Equality Screening Outcome Report: Páirc Nua Chollann

The Council has a statutory duty to screen. This includes our strategies, plans, policies, legislative developments; and new ways of working such as the introduction, change or end of an existing service, grant funding arrangement or facility. This screening template is designed to help departments consider the likely equality impacts of their proposed decisions on different groups of customers, service users, staff and visitors.    

Before carrying out an equality screening exercise it is important that you have received the necessary training first. To find out about the training needed or any other queries on screening, contact the Equality and Diversity Officer (job-share) Lorraine Dennis on extension 6027 or by email equality@belfastcity.gov.uk

The accompanying Screening Guidance note provides straightforward advice on how to carry out equality screening exercises.  Detailed information about the Section 75 equality duties and what they mean in practice is available on the Equality Commission’s website.

The screening template has 4 sections to complete. These are:

Section A - provides details about the policy / decision that is being screened

Section B – gives information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has 4 key questions outlining the likely impacts on all equality groups.

Section C - has 4 key questions in relation to obligations under the Disability Discrimination Order

Section D - is the formal record of the screening decision.

Section A

Details about the policy / decision to be screened

1. Title of policy / decision to be screened:-

Naming of New Park at Colin

2, Brief description of policy / decision to be screened:-

(Explain - Is this a new, revised or existing policy?  Are there financial / legislative / procurement implications?)

The Council is currently working in partnership with the Urban Villages Initiative to develop a large scale ‘destination’ park in the Colin area of the city. The new park, which represents an investment of over £4m in the area, will include a new play park, pump track, education zone and extensive new pathways.

There have been delays in completing the project and it is now expected in autumn 2022.

An initial engagement exercise on naming the park was carried out with local stakeholders in early 2021 to develop several options for a name for the new park and following further engagement using the Council’s “Your Say” on- line consultation platform, the Council approved the recommendation to select ‘Páirc Nua Chollann’ as the name for the new park in Colin at its P&C meeting on 8 June 2021.

There are no financial or resource implications beyond the CNS departmental budget already in place.

3. Aims and objectives of the policy / decision to be screened:-

(What is the policy trying to achieve?)

To screen the suitability of the name for the new park at Colin as reported to the People and Communities Committee on 8 June 2021 and endorsed by Council on 1 July 2021.

4. On whom will the policy / decision impact?

Consider the internal and external impacts (both actual or potential) and explain:-

• Staff: Yes   
• Service users: Yes
• Other public sector organisations: No      
• Voluntary, community groups or trade unions: Yes
• Others, specify: No  

The park will be maintained and managed by Council staff, some of who are TU members and users include local residents and community groups/sports clubs.

5. Are there linkages to other Agencies/ Departments?

Not applicable

Section B

Information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has 4 key questions outlining the likely impacts for equality and good relations

6. Outline consultation process planned or achieved

The consultation process comprised 4 stages and follows the Council Policy Framework agreed for managing requests to name parks at the former Parks and Leisure Committee, at its meeting in August 2008. These stages are:

• Engagement with key stakeholders to develop a long list of new park names, which reflect;

1. a sense of place, reflecting the geographic location, community,
2. neighbourhood or street where the park, facility or amenity is located.
3. the historical significance of the area or reflects unique characteristics of the
4. site (unique flora / fauna).

• Shortlisted names based on stakeholder feedback and assessed against the policy criteria as outlined above;
• Community consultation on the agreed shortlisted names;
• Recommendation to People & Communities Committee to reflect preferred name identified via the community consultation.

Names are not be considered which:

1. Cause confusion due to duplication or names sounding similar to existing named
2. facilities/locations within the City.
3. Unlawfully discriminate within the meaning and scope of the provisions of Section
4. 75, the Good Relations Plan (2007) and the Shared Future agenda.
5. Are party-political in intention or use.

In line with the policy framework, local stakeholders came together to develop a list of

potential names for the new park in Colin and the Colin Town Centre Stakeholder Group (led by DfC) assisted with gathering feedback and considered the submissions against the criteria in the Council’s policy framework. Suggestions were put forward by the group having received information around the site and its historical background.

The initial, agreed options were:

1. Páirc Nua Colin
2. Leap of Faith Park
3. Sherwood Park
4. Colin New Park

Following some additional discussion with the Council’s Irish Language Officer and other key stakeholders, it was agreed to look at adding a further option to this list:

5. Páirc Nua Chollann

This option represents the ‘full’ Irish translation of the name ‘Colin New Park’, rather than the English/Irish hybrid version represented by option 1 above. The addition of this fifth option received support from all the key stakeholders initially engaged to develop the original four options. The addition of this fifth option was subsequently endorsed at P and C Committee meeting on 11 May 2021.

The Council used its new on-line consultation platform, “Your Say” to consult on the five options above between 10 May and 31 May 2021. Hard copy questionnaires were also distributed to key community stakeholders. The consultation received a very strong uptake with over 900 responses received, the vast majority of which came from respondents within the BT17 postcode area. The results of the consultation are set out below:

1. Páirc Nua Chollann  (49 per cent)
2. Leap of Faith Park (20 per cent)
3. Páirc Nua Colin (14 per cent)
4. Sherwood Park (12 per cent)
5. Colin New Park (5 per cent)

In line with the Council’s naming policy, the results of the consultation were reported to the P&C Committee on 8 June 2021. The Committee approved the recommendation to select ‘Páirc Nua Chollann’ as the name for the new park in Colin.

7. Available evidence

What evidence / information (both qualitative and quantitative) have you gathered to inform this policy?  Set out all evidence below to help inform your screening assessment.

It is important to record information gathered from a variety of sources such as: monitoring information; complaints; research surveys; consultation exercises from other public authorities.

8. What is the likely impact (indicate if the policy impact is positive or negative) on equality of opportunity for those affected by this policy, for each of the Section 75 equality categories?  What is the level of impact?

9. Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within the Section 75 equalities categories?

10. To what extent is the policy likely to impact (positive or negatively) on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? What is the level of impact? 

11. Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?  

Section C

Belfast City Council also has legislative obligations to meet under the Disability Discrimination Order and Questions 12-13 relate to these two areas.

Consideration of Disability Duties

12. Does this proposed policy / decision provide an opportunity for the Council to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people?

Explain your assessment in full

There are no opportunities within this decision to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life

13. Does this proposed policy / decision provide an opportunity to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life?

​Explain your assessment in full

There are no opportunities within this decision to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life.

14. Multiple Identities

Provide details of data on the impact of the policy with multiple identities

Not applicable.

Specify relevant Section 75 categories concerned.

15. Monitoring Arrangements

Section 75 places a requirement the Council to have equality monitoring arrangements in place in order to assess the impact of policies and services etc; and to help identify barriers to fair participation and to better promote equality of opportunity. 

Outline what data you will collect in the future in order to monitor the impact of this policy / decision on equality, good relations and disability duties.

Section D

Formal Record of Screening Decision

Title of Proposed Policy / Decision being screened

 Naming of New Park at Colin can confirm that the proposed policy / decision has been screened for –

On the basis of the answers to the screening questions, I recommend that this policy / decision is – (place an X in the appropriate box below)

Screening assessment completed by (Officer Level) –

Name: Alice McGlone

Date: 07/10/22

Department: City and Neighbourhood Services

Screening decision approved by –

Name: Kelly Gilliland

Date: 7 October 2022

Department: City and Neighbourhood Services Department

Save the Word final version of the completed screening form and forward to the Equality and Diversity Officer – equality@belfastcity.gov.uk. The screening form will be placed on the BCC website and a link provided to the Council’s Section 75 consultees.

For more information about equality screening contact –

Lorraine Dennis

Equality and Diversity Officer (job-share)

Belfast City Council

City Hall

Belfast

BT1 5GS

Telephone:  028 9027 0511

equality@belfastcity.gov.uk