Rural Needs Impact Assessment: Changing Places Toilets policy

Published in January 2024

Contents

Section 1 - Defining the activity subject to Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016

1A. Name of public authority

Belfast City Council

1B. Please provide a short title, which describes the activity being undertaken by the public authority that is subject to the Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016.

Draft Changing Places Toilets Policy 

1C. Please indicate which category the activity specified in Section 1B relates to.

Belfast City Council's activity relates to developing a policy.

1D. Please provide the official title (if any) of the policy, strategy, plan for public service document or initiative relating to the category indicated in Section 1C.

Draft Changing Places Toilets Policy 

1E. Please provide details of the aims or objectives of the policy, strategy, plan or public service.

The purpose of Draft Changing Places Toilets Policy is to note that:

Buildings

• The requirement to provide Changing Places Toilets (CPT) facilities in all large new builds of a certain size is enforced through the amended Building Regulations rather than through this policy.
• This policy restates this requirement but goes further by adding consideration of CPTs where we extend or refurbish existing buildings, even if the provision of CPTs were not required by the amended building regulations.

Council estate

• The policy as drafted would also commit the council to carrying out a review of where CPT facilities could be installed on the council estate.
• When reviewing the provision of any future CPT facilities within the council estate we will consider the existing level of provision on the council estate and also the availability of CPT facilities in non-council assets.
• Whilst cost alone will not be the deciding factor in any decision, the cost of installing  any specific Changing Places facility will need to be carefully considered in conjunction with all of the other capital programme priorities identified by the council. 
• The management and maintenance of any such CPT facility will need to be carefully considered when examining any proposal.  Following installation there will be ongoing costs associated with cleaning, checking and maintaining the equipment within the facility.

Events

• The draft policy extends to events and creates new requirements upon both the Council and external events organisers. 
• When organising public events, the council will consider if it can take place at a venue that already has a Changing Places facility or will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that customers have access to either a fixed or portable Changing Places facility as part of the design of the event.
• The council will require external organisers of all large-scale public events (e.g. concerts, festivals) on council property to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that customers have access to either a fixed or portable Changing Places facility as part of the design of the event.
• It will be a condition of hire that any large-scale event (whether it needs an entertainments licence or not) must have a Changing Places facility. This should be included in the lease agreement between council and the event organiser. It should also be a condition of hire that event organisers must complete the Planning Checklist at Section E of the council’s “Inclusive Events Guide” for review by the EDU team.
• As a further step, we will consider the requirement to include an access audit within the Event Management Plan which is submitted in support of the event.  It would then be for the organiser to justify why they would not be required to include a CPT as part of their site set-up. An officer of the council involved in management of the land for hire must ensure these steps are followed.
• The council when organising smaller public events, will encourage small scale events organisers to undertake an accessibility audit and provide a Changing Places facility where possible.

Back to contents

Section 2 – Understanding the impact of the policy, strategy, plan or public service

2A. Is the policy, strategy, plan or public service likely to impact on people in rural areas?

Yes.

2B. Please explain how the policy, strategy, plan or public service is likely to impact on people in rural areas.

The default definition of “rural” used in Northern Ireland is those settlements with populations of less than 5,000, together with the open countryside. The rural population of Belfast (Mid-year population estimates, 2016, NISRA) is approximately 1,484, including the small settlements of Edenderry, Hannahstown and Loughview.

The Changing Places Toilets Policy applies across the entire area of Belfast City Council and aims to address the inequalities experienced by disabled people. Therefore, this policy will have a positive impact on people throughout the council area, including the rural areas. 

2C. If the policy, strategy, plan or public service is likely to impact on people in rural areas differently from people in urban areas, please explain how it is likely to impact on people in rural areas differently.

This is not applicable.

2D. Please indicate which rural policy areas the policy, strategy, plan or public service is likely to primarily impact on.

If the response to Section 2A was 'Yes', go to Section 3A.

2E. Please explain why the policy, strategy, plan or public service is not likely to impact on people in rural areas.

This is not applicable. See information in 2B.

Back to contents

Section 3 – Identifying the social and economic needs of persons in rural areas

3A. Has the public authority taken steps to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas that are relevant to the policy, strategy, plan or public service?

Yes 

No. If the response is 'No', go to Section 3E.

3B. Please indicate which methods or information sources were used by the public authority to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

3C. Please provide details of the methods and information sources used to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas including relevant dates, names of organisations, titles of publications, website references, details of surveys or consultations undertaken. 

This is not applicable.

3D. Please provide details of the social and economic needs of people in rural areas which have been identified by the public authority.

This is not applicable.

If the response to Section 3A was 'Yes', go to Section 4A.

3E. Please explain why no steps were taken by the public authority to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

This is not applicable.

Back to contents

Section 4 – Considering the social and economic needs of persons in rural areas

4A. Please provide details of the issues considered in relation to the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

This is not applicable.

Back to contents

Section 5 – Influencing the policy, strategy, plan or public service

5A. Has the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the policy, strategy or plan, or the design or delivery of the public service, been influenced by the rural needs identified?

No. If the response is 'No', go to Section 5C.

5B. Please explain how the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the policy, strategy or plan, or the design or delivery of the public service, has been influenced by the rural needs identified?

This is not applicable.

If the response to Section 5B was 'Yes', go to Section 6A.

Back to contents

5C. Please explain why the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the policy, strategy or plan, or the design or the delivery of the public service, has not been influenced by the rural needs identified.

This is not applicable.

Back to contents

Section 6 – Documenting and recording

6A. Please tick to confirm that the RNIA template will be retained by the public authority and relevant information on Section 1 activity compiled in accordance with paragraph 6.7 of the guidance.

Back to contents