We aim to measure the impact of cuts on the vulnerable

Published: 16 June, 2011

• MAYA De Souza’s letter about Camden’s use of equality impact assessments (June 9) betrays a lack of understanding of both process of measuring and mitigating against equalities impacts, and financial pressures the council finds itself under.

Camden takes its equalities duties very seriously. In addition to the assessments we have been careful to widely consult and engage groups affected by the cuts that we are being forced to make.

In the area of early years that Councillor De Souza focuses on we reduced the level of the cut these services are to face as a direct result of the original assessment. 

The government cut grants for early years by a massive 22 per cent, we looked at 20 per cent and finally reduced the level of the cut to 10 per cent, exactly because of the catastrophic effect the lack of affordable childcare has on many struggling families.

When all the local government cuts come out in the wash it is likely that Camden will be the only place in the country where some parents get 25 hours of nursery care free.

Looking forward we are currently exploring ways we can measure the cumulative impacts of many different cuts on vulnerable and protected groups. This is pioneering work and, as far as we are aware, is some way ahead of what other councils are doing. We will be outlining more detail on this work in July’s cabinet. Up to this point Camden’s work on equalities has changed lives because it’s changed the decisions we’ve made. That said, with cuts close to £100million from our budget for services, there is simply no way we can protect all the affected people against the negative impacts that these draconian, front-loaded, government cuts will have on some people.

CLLR SARAH HAYWARD
Cabinet Member for Community Development, Regeneration & Equalities