Impact_Assessment_-_Single_OfficeModel.Register_Offices.February_2011

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Impact Assessment Record

This proforma should be used to record answers to the screening questions set out in Appendix 3 and repeated in column 1 of therecord. Column 2 should be used to identify impact (or potential impact), column 3 should confirm whether the impact is positive ornegative, and column 4 used to identify the changes or actions required to address negative impact or enhance positive impact.Reference should be made to the evidence on which these statements are made.

The record should be used flexibly. Not all questions will be relevant and rows can be merged if this provides a more coherentresponse to questions.

Health

Question Description of the impact(s) or potentialimpact(s)

Actions or changes required toremove or alleviate negative impact

or enhance positive impact

How could the policy /service impact on thelifestyle of those affected by it?

The requirement to travel further distances andpossible increase in waiting times could have anegative impact of those persons in poorhealth, the disabled or those persons living with

a long term health condition.

The single office, wherever it is located,will need to have a sufficient number ofinterview rooms (on the ground level) toreduce waiting times and ensure

accessibility. The introduction of anappointment system and increasedopening hours to include lunchtimescould help alleviate waiting times.

How could the policy /service impact onaccess to services for those affected by it?

Depending on the location of the single office,the single office could have improvedaccessibility for persons with disabilities. Thiscould restrict access to community who requireto seek clothing grants and free school meals.

The choice of location should take intoaccount accessibility, parking, parkingfor disabled people and accessibilityfrom parking places onto pavementsand safe walkways.

How could the policy /service impact on thesocialor physical environment of thoseaffected by it?

n/a

How could the policy /service impact on thelife circumstances of those affected by it?

n/a Adds to stress, particularly if having totravel a greater distance to register a death, orplace further demands on time to set up

appointments

Retain local Register Offices.

How could the policy /service impact onmental health?

n/a It could in some cases require additionaltravel to persons comfortable and at ease withtheir local surroundings, as well an example ofa person with agoraphobia who may havedifficulty leaving home for longer periods oftime.

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Disability




How could the policy impact on disabledpeople with restricted mobility or physicalcapacity?

Depending on the location of the single office,the single office could have improvedaccessibility for persons with disabilities.

However, the requirement to travel further toregister a life event could result in additionaltravel costs. In addition, a single office withreduced staffing levels could result in greaterwaiting times.

Using train services requires a wheelchair useror disabled person to request assistance andthis must be booked at least 24 hours inadvance service which has not proved to be100% reliable, thus adding to transportdifficulties. Access by bus, via Dumbarton towncentre requires a person to walk via roadunderpasses which may require lone walkingand requires wheelchair users to pushthemselves up a hill in the underpass.

The choice of which office to keep opencould reduce the amount of distancespeople will need to travel; Dumbarton is

most central of the three offices andwould be the obvious choice. In termsof accessibility it is also best placedwith ground floor accommodation andfully automatic doors. However,consideration would also need to begiven to increase the number of parkingplaces for persons with disabilities. Inaddition, Dumbarton Central TrainStation is nearby and is accessible forwheelchair users.

A pavement would require to be createdat the Dumbarton Office.

We would also like clarification onwhether any internal modifications

would be required, eg., accessibletoilets on the ground floor.

The single office, wherever it is located,will need to have a sufficient number ofinterview rooms (on the ground level) toreduce waiting times and ensureaccessibility. The introduction of anappointment system and increasedopening hours to include lunchtimescould help alleviate waiting times.

How could the policy impact on people whoexperience barriers to communication?

n/a Closing two Register Offices could lead toconfusion and lack of understanding

Financial investment in respect ofsignposting change to policy.

How could the policy be affected by

employees attitudes toward disabled people &lack of relevant knowledge and skills?

n/a

How could the policy impact on disabledpeoples participation in public life?

Disabled people could be put off by thetravelling distance and time taken to register lifeevents and leave it to another family member.

However, this may not always be possible in allcircumstances, and would require that wereduce a disabled persons independence andmake them more dependant.

Single office should be central toreduce travel and waiting times, butoverall should be retained across theCouncil.

How could the policy promote positiveattitudesto disabled people?

The single office could be designed to be fullyaccessible to disabled people.

Choose single office with ground flooraccommodation and good accessibilityand invest in improved accessibility.

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Race and Ethnicity




How could the policy affect the wellbeing ofpeople from different BME groups in regard to:

Access to services

Social Circumstances

Employment

n/a

Changes to existing registration could causeconfusion

Location of single office needs to bewidely advertised to ensure allmembers of public know its location,however, because of the remit of these

offices, they would be better retainedacross the council.

How could the policy impact on people who:

Do not have English as their firstlanguage?

Have particular culturalrequirements?

n/a


Location of single office needs to bewidely advertised to ensure allmembers of public know its location,however, because of the remit of theseoffices, they would be better retainedacross the council.

How could the policy impact on

Relations between different racial orethnic groups?

Relations between racial or ethnicgroups and the Council?

n/a


Location of single office needs to bewidely advertised to ensure allmembers of public know its location,however, because of the remit of theseoffices, they would be better retainedacross the council.

How could the policy impact on theGypsy/Traveller population, both on the site inDumbarton and travelling through West

Dunbartonshire?

Changes to existing registration offices couldcause confusion.

Location of single office needs to bewidely advertised to ensure allmembers of public know of its location.

If the screening process identifies a major negative impact in regard to race equality, you can use the race impact assessmentguidance on the Commission for Racial Equalitys website, at http://www.cre.gov.uk/duty/reia/index.html.

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http://www.cre.gov.uk/duty/reia/index.htmlhttp://www.cre.gov.uk/duty/reia/index.html


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Religion or Belief




How could the policy / service impact on thewellbeing of people who have particularrequirements resulting from their beliefs?

n/a

How could the policy / service impact on thesocial circumstances of different religion orbelief groups?

n/a

How could the policy / service impact on theemployment or working life of people fromdifferent religion or belief groups?

n/a

How could the policy / service impact onrelations between any particular religious, oron relations between belief group(s) and theCouncil?

n/a

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Gender


Actions or changes required to removeor alleviate negative impact or

enhance positive impact

How could policy impact on women / men inthe following areas:

Particular needs, experiences,concerns of women / men?

Access to services?

Employment?

n/a

If a single office were located in Dumbarton, itwould pose a risk to the safety of women,parents and children, lone users of theunderpass, not familiar with the locality

Retain individual offices, supervisedunderpasses.

Could the policy impact on women / mendisproportionately, either positively ornegatively?

n/aYes, if they are more vulnerable with, forexample, a disability or on their own.

Is there a case for the policy/ service to bedelivered for women-only and/or men only?

n/a

How could the policy / service further genderequality?

n/a

How could the policy / service impact ontransgendered people?

n/a

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Impact Assessment Report

The impact assessment report proforma should be used to summarise the issues and actions identified in the impactassessment. It should be included as a background paper for committee reports on policies or functions which have been impactassessed. It will be published on the WDC web site.

1 Title of Policy or function Closure of Two Registration Offices

2 Lead Department Corporate Services

3 Responsible Officer Andrew Fraser

4 Staff involved in impact assessment George HawthornTony Gallagher

5 Other staff / services / community groups involved None

6 Brief summary of any consultation carried out / referred to Proposed closure of two offices was suggested at StaffRoadshows to discuss possible savings options for2011/12. The whole savings options package will besubject to a public consultation exercise in January.

7 Summary of (potential) impacts identified The public in West Dunbartonshire access a registrationoffice to carry out a variety of tasks. Registration ofbirths, marriages, deaths, etc., they also require to payfines at the Office, apply for clothing grants and freeschool meals.

On average a person will only require to visit aregistration office four times in their lives to register abirth, death, or marriage. This aside, the proposedclosure of two registration offices will have a negativeimpact on a large number of residents but the impact willbe greater on those members of the public who havedisabilities and/or the elderly who rely on public transportor taxis to travel. In terms of the financial impact, theneed to travel further distances will mean additional travelcosts for those affected by the proposal. A single officewith a reduced level of staff could also mean greaterwaiting times for members of the public, which againwould have a greater impact on the elderly and disabledwho tire more quickly and are less likely to be in goodhealth.

8 Summary of actions identified The choice of which office to keep open could reduce theamount of distances people will need to travel;Dumbarton is most central of the three offices and wouldbe the obvious choice. In terms of accessibility it is alsobest placed with ground floor accommodation and fullyautomatic doors. However, consideration would alsoneed to be given to increase the number of parkingplaces for persons with disabilities. In addition,Dumbarton Central Train Station is nearby and isaccessible for wheelchair users, but only if they advise oftheir intention to travel at least 24 hours in advance andthis advanced booking relies on the station being able toaccommodate it.

In addition, not all buses are accessible, nor are allDumbarton taxis, therefore, possibly adding time andexpense to the return journey to other parts of the WestDunbartonshire area.

The single office, wherever it is located, will need to havea sufficient number of interview rooms (on the groundlevel) to reduce waiting times and ensure accessibility.The introduction of an appointment system and increasedopening hours to include lunchtimes could help alleviatewaiting times.

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Any proposed change would need to be advertised widelyin the area to ensure all that equalities groups were fullyinformed of the location of the new office.

9 What equalities monitoring is required for this policy / service? If the proposal proceeds then waiting times will need to beclosely monitored. Information should also be sought interms of the effectiveness of the public awarenesscampaign and, if necessary, further work carried out to

improve on these areas.10 Date of completion of assessment 30 September 2010

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Documents

Impact_Assessment_-_Single_OfficeModel.Register_Offices.February_2011