Newcastle City Council is considering a new approach to decision making that would result in fairer decisions being taken.
On Wednesday Cabinet will be asked to consider backing a recommendation that requires the council to consider what the social and economic impacts would be when making important decisions.
The move is just the latest in a series designed to promote fairness in everything that the council does so it can reduce inequality across the city and help people reach their full potential.
If the principle is approved, officers will be asked to come up with a way to embed the new approach into the council’s formal decision-making processes to ensure it is carried out properly and not a just a “box to tick” exercise.
Deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, Coun Joyce McCarty, said: “Newcastle like many other cities is held back by inequality.
“It’s essential that if we are to tackle this, the city council makes a careful assessment of the socio-economic impact of any decisions it intends to take.
“With our Fairness Commission, Fair Budget and Living Wage Advisory Panel, we are making great strides putting in place a framework that makes for good policy-making and fair decisions. That is why I warmly welcome this proposal of making socio-economic impact assessments.”
The report states that tackling inequalities is essential for increased social mobility. If the proposal is adopted the council would have to consider the impact of its decisions on services and spending in relation to narrowing the gap between well off and less well off groups in the city.
The report also states that cost implications could arise from the new approach and that the council could be open to legal challenge if the council had not properly considered socio-economic impact of a major decision having said it would do so.
Further information:
As part of the council’s approach to tackling inequality, it has implemented a number of initiatives, including a Fairness Commission, a Living Wage Advisory Panel, a Corporate Plan with tackling inequality as one of its four priorities, and the Newcastle Future Needs Assessment that brings together a wide range of information which will enable resources to be deployed more on a needs basis.
Page last updated: 25 January, 2012
