Equality screening reports

Screening and analysis of our policies

We use an equality impact assessment (EQIA) to do a thorough and systematic analysis of each of our policies. These assessments can improve our work by making sure we promote equality. When developing policies, plans and strategies, we publish policy-screening reports that consider rural needs.

Equality categories

When assessing each policy, we refer to the nine equality categories defined in Section 75:

• religious belief
• political opinion
• racial group
• age
• marital status
• sexual orientation
• gender
• disability
• dependency

Screening determines if our policy has any negative impact on any of the nine categories and decides on an alternative to achieve the promotion of equality of opportunity.

Section 75 is in the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Screening reports and impact assessments published in 2022/23

These screening outcome reports were published in 2022/23:

• Equality screening outcome report: Dual language street signs policy
• Equality screening outcome report: Heritage Trail Sign Policy in City Hall
• Equality screening outcome report: Draft Commercial Plan
• Equality screening outcome report: Naming of new park and sportszone at Divis Back Path
• Equality screening outcome report: Corporation Street and Exchange Street Place-making Brief
• Equality screening outcome report: Ravenhill Road Place-making Brief
• Equality screening outcome report: Fuel Poverty Hardship Fund
• Equality screening outcome report: Car User Policy
• Equality screening outcome report: Cherryvale Gate
• Equality screening outcome report: Hub in Roadmap
• Equality screening outcome report: Onboarding of Council Services and return to the office for office-based staff
• Equality screening outcome report: Páirc Nua Chollann
• Equality screening outcome report: Additional leave provisions for bereavement, miscarriage and fertility treatment
• Equality screening outcome report: Age-friendly Belfast Plan 2022-26
• Equality screening outcome report: Belfast Urban Innovation Framework
• Equality screening outcome report: Pilot Workstyles Policy
• Equality screening outcome report: Ballysillan Playing Fields
• Equality screening outcome report: Urban Village Initiative Project
• DfC COVID-19 Revitalisation Fund – Business Grants
• Equality screening outcome report: Belfast Air Quality Action Plan 2021-2026
• Equality screening outcome report: Roselawn Crematorium Development Project
• Equality screening outcome report: Supporting Vibrant Business Destinations Pilot Programme
• Equality screening outcome report: Coronavirus Vaccine Policy
• Equality screening outcome report: Council Decision to Erect Bilingual External Naming and Internal Directional Signage in Brook Leisure Centre
• Equality screening outcome report: Ten-year tourism plan – Make Yourself at Home
• Equality screening outcome report: Forth Meadow Community Greenway information panels
• Equality screening outcome report: Gender Identity and Expression Guidance and Information for Managers and Staff
• Equality screening outcome report: Visual identifier for black or grey bins
• Equality screening outcome report: Menopause Policy and Guidance
• Equality screening outcome report: Council Decision to Erect Bilingual/Multilingual external naming and Directional Signage in Citywide Leisure Centres
• Equality screening outcome report: Conflict of Interest, Gifts and Hospitality policy for employees
• Equality screening outcome report: Belfast Resilience Strategy
• Equality screening outcome report: Digital Programme
• Equality screening outcome report: Social Value Procurement Policy
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These rural needs impact assessments (RNIAs) were published in 2022:

• Appendix 2 Rural Needs annual monitoring report April 2021 to March 2022
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Corporation Street and Exchange Street Place-making Brief
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Draft Commercial Plan for Belfast City Council
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Heritage Trail Sign Policy in City Hall
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Ballysillan Playing Fields
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Belfast Air Quality Action Plan
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Coronavirus Vaccine Policy
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Crematorium Development at Roselawn
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Forth Meadow Community Greenway Information Panels
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Gender Identity and Expression Guidance and Information for Managers and Staff
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Menopause Policy and Guidance
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Name and Signage in Citywide Leisure Centres
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Provide a visual means of identifying a resident-approved additional black bin
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Supporting Vibrant Business Destinations Pilot Programme
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Conflict of Interest, Gifts and Hospitality policy for employees
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Belfast Resilience Strategy
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Digital Programme
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Social Value Procurement Policy
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Corporation Street and Exchange Street Place-making Brief
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Development of a Commercial Plan for Belfast City Council
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Heritage Trail Sign Policy in City Hall

Screening reports and impact assessments published in 2021/22

These screening outcome reports were published between July and September 2021/22. You can read the reports online. You can also ask for these reports by email:

• Equality screening outcome report: Belfast Zoo charity requests process
• Equality screening outcome report: City Centre Living Vision (CCLV)
• Equality screening outcome report: Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund Programme
• Equality screening outcome report: A temporary licensing scheme for pavement cafés in Belfast
• Equality screening outcome report: New visitor destination - Belfast Stories
• Equality screening outcome report: Ormeau Cluster
• Equality screening outcome report: Dunbar Place-making Brief
• Equality screening outcome report: Forth Meadow Community Greenway (Planning Service officer's recommendation)
• Equality screening outcome report: DfC COVID-19 Revitalisation Programme draft screening
• Equality screening outcome report: Belfast Open Spaces Strategy (BOSS)
• Equality screening outcome report: The 5Cs Public Realm Project
• Equality screening outcome report: Annual flying of the transgender flag on Transgender Day of Remembrance

These reports are published online:

• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: The 5Cs Public Realm Project
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: DfC COVID-19 Revitalisation Programme
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Licensing of pavement cafés and guidance for applicants during COVID-19
• Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Ormeau Cluster Brief

Screening reports and impact assessments published before 2021

If you would like a screening or rural needs impact assessment published before 2021, please contact us by email equality@belfastcity.gov.uk or call 028 9027 0511.

How to request screening reports and impact assessments

When we analyse and screen our policies, we publish the information we collect in screening outcome reports and equality impact assessments. Our reports are available by email.

To get copies of our reports and equality impact assessments, contact the Equality and Diversity officer by email equality@belfastcity.gov.uk