Initial Equalities Screening Record Form

Date of Screening: January 2022	Directorate: Place, Planning and Regeneration						Section: Planning
1.  Activity to be assessed	Proposed Main Modifications to the Joint Central and Eastern Berkshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan
2.  What is the activity?	Policy/strategy    Function/procedure     Project     Review     Service    Organisational change
3.  Is it a new or existing activity?	New      Existing
4.  Officer responsible for the screening	Sue Scott, Development Plan Team Manager
5.  Who are the members of the screening team?	Max Baker, Head of Planning
6.  What is the purpose of the activity?	Bracknell Forest Council, Reading Borough Council, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and Wokingham Borough Council are working jointly on finalising the Central and Eastern Berkshire Minerals and Waste Plan (CEBJMWP) with technical support from Hampshire Services of Hampshire County Council. The CEBJMWP has been submitted to Government and is currently at examination where it is being assessed by independent Inspectors who are looking at whether the plan has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements, and, whether or not it is sound. A number of Proposed Main Modifications have been identified that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant. If adopted, the Plan will provide an up to date planning framework for minerals and waste development in Central and Eastern Berkshire to 2036 and will replace the Replacement Minerals Local Plan for Berkshire (incorporating the alternations adopted in December 1997 and May 2001) and the Waste Local Plan for Berkshire (adopted 1998). Link to further information; Joint Minerals and Waste Plan | Bracknell Forest Council (bracknell-forest.gov.uk)
7.  Who is the activity designed to benefit/target?	The Proposed Main Modifications are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant. If supported, this will assist in the ability to achieve a plan that can be adopted and provide an up to date planning framework for minerals and waste development in the area. It will provide landowners and minerals and waste operators with better information about where and on what basis planning permission is likely to be granted for new development. Residents and businesses in and near Central and Eastern Berkshire will benefit as users of minerals (through for example housing and commercial developments, and infrastructure including road maintenance) and as producers of waste. It will provide residents and businesses with greater clarity on where future minerals and waste developments are likely to be located and the degree of protection of amenity and protection of the existing environment sought. The required approach to restoration proposals will also be given. Future generations will benefit from economic minerals not being ‘sterilised’ by non-minerals development (i.e. they are still available for extraction).
Protected Characteristics	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?				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
8.  Disability Equality – this can include physical, mental health, learning or sensory disabilities including conditions such as dementia.	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact.
9.  Racial equality	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
10. Gender equality	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
11. Sexual orientation equality	Neutral impact (see why in the third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
12. Gender re-assignment	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
13. Age equality	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
14. Religion and belief equality	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
15. Pregnancy and maternity equality	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
16. Marriage and civil partnership equality	Neutral impact (see third column).				The Proposed Main Modifications relate to the submitted plan which is concerned with the future need for minerals and waste management developments and how these needs can be met. They involve amendments to certain policies and supporting text in the plan that are considered necessary to make the plan sound and legally compliant, in order to address concerns raised by either the Inspectors or other representors during the examination process. They are highly unlikely to have a specific impact, either positive or negative, on any of the protected groups, to any lesser or greater extent than the general population. Therefore, there is not considered to be any equality impact
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 social wellbeing by ensuring that sufficient minerals are provided for construction projects, including all types of housing and that waste produced in the plan area can be managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy. It also seeks to protect the environment and economic prospects of the area.
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
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.
20. Could the impact constitute unlawful discrimination in relation to any of the Equality Duties?		N	No.
21.  What further information or data is required to better understand the impact? Where and how can that information be obtained?	The CEBJMWP has already been through various rounds of consultation: ‘Issues and Options’ (Summer 2017); Draft Plan consultation setting out the proposed approach (Summer/Autumn 2018); Bray Quarry extension consultation (Summer 2019); Focussed consultation on criteria for defining an ‘Area of Search’ for sand and gravel provision, two new sites for sand and gravel (one in Wokingham Borough and one in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead), and a possible policy on past performance of minerals and waste operators (Spring of 2020); Proposed Submission version (September/October 2020). As the plan is now at examination, the Council no longer has the same ability to influence the content of the plan as it did at earlier stages. Assuming that the CEBJMWP is adopted, it will form part of the statutory development plan for Bracknell Forest and therefore its planning policies will be monitored as part of the Authority Monitoring Report.
22.  On the basis of sections 7 – 17 above is a full impact assessment required?		N	Full assessment not required as no potentially negative impacts have been identified, and the plan has already been subject to various rounds of public consultation.
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.
Action	Timescale			Person Responsible		Milestone/Success Criteria
Consultation on the Proposed Main Modifications to the Submission version	February/March 2022			Executive decision		Executive approves the Proposed Main Modifications to the submitted plan and agrees consultation.
Submission of responses received, as a result of the above consultation, to the Planning Inspectors.	Spring 2022			Hampshire Services on behalf of all four commissioning authorities		Confirmation of receipt of responses by Planning Inspectors and subsequent consideration ultimately leading to Inspector’s Report.
Assuming that the CEBJMWP can ultimately be adopted, monitor the effectiveness or otherwise of planning policies.	Ongoing following adoption of the Plan			Development Plan Team		As decisions on planning applications are made using policies in the CEBJMWP (both delegated, committee and appeals), an understanding of the effectiveness of the policies will be gained.
24.  Which service, business or work plan will these actions be included in?	Planning
25. Please list the current actions undertaken to advance equality or examples of good practice identified as part of the screening?	Previous rounds of consultation: ‘Issues and Options’ (Summer 2017); Draft Plan consultation setting out the proposed approach (Summer/Autumn 2018); Bray Quarry extension consultation (Summer 2019); Focussed consultation on criteria for defining an ‘Area of Search’ for sand and gravel provision, two new sites for sand and gravel (one in Wokingham Borough and one in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead), and a possible policy on past performance of minerals and waste operators (Spring of 2020); Various ‘calls for sites’ Proposed Submission version (September/October 2020). Responses received to the various consultations have been reviewed and where appropriate, have helped formulate the approach taken in the CEBJMWP. As the plan is now at examination, the Council no longer has the same ability to influence the content of the plan as it did at earlier stages.
26. Head of Planning signature.	Signature:                                                    Date: