknell Forest and be used in planning decision making. |
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‘Make’ the Plan (bring into legal force) so that it can be used when determining planning applications. |
Unknown at this stage |
Executive |
Executive agree to bring the Plan into legal force and a decision is published (in accordance with Regulation 19). |
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Monitor the effectiveness or otherwise of planning policies in the neighbourhood Plan. |
On-going (following the making of the Plan) |
Development Plan Team |
As decisions on planning applications are made using policies in the Plan (both delegated, committee and appeals), an understanding of the effectiveness of the policies will be gained. |
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24. Which service, business or work plan will these actions be included in? |
Planning |
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25. Please list the current actions undertaken to advance equality or examples of good practice identified as part of the screening? |
The Council’s Statement of Community Involvement (February 2014) sets out how the Council will consult on formulating planning policy documents. The stages and nature of consultations on neighbourhood plans are also stipulated in national legislation, policy (National Planning Policy Framework) and guidance (Planning Practice Guidance).Bracknell Town Council undertook consultation to inform the preparation of the Plan prior to submitting the Plan to the Council (Regulation 14 consultation between 9 June and 20 August 2018). Bracknell Forest Council undertook a statutory 6-week public consultation on the submission version of the Bracknell Town Neighbourhood Plan (Regulation 16 consultation between 7 January and 18 February 2019). A focused consultation was also held during the course of the examination (between 18 November and 16 December 2019).The Plan will also be subject to a local community referendum, in line with regulations, which will ensure the process is democratic. |
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26. Assistant director’s signature. |
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