Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Report
For further information on undertaking and completing an Equality Impact Assessment, please
see the guidance.
Name of policy/ procedure/ function/ service
being assessed:
Cessation of the project to promote and facilitate
No Cold Calling Zones in Leicestershire
Department and Section:
Chief Executive’s, Trading Standards Service
Name of lead officer and others completing this
assessment:
Colin Hoskins
Contact telephone numbers:
0116 3057576
Date EIA assessment completed:
15 March 2012
Step 1: Defining the policy/ procedure/ function/ service
Using the information gathered within the Equality Questionnaire, you should begin this full EIA by
defining and outlining its scope. The EIA should consider the impact or likely impact of the policy in
relation to all areas of equality, diversity and human rights, as outlined in the Equality, Diversity and
Human Rights Strategy of Leicestershire County Council.
What are the main aims, purpose and objectives of the policy/ procedure/ function/ service?
How will they be achieved?
This report is concerned with the cessation of the project commenced in 2008 to promote and
facilitate the setting up of No Cold Calling Zones. External funding for the project has ended. This
report should be read with reference to the EIA Report of December 2008 (‘the 2008 report’) which
considered the impact of the project itself.
What are the main activities relating to this policy/ procedure/ function/ service and distinguish
who is likely to benefit from these activities.
Excerpt from the EIA report of 2008: No cold calling zones are set up by a variety of bodies including
residents’ groups, Neighbourhood Watch (NHW), community based Police Officers and Parish
Councils. The Trading Standards Service supplies information packs for residents, signs for the
streets and advice about doorstep sales legislation. In addition, Trading Standards monitor residents’
satisfaction with the zones and provide information and guidance to businesses as to the status and
extent of zones.
This report concerns the cessation of this activity. It is unlikely that anyone will benefit, although there
is likely to be advantages to a group who were identified as being adversely affected by the project in
the 2008 report:
Businesses that depend upon selling at people’s homes, particularly sellers of disability aids and
potentially those from the travelling community (because of a preference to market goods and
services ‘door to door’).
What outcomes are expected?
The facilitation and promotion of no cold calling zones has ended, but it is important to note that all the
zones set up by the project remain in place. In addition Trading Standards will continue to consider
requests to help to set up new zones. However the cessation of the project means that there is no
dedicated officer assigned to this work, and there is no positive promotion of zones. Also maintenance
of existing zones is minimal.
Step 2: Potential Impact
Use the table below to specify if any service users or staff who identify with any of the
‘protected characteristics’ below will be affected by the policy/ procedure/ service you are
proposing (indicate all that apply) and describe why and what barriers these individuals or
groups may face.
Who is affected and what barriers may these individuals or groups face?
Age Excerpt from 2008 report:
Houses within zones should receive fewer uninvited callers. This
de-normalises the practice of opening the door to strangers,
inviting them into the home and entering into detrimental
contracts. The benefit to the elderly and vulnerable is that they
are less likely to be victimised, increasing the chance of their
continuing to live independently.
Reduction in fear of crime – Locations selected for zones are
often recommended by the Police as a result of previous
victimisation of residents or because of a higher than usual
percentage of elderly or vulnerable people who express concern
about being cheated or robbed. Establishment of a zone
reassures these individuals.
Now that the project has ended there will be fewer new zones, so
that areas with an aging population (which may not have qualified
between 2008 – 2011) will not benefit from the project. This does
not mean that it is impossible to set up a zone, however. Also
existing zones will remain in place.
Disability See above. The elderly and those vulnerable due to physical or
mental disability benefit most from no cold calling zones.
Gender Reassignment Not affected
Marriage and Civil Partnership Not affected
Pregnancy and Maternity Not affected
Race Identified as less likely to benefit from no cold calling zones in the
2008 report. Consequently less likely to be affected by the
cessation of the project.
Religion or Belief Not affected
Sex Not affected
Sexual Orientation Not affected
Other groups e.g. rural isolation,
deprivation, health inequality,
carers, asylum seeker and
refugee communities, looked
after children, deprived or
disadvantaged communities
Those with caring responsibilities will not find that those
responsibilities increase because the people they care for are
more vulnerable to doorstep crime. Those people should not be
more vulnerable because existing zones will remain in place.
However, those who become carers after the end of the project
may not experience the benefits that new zones might have
brought them.
Community Cohesion Not affected – existing zones will remain in place.
Step 3: Data Collection & Evidence
In relation to your related findings in ‘Step Two’ are your presumptions on these barriers
based on any existing research, data evidence or other information?
What evidence, research, data and other information do you have which will be relevant to this
EIA?
What does this information / data tell you about each of the diverse groups?
No research carried out. This report is based entirely on the well-researched benefits identified in the
2008 report being less accessible to new groups after the end of the project.
What further research, data or evidence may be required to fill any gaps in your understanding
of the potential or known affects of the policy?
Have you considered carrying out new data or research?
None
Step 4: Consultation and Involvement
When considering how to consult and involve people as part of the proposed policy/
procedure/ function/ service, it is important to think about the service users and staff who
may be affected as part of the proposal.
Have you consulted on this policy/ procedure/ function or service?
Outline any consultation and the outcomes of the consultation in relation to this EIA.
Those groups who were partners in the project, and assisted with the setting-up of no cold calling
zones, were consulted about the cessation of the project. This was to enable them to make the
necessary adjustments, such as finding other sources of help and support for the setting up of zones,
in order to lessen as much as possible any adverse impact. However the outcome of the consultation
was restricted to the timing of the cessation of the project, and did not concern the fact of it.
Do any of the barriers you identified actually exist based on this consultation?
No formal consultation or research has been conducted into the impact of ending the project.
Step 5: Mitigating and assessing the impact
In relation to any research, data, consultation and information you have reviewed and/or
carried out as part of this EIA, it is now essential to assess the impact of the policy/
procedure/ function/ service and distinguish whether a particular group could be affected
differently in either a negative or positive way?
If you consider there to be actual or potential adverse impact or discrimination, please outline
this below. State whether it is justifiable or legitimate and give reasons.
These are the impacts identified in step 2 above.
It is justifiable and legitimate because funding has ended and there would be greater adverse impacts
if Trading Standards was to draw funding from its other activities in order to continue the project.
N.B.
a) If you have identified adverse impact or discrimination that is illegal, you are required to take action
to remedy this immediately.
b) If you have identified adverse impact or discrimination that is justifiable or legitimate, you will need to
consider what actions can be taken to mitigate its effect on those groups of people.
What can be done to change the policy/ procedure/ function/ service to mitigate any adverse
impact?
Consider what barriers you can remove, whether reasonable adjustments may be necessary
and how any unmet needs that you have identified can be addressed.
Those groups who were partners in the project, and assisted with the setting-up of no cold calling
zones, were consulted about the cessation of the project. This was to enable them to make the
necessary adjustments, such as finding other sources of help and support for the setting up of zones,
in order to lessen as much as possible any adverse impact.
It bears repeating here that existing zones remain in place and have a degree of support from Trading
Standards.
Step 6: Making a decision
Summarise your findings and give an overview of whether the policy will meet Leicestershire
County Council’s responsibilities in relation to equality, diversity and human rights.
The County Council’s responsibilities are not affected. The project when it ran offered benefits over
and above these responsibilities.
The cessation of the project means that some groups who might have benefited will not do so. Those
who did benefit will continue to do so.
Step 7: Monitoring, evaluation & review of your policy/
procedure/service change
How will you monitor the impact and effectiveness of the new policy/ procedure/ service
change and what monitoring systems will you put in place to monitor this and to promote
equality of opportunity and make positive improvements?
The Service will continue to monitor the need for no cold calling zones, both informally, and formerly on
an annual basis, when it will consider whether extra funding will be provided for this activity. In addition
the service will continue to monitor opportunities to bid for extra funding for this activity.
It is important to note that the Service is committed to minimising the activities of rogue traders in
general and doorstep crime in particular. The day-to-day activities of the Service have a significant
positive impact on the groups who most benefited from the no cold calling zones project. Those
activities and that commitment continue.
How will the recommendations of this assessment be built into wider planning and review
processes?
e.g. policy reviews, annual plans and use of performance management systems.
The Service will continue to monitor the need for no cold calling zones, both informally, and formerly
on an annual basis, when it will consider whether extra funding will be provided for this activity. In
addition the service will continue to monitor opportunities to bid for extra funding for this activity.
Equality Improvement Plan
Please list all the equality objectives, actions and targets that result from the Equality Impact Assessment (continue on separate sheets as
necessary). These now need to be included in the relevant service plan for mainstreaming and performance management purposes.
Equality Objective
Action
Vulnerable people do not
become victims of crime
because of their
vulnerability.
Monitor the location of
doorstep crime incidents
including distraction
burglaries.
Target
Officer Responsible
1) At 6 monthly
Colin Hoskins- TSS
intervals, review
Team Leader
and record, an
assessment, using
established
criteria, about
whether there is a
need for a new
zone and/or
‘awareness
raising’ in existing
zones to help
prevent further
incidents.
2) When called for,
inform partners so
that ‘actions’ can
be implemented.
By when
On going beginning
September 2012
1st Authorised Signature (EIA Lead): ……Colin Hoskins
2nd Authorised Signature (Member of DMT): ……
Date: ……15th March 2012
Date: ……19th March 2012
Once completed, please send a copy of this form to the Departmental Equalities Group for quality assurance. Once
authorised, this Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Report will need to be published on our website.