Decision details

The Mayor considered a report regarding the Impact Assessment Policy. The purpose of the report was set out revisions to the Impact Assessment Policy.

The Mayor considered a report regarding the Impact Assessment Policy. The purpose of the report was set out revisions to the Impact Assessment Policy.

Regular reviews of policies were required to ensure that they continued to meet the needs of the organisation, reflect case law that impacted on impact assessment processes and continue to reflect best practice.

The Impact Assessment policy was scheduled for review every three years. It was not yet due to be reviewed, however an interim review was proposed to enable the Council to systematically assess the impact of its decision-making on its underpinning ambition of reducing poverty, which cut across all of the Council Plan ambitions.

This was one of the actions identified from a recent poverty sprint, held by the Council with partners, to identify the steps that could be taken to maximise whole-Council, cross-policy, cross-strategy action to drive real change to poverty in Middlesbrough.

Steps had also been taken to amend the committee report format template to ensure it contained a section which would set out the impact of proposed decisions on the reducing poverty aim.

OPTIONS

The Council could choose not to amend the Impact Assessment Policy. however, it would be missing an opportunity to embed an approach that would champion a consistent, considered approach that would support delivery of its aim of reducing poverty.

ORDERED that the Mayor:

1.    APPROVES the revised Impact Assessment Policy

REASONS

Putting in place a systematic approach to assessing the impact of the Council’s decision-making on its ambition to reduce poverty, would ensure that there was an improved focus on this within decision-making processes.