Initial equality impact assessment screening form This form records an equality screening process to determine the relevance of equality to a proposal, and a decision whether or not a full EIA would be appropriate or proportionate.
Directorate	Community Development
Service area	Planning
Proposal being screened	Introducing Eligibility Tests and Fees for Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Register Part 1
Officer(s) carrying out screening	Steve Wilson/Jane Lurcuck
What are you proposing to do?	Preparing the criteria for inclusion on the self-build and custom housebuilding register for consultation. This is proposing that a fee is paid to be on Part 1 of the register and that you must meet a local connection test.
Why are you proposing this? What are the desired outcomes?	We are proposing to introduce criteria and fee and publish the self-build and custom housebuilding register. The reason for this is to enable demand from within North Yorkshire to be understood and to recoup the legitimate costs of servicing the self-build register and providing an annual list of opportunities. The report provides the outcomes of the consultation undertaken over four weeks in October / November 2023. The desired outcome is to commence with a new self-build register for North Yorkshire with fair and proportionate criteria.
Does the proposal involve a significant commitment or removal of resources? Please give details.	The proposal does not remove resources. It continues on and consolidates the former self-build registers of the seven district councils.
Impact on people with any of the following protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010, or NYC’s additional agreed characteristics As part of this assessment, please consider the following questions: · To what extent is this service used by particular groups of people with protected characteristics? · Does the proposal relate to functions that previous consultation has identified as important? · Do different groups have different needs or experiences in the area the proposal relates to? If for any characteristic it is considered that there is likely to be an adverse impact or you have ticked ‘Don’t know/no info available’, then a full EIA should be carried out where this is proportionate. You are advised to speak to your Equality rep for advice if you are in any doubt.
Protected characteristic			Potential for adverse impact				Don’t know/No info available
			Yes		No
Age					ü
Disability					ü
Sex					ü
Race					ü
Sexual orientation					ü
Gender reassignment					ü
Religion or belief					ü
Pregnancy or maternity					ü
Marriage or civil partnership					ü
People in rural areas					ü
People on a low income					ü
Carer (unpaid family or friend)					ü
Are from the Armed Forces Community					ü
Does the proposal relate to an area where there are known inequalities/probable impacts (e.g. disabled people’s access to public transport)? Please give details.			The proposal relates to setting criteria for entry onto the register and is not impacting on existing inequalities.
Will the proposal have a significant effect on how other organisations operate? (e.g. partners, funding criteria, etc.). Do any of these organisations support people with protected characteristics? Please explain why you have reached this conclusion.			The proposal will have no effect on how other organisations operate.
Decision (Please tick one option)		EIA not relevant / proportionate:		ü		Continue to full EIA:
Reason for decision		This proposal to implementing a fee and a local connection test is based on evidence as set out in the report and the previous Report of the Corporate Director of Community Development on the 11 October 2023. The main reason for the local connection test is to restrict opportunities for self-build to residents (or people with a connection to) of North Yorkshire and play a minor part in preventing the proliferation of second homes. Without a local connection test any person could apply to be on the register to seek a self-build plot – potentially as a second home. As such, it is considered that the draft criteria does not require a full Equality Impact Assessment.
Signed (Assistant Director or equivalent)			Trevor Watson
Date			4/1/24