ANNUAL EQUALITY STATEMENT

Year end 31 March 2005

 

 

The Committee’s Equality Scheme states that the Committee will review both the action taken during the year to promote equality of opportunity and the progress of the implementation of the Equality Scheme.

 

Our Commitment

 

The Committee re-affirms its commitment to the fulfillment of its duties under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 in that it will have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity –

 

§         Between persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, martial status or sexual orientation;

§         Between men and women generally;

§         Between persons with a disability and persons without;

and

§         Between persons with dependants and persons without.

 

In addition, without prejudice to its obligations above, NILGOSC shall, in carrying out its functions, have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group.

 

Promotion of Equality of Opportunity

 

NILGOSC has demonstrated its commitment to the promotion of equality of opportunity during 2003-2004 by its support from the most senior levels of the organisation.

 

The NILGOSC Corporate Plan for 2004-2005 included objectives relating to Equality and Community Relations.  The Committee approved the Plan in March 2004 and the Senior Management Team, on a quarterly basis, has monitored the implementation of objectives.

 

Implementation of the Equality Scheme

 

The Equality Scheme was approved by the Equality Commission and published in May 2001.  Progress on the implementation of the scheme since then is detailed below:

 

1.       NILGOSC published its annual statements for the years 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 in the Annual Reports and Financial Statements in October 2002, 2003 and 2004.  The statements were also reproduced in the Members’ Report, summaries of the Annual Report, and have been distributed to all members and pensioners (over 70,000 copies).  The annual statements were also made available on the NILGOSC website.

 

2.       The Good Relations Working Group drafted a Community Relations policy.  This was issued to all staff at a staff conference in April 2002.  The policy was screened for impact assessment in June 2002 and approved by the Committee in October 2002.

 

3.       The impact assessment of the Administration of the Local Government Pension Scheme and the Premature Retirement Scheme was completed in June 2002 and published in October 2002.  As a result of this assessment:

 

  • A communication leaflet was sent to all Scheme members and pensioners.  This leaflet outlined the various means of communication in use and highlighted alternative formats available.  It invited those preferring an alternative means of communication to advise accordingly in order that future communications could be tailored to meet those needs.

 

  • In September 2004 NILGOSC carried out a survey among a sample of 1000 scheme members to determine if any category of person might be underrepresented.  Almost 36% of questionnaires were returned.  The results of the survey have been analysed and with the exception of ‘age’ the survey results were found to be broadly in proportion with the comparator groups and therefore it was concluded that employers have made Scheme membership widely available to all staff. 

 

Although differences in the statistics were identified in relation to age it was felt that no adverse impact existed in this grouping in relation to the administration of the Scheme.  However, the survey findings will be contributed to the marketing strategy in order that the reasons for lower membership numbers in the grouping can be examined further and any appropriate follow up action is taken.

 

Survey results are available on request by contacting the Equality Officer.

 

  • NILGOSC will also undertake a feasibility study on the use of a lo-call telephone charging system.  Such a system would ensure that there would not be any adverse monetary impact on callers from outside the Belfast area.

 

4.       The impact assessments on the Investment of Contributions and Procurement of Goods and Services were issued for consultation in March 2004.  A number of responses were been received and the points raised are currently under consideration and further consultation.  Where considered appropriate the impact assessments will be amended in light of these comments prior to the publication of the final versions.

 

5.       Specific training for those managers responsible for the implementation of Equality Scheme has been undertaken as well as those staff who are members of the Customer Care Group.  The remaining staff have attended a major conference on Equality and continue to receive training and updates on equality issues through the annual staff conference.  Awareness training is provided for new members through the induction procedure.

 

6.       NILGOSC have not received any complaints regarding equality issues in the 2004-2005 period.

 

7.       NILGOSC received two requests for information in alternative formats (Thai and Braille) in the 2004-2005 period. 

 

 

Those who require further information about the NILGOSC Equality Scheme or would prefer to receive this document in an alternative format should contact the Equality Officer at:

 

Address:          NILGOSC, Templeton House, 411 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 2LP

Telephone:       (028) 9076 8025

Typetalk:           18001 028 9076 8025 (for people using a textphone)

Fax:                  (028) 9076 8790

Email:               info@nilgosc.org.uk

 

Copies of the Equality Scheme and this Annual Equality Statement are also available on the Internet at www.nilgosc.org.uk/equality.htm