Community impact assessment form
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Community impact assessment screening process
Person(s) responsible for the assessment
(Please note that it is advisable that you undertake your community impact assessment
in a group)
Tony Hennessy, Exchequer Manager.
Directorate
Customer & Support Services Finance Division
Name of function to be assessed (this can be a policy, procedure, strategy or service)
Invoice Payments, Sundry Debt Billing & Recovery and e-Trading
Date of assessment November 2009
Is this a function that is please select
1. Please provide a brief description of the function or the proposed change to the
function
Provision of services to suppliers and customers relating to invoice payments, Construction
Industry Tax scheme administration, billing for the provision of SCC services and goods,
administration of mortgages and for internal ‘e’ initiatives relating to the Finance function of
C&SS and SCC directorates.
2. What are the aims of the service, strategy, policy or procedure?
It is important to get this right as they will be the focus of the impact assessment
To provide an efficient, cost effective, service to SCC’s suppliers, Customers, Internal
Directorates and Partner Organisations. The service is detailed within a Service Plan and
compliant with the City Council’s pledges, strategies and policies and SLA’s are in place with
all service users. There is consistency within the service in terms of the way officers
communicate with suppliers, customers, SCC officers or Partner Organisations. The service is
also well served by a Diversity Leader, Richard Carter, who regularly updates the team on all
issues relating to Equality & Diversity. This issue is detailed within the Service Plan and further
information is available to Team Members; R:\FSG\Debtors\Richard Carter\Equality and
Diversity.
3. If you are considering a strategy or service, please list any related policies
Not applicable.
4. Please list any group who has an interest in or who will benefit from the function (this
can include service users, stakeholders, beneficiaries).
SCC’s suppliers, Customers, Internal Directorates, Members and representatives of Partner
Organisations
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5. Please list any aspects of your service or policy which are delivered externally or with
external partners.
The Sundry Debt service engages two Debt Recovery Agencies as partners, Moorcroft and
Controlaccount, and on occasion uses SCC’s contracted Bailiffs, Jacobs.
6. Is there any evidence of higher or lower participation or uptake by different groups?
Socio-economic
NO
Age
YES
Disability
NO
Gender
NO
Race
Religion and/ or belief
Sexual identity
NO
NO
NO
7. Is there any evidence that different groups have different needs, experiences, issues
and priorities in relation to this function?
Socio-economic
NO
Race
NO
Age
NO
Religion and/ or belief
NO
Disability
NO
Sexual identity
NO
Gender
NO
8. Is there an opportunity to better promote equality and diversity or better community
relations for the following groups, by working with others? e.g. partners, community and
voluntary groups
Socio-economic
NO
Race
NO
Age
NO
Religion and/ or belief
NO
Disability
NO
Sexual identity
NO
Gender
NO
9. Have consultations with relevant groups, organisations or individuals indicated that
this policy creates problems that are specific to them?
Socio-economic
NO
Race
NO
Age
NO
Religion and/ or belief
NO
Disability
NO
Sexual identity
NO
Gender
NO
If you have answered ‘yes’ to the last four sections you will need to complete the rest of
the form, If you have answered ‘no’ to them please complete the next box and return to
your directorate equality lead officer.
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Comments. All officers within the service have been trained in Equality and Diversity and are
further updated by the Diversity Officer. All officers treat all community groups consistently and
with the same professionalism and respect. There is also regular dialogue between the
Exchequer Manager and Diversity Leader to ensure there is full compliance with SCC’s and
Central Government’s policy on Equality and Diversity. Since formation of the FSG there have
been no issues that have caused concern from this perspective. Regular meetings take place
with CHSC to determine if there any service based or any other issues raised by CHSC
customers. CHSC will be approached to provide a list of Equality Advocates should assistance
or guidance be required. Also, meetings take place with other Directorates to ensure services
are provided in line with SLA requirements. The service is run very efficiently and, resources
permitting, will continue to address any issues of improvement or concern relating to Equality
and Diversity.
Date sent to directorate equality lead officer: Alison Lobley
Screening received and reviewed by directorate equality lead officer
Name Tony Hennessy
Date 14th January 2010
Signed
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Full community impact assessment
Narrowing the gap – socio-economic inequality
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. How does the service ‘narrow the gap’ and reduce the extent to which outcomes are
dependent on income?
For customers facing genuine difficulty paying sundry debt invoices an instalment plan
can be arranged based on the customer’s ability to pay. This is assessed by the team
using an income and expenditure form. It should be noted that the majority of sundry
debt invoices are raised to customers who have requested SCC goods/services with an
agreement to pay and are settled in a timely manner. All requests for instalment plans are
treated sensitively on merit based on the customer’s situation notwithstanding the need
to protect SCC interests in maximising income collection.
2. Please list any barriers which may prevent people from low income backgrounds from
achieving positive outcomes from the function
See above
3. Please detail how these barriers may be overcome.
See above
4. Please list any baseline income data and analysis which indicate that deprivation
issues are relevant to your function
N/A
5. Please provide evidence of how services are targeted or designed based on our
knowledge of need and deprivation
N/A
If your policy is relevant to narrowing the gap, please continue to complete this section.
6. Please list any data or evidence you have which demonstrates access of service and
benefits
N/A
7. Does this data show that any groups access the service more/less?
N/A
8. Does this data show any better or worse outcomes are achieved from the service for
different income groups?
N/A
9. Can any unfavourable impacts be justified?
N/A
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Age
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. Please list any barriers which may prevent people from achieving positive outcomes
from the service as a result of their age
Within the provision of social care, older people have access to the service, eg long term
/ respite care, home helps, etc. Occasionally this potentially involves difficulties
interpreting or understanding SCC documents.
2. Please detail how these barriers may be overcome.
Should there be any difficulties interpreting or understanding SCC documents assistance
is provided by CHSC / FSG staff.
3. Please list any baseline data or evidence you have e.g. census data
N/A
4. Please list any data or evidence you have which demonstrates service users accessing
the service
Because of the nature of the service, it is not appropriate or feasible to undertake
equality monitoring
5. Does this data show that any groups access the service more/less?
N/A
6. Does this data show any better or worse outcomes are achieved from the service for
this group?
N/A
7. Can any unfavourable impact be justified?
No as liaison takes place with all Client Directorates / Partner Organisations.
Disability
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. Please list any barriers that service users may encounter when accessing services
Various disabilities may result in customers not being able to read or understand SCC
documentation.
2. Please list any barriers which may prevent people with disabilities from achieving
positive outcomes from the service.
None known
3. Please detail how these barriers may be overcome.
Offering alternative facilities, eg Braille / intercom to customers should circumstances
demand. Offering the services of CHSC staff. Visits have also occasionally been made to
vulnerable people by members of the FSG Sundry Debt Team and CHSC.
4. Please list any baseline data or evidence you have e.g. census data
See age
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5. Please list any data or evidence you have which demonstrates service users accessing
the service
See age
6. Does this data show that any groups access the service more/less?
N/A
7. Does this data show any better or worse outcomes are achieved from the service for
this group?
N/A
8. Can any unfavourable impact be justified?
N/A
Gender
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. Please list any barriers that service users may encounter when accessing services
None known
2. Please list any barriers which may prevent people from achieving positive outcomes
from the service as a result of their gender
None known
3. Please detail how these barriers may be overcome.
See age
4. Please list any baseline data or evidence you have e.g. census data
See age
5. Please list any data or evidence you have which demonstrates service users accessing
the service
N/A
6. Does this data show that any groups access the service more/less?
N/A
7. Does this data show any better or worse outcomes are achieved from the service for
this group?
N/A
8. Can any unfavourable impact be justified?
N/A
Race
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. Please list any barriers that service users may encounter when accessing services
English not being the first language of customers.
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2. Please list any barriers which may prevent people from achieving positive outcomes
from the service as a result of their race
None known
3. Please detail how these barriers may be overcome.
Consider adding a paragraph on this issue on the Sundry Debt bill, intranet / internet, etc.
Should customers visit requiring language assistance the language line facilities are
offered. This is publicised to FSG staff in the form of an office notice.
4. Please list any baseline data or evidence you have e.g. census data
See age
5. Please list any data or evidence you have which demonstrates service users accessing
the service
See age
6. Does this data show that any groups access the service more/less?
N/A
7. Does this data show any better or worse outcomes are achieved from the service for
this group?
N/A
8. Can any unfavourable impact be justified?
N/A
Religion and/or belief
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. Please list any barriers that service users may encounter when accessing services
None known
2. Please list any barriers which may prevent people from achieving positive outcomes
from the service as a result of their religion and or belief
None known
3. Please detail how these barriers may be overcome.
N/A
4. Please list any baseline data or evidence you have e.g. census data
See age
5. Please list any data or evidence you have which demonstrates service users accessing
the service
See age
6. Does this data show that any groups access the service more/less?
N/A
7. Does this data show any better or worse outcomes are achieved from the service for
this group?
N/A
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8. Can any unfavourable impact be justified?
N/A
Sexual identity
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. Please list any barriers that service users may encounter when accessing services
None known
2. Please list any barriers which may prevent people from achieving positive outcomes
from the service as a result of their sexual identity
None known
3. Please detail how these barriers may be overcome.
N/A
4. Please list any baseline data or evidence you have e.g. census data
See age
5. Please list any data or evidence you have which demonstrates service users accessing
the service
See age
6. Does this data show that any groups access the service more/less?
N/A
7. Does this data show any better or worse outcomes are achieved from the service for
this group?
N/A
8. Can any unfavourable impact be justified?
N/A
Community cohesion
Please consider the following areas… please click here
1. Does the function promote/support community cohesion?
No
2. If community cohesion is relevant to your function what steps will you take to promote
it?
N/A
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Consultation – planning
Who are the groups, organisations and individual most likely to be affected by the proposed policy, directly and
indirectly?
What methods of consultation are most likely to succeed in attracting the organisations and people you want to reach?
Has there been any recent research or consultation with the group/individuals you plan to consult? (please give details)
Consultation- results
When did you undertake the consultation?
Because of the nature of the service, it is not appropriate to undertake consultation
Did you reach all the groups/individuals you wanted to reach?
What did you find?
What will you change as a result of the consultation? Please ensure this is captured in the action plan
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Action plan (following consultation)
Please list issues identified from targeted consultation and actions required
Issue identified
Action required
Person responsible
Detail assistance with
languages on Sundry
debt bills
SAP configuration
changes
Tony Hennessy
Date required by Outcome
September 2010
To respond to Customers
requests
Please ensure you have provided as much evidence as possible to support the responses you have given
Additional comments
To date there have been no requests for invoices to be in different languages or any indication that information provided
is insufficient. This will be raised with the SAP Team to determine potential by the end of the second quarter 2010/11.
Monitoring
How and when will the action plan be monitored?
We monitor the action plan in the Teams business plans.
How and when will outcomes be recorded?
All respective outcomes are recorded and progressed within the business plan.
Who will the results of the impact assessment be shared with?
Results will also be shared with Customer & Support Services Senior Management Team, through our representative on
the Directorate Equality Group and the One Council Equality Lead Officer Group.
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Have the actions been mainstreamed into the service plan?
All actions are detailed and mainstreamed into the FSG service plan.
Quality assurance
When you have completed your impact assessment, it must be submitted to your directorate quality assurance panel for
approval.
Signed
Dated 19th January 2009
(Completing officers)
Dated
Signed
Dated
(Lead officer)
Signed
Dated
(Quality assurance panel)
Dated
Dated
Dated
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This impact assessment must be reviewed every three years.
Review date:
Please send your approved impact assessment and narrative to elaine.barber@salford.gov.uk, for publishing on the
council’s website.
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