Equality impact Assessment form (Part 1)
Screening
Name of strategy/policy/procedure/project/function:
New Horley Leisure Centre
Name and telephone number of officers completing assessment:
Tim Prior, Project Manager (Leisure), Tel. 01737 276113
Date completed:
5th May 2009
Section one: Identify your aims and objectives
The objective of this project is to build a public sports and leisure centre for the local
community of Horley that meets the following criteria:
 ‘Fit for purpose’ – provides the right facilities for a wide range of sport and leisure
activities.
 Best fit with the needs of the various stakeholders including the public, schools, sports
clubs, RBBC Council, Horley Town Council, Horley Town FC, the leisure contractor,
Sport England and other sports bodies.
 Value for money and within budget.
Strategy/policy/procedure/project/function:
 The design of the new centre will be undertaken by a project team made up of Council
officers and external designers/engineers.
 The key stakeholders are the public, council members and local residents..
 The Council is to build a leisure centre that provides a wide range of sports and leisure
facilities for the whole community, whatever their age and physical ability. The
community will include those people who will move into Horley to occupy the 2,600 new
homes to be built in the area.
What is the main aim or purpose of the strategy/policy/procedure/project/function?
The main aim of this project is to provide the Horley community with affordable, accessible,
high quality, modern swimming, sports and leisure facilities.
List the main activities or objectives of the strategy/policy/procedure/project/function
(for strategies list the main policy areas):
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


To improve the local community’s Quality of Life.
To provide a good quality venue that encourages people to take more exercise
(NHS ‘Change 4 Life’ campaign & Sport England’s Active England/Active People
initiative)
To provide a centre for sports that facilitates use by disabled people (Sport
England’s Inclusive Fitness Initiative)
Who are main beneficiaries of the strategy/policy/procedure/project/function and in
what way?
1) The local community by having access to high quality exercise and sports facilities.
2) The Council who are meeting their obligation to the public to improve their Quality of
Life and their health.
3) Primary schools will use the Centre to teach children how to swim a minimum of 25
metres unaided, at Key Stage 2. Secondary schools will also use the pools for
swimming, as a sports activity in its own right and as an option, forming part of the
GCSE Physical Education syllabus. Special schools can use the swimming facilities
for sports activities covering a range of special needs from Moderate Learning
Difficulties (MLD) to sensory difficulties and the physically disabled.
4) Sports clubs who will grow in number and provide a service in a purpose built,
modern centre.
5) Voluntary groups will be able to hire any of the facilities or, in consultation with
Nuffield Health, arrange for special classes to cater for a specific ethnic, gender,
disability or other group.
6) Disabled people who will be able to make use of a centre designed to accommodate
their needs.
7) Nuffield Health, the leisure management contractor who will be able to provide a
better service with a wider range of activities for more people.
Section two: Consider data and research
The following data is available for the Borough as a whole:
 The Borough has a relatively old population profile with fewer young people and a larger
percentage of working age adults than the average for England.
 Over 79% of men and 65% of women aged 16-74 are economically active.
 A third of the working population live and work in the Borough.
 The percentage of well-qualified people (56%) is significantly higher than the national
average (47%).
 An extra 27,000 people commute into the borough each day to work, mainly to work in
the large commercial areas of Reigate and Redhill.
 There are pockets of social deprivation in the Borough and almost 2,700 children live in
low income households.
 Average life expectancy for men and women in Reigate & Banstead is better than the
average for England.
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People in Reigate & Banstead tend to have healthier lifestyles than elsewhere in
England.
Only 19.6% of adults are obese against the national average of 24%
A study of leisure services in the borough was undertaken in 2006, which involved 1,382
members of the public, both users and non-users across the Borough. The findings were as
follows:
 Only 46% of respondents have any type of leisure membership, with many preferring the
‘pay and play’ option.
 General fitness was the main motivator for participation
 Users in the North and South of the borough are keen to retain local facilities including
swimming pools.
 87% of respondents live within 4 miles of their local centre
 The most important issues when selecting leisure facilities were – location, value for
money, cleanliness and car parking.
 Respondents would like – 25m pool, good quality changing rooms, gym, children’s pool,
coffee shop, dance studios, children’s activities and sports halls at each facility.
What data is available to help inform the EIA?
2001 Census
Reigate and Banstead has a population of 126,523, of which 95.0% describes itself as
having a White ethnic background, 2.2% South Asian, 0.9% Afro-Caribbean, and 0.4%
Chinese or other. Its largest ethnic minority group is Indian, with 1,174 community
members. The population is 62,100 male and 64,423 female.
There are 93,331 Christians in the area, and 20,394 people with no religious affiliation.
The largest minority religious group is Muslim (comprising 1,634 local people). The next
largest is Hindu (with 983), followed by Buddhists (320), Jews (319), and Sikhs (135).
NHS Health Profile of RBBC for 2008
The 2008 NHS study showed there are some health inequalities in Reigate & Banstead.
For example, the life expectancy of women from the most deprived areas is 4 years shorter
than those from the least deprived areas. While overall poverty in the district is low, 2,700
children are living in low income households
 Over the last ten years, early deaths from cancer and from heart disease and stroke
in the district have fallen.
 The percentage of children in Reigate & Banstead who are physically active is low,
but both breastfeeding and tooth decay levels are better than the national figures.
 Healthy eating levels in Reigate & Banstead are high, although it is estimated that
one in five adults are obese.
 Hospital stays related to alcohol are low, but more than one in seven binge drink.
One in five adults smoke and smoking accounts for over 200 deaths in Reigate &
Banstead each year.
 Hip fractures in older people are higher than average.
 Priorities for action identified in the Local Area Agreement for Surrey include alcohol
abuse, childhood obesity, smoking, social care, teenage pregnancy and sexual
health.
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Are there any gaps which may require further research or consultation?
There is no research at the moment on the take-up of leisure facilities by ethnic origin and
sex. User surveys are required to identify if the service is reaching those members of the
community from BME backgrounds and females.
Section three: Assess the impact on equality target groups
The new Horley Leisure Centre will have sports and leisure activities for all ages and all
abilities. High quality facilities for disabled people will form part of the design and the
intention is to put forward the new Fitness Gym for Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI)
accreditation. Some of the improvements for disabled users are as follows:

Disabled parking bays
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Automatic entrance doors

Reduced height section of reception desk for wheelchair users.

Induction hearing loop at reception
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Double width doors and corridors
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Ample disabled toilets, shower and changing facilities

Facilities all on one floor, no stairs.

Special lockers to accommodate artificial limbs and other equipment

Pool hoist
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Gym equipment adapted for wheelchair use

High visibility signs
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Best practice design using DDA and Sport England Disability guidelines
The new Centre will not automatically offer special classes for Muslim women and/or women
only sessions as there has been no demand in the past. However it will be possible to
segregate each of the facilities including the swimming pools from the rest of the centre to
enable the Contractors to provide single sex classes/sessions if required.
The cost of activities in all the Council’s leisure centres is affordable and lower than
comparable private leisure facilities. The cost is sufficiently low to ensure it does not
represent a barrier to people on low income.
The new centre will be located in a residential area with easy access by foot, cycling, bus
and car. The Centre will have ample car parking and secure cycle storage.
Employment processes practiced by Nuffield Health, the present leisure services contractor
will ensure that there is no discrimination against disabled people, people from BME
backgrounds irrespective of their age and sexual orientation.
The changing facilities in the new centre will include cubicles for those who wish to change
in private.
Using the table below, take each one of the equality target groups and predict the
likely impact on people from these groups. Impact can be positive, negative, direct or
indirect. You do not have to complete all the boxes. Only those where there is a
disproportionate or greater impact either way.
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Neutral
Negative
impact
(it could
disadvantage)
Women

High Low
Men

High Low
Transgender
ed
Men/Women

High Low
Asian

High Low
Black

High Low
Mixed race

High Low
White

High Low
Chinese

High Low
Other racial
or ethnic
groups specify

High Low
Positive
impact
(it could
benefit)
Gender
Race
The categories
used in the Race
section are those
used in the 2001
census.
Consideration
should be given to
the needs of
specific
communities within
the broad
categories.
Physical
Disability
Long term health
impairment could
include, mental
health problems,
asthma, heart
conditions, chronic
fatigue etc.
Sexual
orientation
High Low

Sensory

High Low
Learning

High Low
Long Term
Health
Impairment
Heterosexu
als,
lesbians,
gay men
and
bisexuals
Older
people
High Low


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Easier access to all parts of
the leisure centre.
More opportunities to take
part in physical activity
High Low

High Low

High Low
Age
Younger
people
and children
Reason
More activities for older
people in enlarged gym,
sports hall and exercise
studio.
More activities for young
people in the sports hall and
exercise studio. Children’s
parties.
5
Positive
impact
(it could
benefit)
Neutral
Negative
impact
(it could
disadvantage)

High Low
Reason
Religion or
belief
Faith groups cover
a wide range of
groupings, the
most common of
which are
Buddhists,
Christians, Hindus,
Jews, Muslims,
and Sikhs.
Consider faith
categories
individually and
collectively when
considering
positive and
negative impacts.
Faith groups
If you have indicated there is a potential negative impact on any group, are these
Intentional and of a High Impact?
Intended? – i.e. can be justified in terms of legislation
e.g. Concessionary fares over 60s
Yes
No

High impact? – i.e. it is or may be discriminatory
against some groups.
Yes
No

Is the negative impact
NOT INTENDED and/or of HIGH IMPACT?

If yes, a full assessment is required. Please complete the Equality impact assessment
form Part Two: Full assessment.

If no, complete the rest of this form below and consider if completing the Equality
impact assessment form Part Two: Full assessment would be helpful in making a
thorough assessment. Do not ignore low impacts – these could help you develop
services in the future.
Section four: Improvement planning
Use the table below to record how you could minimise or remove any low negative
impact or improve the positive impact of the project:
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Issue
Action
Use of new centre by
disabled and special
groups.
Workshops and consultation with special groups that will
influence the programme of the new centre.
Use of facilities by people
from BME backgrounds.
Quantify ethnic mix of users by a centre survey to ensure the
whole community is being included. Marketing of BME
targeted sessions by Nuffield Health.
Use of facilities by women
Quantify number of female users by a centre survey to
ensure the whole community is being included. Possible
introduction of women only activities by Nuffield Health.
Use of facilities by people
who do not use English as
their first language.
Operate a pilot scheme in the new centre where information
is provided in other languages.
If there is no evidence that the strategy/policy/procedure/project/function promotes
equality, equal opportunities or improved relations – could it be adapted so that it
does? How?
N/A
Section five: Monitoring and reviewing
What data do you have which monitors the impact of the
strategy/policy/procedure/project/function on minority groups?
N/A
How is this data used?
N/A
If there is no data, please explain how you intend to continue monitoring the impact of
this strategy/policy/procedure/project/function:
No regular user surveys. See recommendations for user survey above.
Please send a copy of the completed form to the Equalities Steering Group, via Lorraine
Hatton at lorraine.hatton@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.
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