Belfast Stories draft equality impact assessment

One hundred and twenty-seven people responded to the survey on Belfast City Council’s Your Say Belfast consultation website^{Footnote Thirty-one}. Of those, 50 people (39.4 per cent) answered questions specifically on the draft EQIA. All quotes are reproduced verbatim.

Demographic breakdown of respondents

The majority of respondents were female (50.0 per cent) and aged between 16 and 64 (66.0 per cent). 

52.0 per cent of respondents identified as straight, and 18.0 per cent identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or other.

14 per cent identified as being disabled or having a long-term health problem that limits their day-to-day activity.

28.0 per cent had dependents or caring responsibilities for family members or other persons.

90 per cent identified as being from a white community background.

14.0 per cent identified as being from a Catholic community background; 12.0 per cent from a Protestant community background; and 40.0 per cent from neither a Catholic nor Protestant community background.

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Agreement with the assessment of impacts

The majority of respondents agreed with the assessment of impacts. 8 per cent disagreed.

Reasons given by those who disagreed with the assessment of impacts were:

• “not all sides get listened to.”
• “Let’s break down the various communities and see what might appeal to the public at large. Taxpayers that vote in the council and pay for it. The project must cater to those that have shaped Belfast”
• “I have not read into the policy and data to make my own mind up on this question. Further open access research needs to be available and open to public.”

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Additional impacts

There were 17 responses to the question “Are you aware of any other impacts that we haven't identified?” including 11 responses (64.7 per cent) stating that they could not identify additional impacts.

One response reinforced the opportunity to improve good relations. Other responses were less relevant to good relations or equality of opportunity across Section 75 protected characteristics.^{Footnote Thirty-two}

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Additional evidence

There were 14 responses to the question “Are you aware of any other evidence or research that may be relevant to Belfast Stories impact assessment?”. Of these, 11 (78.6 per cent) were unaware of additional evidence. Other responses were:

• “Do not have the time to study in depth.”
• “Research can be biased based on who carried it out, what was the remit and the reason for it.”
• “Boston College revelations of interviewees' data.”

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Opportunities to promote equality of opportunity and Good Relations

There were 25 responses to the question “What else could we do to promote equality of opportunity and good relations?”. Accordingly:

• 7 responses emphasised the importance of consultation and engagement, and 4 listed additional groups they felt should be engaged. There were homeless people, care homes, “advocacy agencies” and primary schools.
• 2 respondents emphasised the need for ongoing monitoring and evaluation, although another respondent felt that there should be “Less tick boxing. It needs to develop on an individual basis – rather than representatively.”
• 2 responses felt that Belfast Stories should be wider than Belfast
• Suggestions to promote good relations included ensuring there is political balance; using arts and festivals to promote good relations; and challenging received narratives (“Ensure there is a focus on unifying stories – Belfast hasn't always been a divided city – lets hear about that! What was it like post troubles? When we all lived as one and no one cared about your religious background. I appreciate we need to speak of the troubles but this should by no means be the overall story of this place. We are much more than that.”).

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Footnotes

Footnote 31: See appendix 6 for a list of organisations that responded via the survey

Footnote 32: These responses were: “Parking, business as in coffee shops (If you're opening a cafe)”; “Confused why rural needs impact assessment if it is Belfast Stories?”; “Emotional trauma.  Anger. Personal regret”; “Impact of climate crisis”.