Equality
What is the Equality Scheme?
Section 75 and schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 ('the Act') place new duties on public authorities to promote equality of opportunity and good relations.
The Council's Equality Scheme is a statement of the Council's commitment to fulfilling these statutory obligations. It also outlines a plan for ensuring that consideration of equality issues is central to the whole range of policy decision-making in the Council.
What does Council have to do?
Section 75 of the Act requires the Council, in carrying out its functions, to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity:
- Between people of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation;
- Between men and women generally;
- between people with a disability and people without;
- Between people with dependents and people without.
The Council is also required, in carrying out all its functions, powers, and duties, to have regard to the desireability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.
The Council will monitor the impact of policies to identify their effects on relevant groups and consult accordingly. The work will be reviewed annually and the results posted on the Council's website (also available in written form on request) The most recent Report was sent to the Equality Commission in August 2009. If monitoring and evaluation show that a policy results in greater adverse impact than predicted, or if opportunities arise that would allow for greater equality of opportunity to be promoted, the Council will ensure that the policy is revised.
Related Document
For further information please contact:
Lisa Adair
Telephone: 028 9335 8003
E-Mail: ladair.policy@carrickfergus.org
