Hampshire County Council

Executive Member, Policy & Resources Item 11

11 April 2002

Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) - Access Auditing Strategy

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

Contact: Marcos Frangos Ext: 5722

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

That approval be given to:

1. The access auditing strategy and progress made to date.

2. The access strategy being developed on a 50/50 cost sharing basis between

departments and Policy and Resources, subject to a review of future years'
capital resources.

2. Reason

2.1 To enable compliance with Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

3. Other options considered and rejected

3.1 None.

4. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker or a member for
officer consulted

4.1 Not applicable

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 Not applicable

6. Reason(s) for the matter being deal with if urgent

6.1 Not applicable

Approved by: ..................................... Date of decision: ...................

Councillor T K Thornber

Contact: Marcos Frangos Ext: 5722

1. Summary

1.1 This report confirms the County Council's current and forthcoming duties under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, the progress made with the Access Auditing Strategy so far and the focus of activity for the next twelve months. The report also seeks approval to funding proposals in order to implement DDA improvements to County Council buildings.

2. Disability Discrimination Act: 1995

2.1 Under the Act the County Council has the following duties to:

· Adjust discriminatory policies, procedures and practices

· Provide auxiliary aids (eg induction loops) and services where they enable people to gain a better access to a service

· Provide an alternative method of service delivery where a barrier restricts or prevents access.

2.2 From October 2004, there will be an additional duty to make `reasonable adjustments' to physical barriers to a service by removing, altering or avoiding the barrier. The Government is expecting service providers to anticipate this duty and make necessary changes in advance of this date. To this end, it recommends that service providers are less likely to be discriminating, if they undertake access audits to identify and plan for the necessary adjustments. The County Council has over 5,000 buildings from which services are provided.

3. Access Auditing Strategy

3.1 Access improvements can take the form of either building adjustments or service-delivery changes, and the DDA codes of practice view both as being equally valid approaches. Service-delivery issues will be addressed by each department through the delivery of their Equalities Action Plans. Building-related access issues are being addressed through access audits resourced by Property, Business and Regulatory Services.

3.2 Property, Business and Regulatory Services has designed a bespoke access auditing tool and is auditing buildings on a phased basis. The function of the access audit is to identify and prioritise necessary building related adjustments. It is important that a significant proportion of high-priority adjustments are implemented by the end 2004, with the medium and low priorities identified in a 5-10 year rolling programme.

4. Progress with DDA Access Auditing Strategy

4.1 Phase 1

Public buildings were identified for the Phase 1 audit process of which there were 120. 20% of these were pilot audits and have been completed in partnership with disabled people from local Access Groups. The buildings include samples from: Libraries, Museums, Register Offices, Arts Centres, Countryside sites, SS Area Offices, HCC Headquarters. The remaining 95 buildings will be audited by the end of December 2002 and at the same time a dedicated team of staff will begin to implement access improvements to those buildings identified as high priority. In order to supplement the current staff resources and ensure the audit process and implementation programme proceeds an additional full-time post is currently being recruited, with an additional appointment planned for 2003.

4.2 Phase 2: access in mainstream schools

A self-assessment questionnaire has been designed and sent to all mainstream primary and secondary schools. Its aims are:

· to provide schools with a framework to undertake their own `accessibility plan':

· to provide the LEA with data on all schools, allowing a comprehensive strategy to be developed;

· to provide PB&R with a range of schools requiring further investigation.

To date schools have responded positively to this initiative with over 60% of forms returned so far.

4.3 Phase 3: remaining buildings

The final phase of access auditing strategy includes: social services family and day services; countryside sites; waste and recycling centres; outdoor activity centres; office accommodation; community centres. Detailed planning of the timing and resource implications of this phase will developed over the next 12 months.

5. Resources

5.1 Funding improvements in schools

It is anticipated that the majority of improvements to mainstream schools will be funded through the Government fund: Schools Access Initiative (SAI). The LEA has received over £1.5m for 2002/3. It is anticipated that as a minimum, a further two years of SAI funding will be available.

5.3 Funding improvements to other buildings

Early estimates from the pilot audits in Phase 1 indicate that the allocation within the capital repairs budget for access improvements of £160,000 per year is insufficient and additional funding will be required as projects get underway. Very few of the adaptations will be repairs - most will be improvements and alterations to existing buildings. It is proposed that departments consider sharing the cost of adaptations on a 50/50 basis with Policy and Resources.

6. Conclusions

6.1 Good progress has been made on the access auditing strategy in the last year. The focus for the next twelve months is to:

· establish a dedicated access team to deliver demonstrable access improvements;

· continue with the programme of audits in the access auditing strategy;

· establish an appropriate budget to fund access improvements;

· identify the timing and resource needs to complete phase 3 of the audit process.

Recommendations

That:

1. the progress made to date and access auditing strategy be approved;

2. subject to a review of future years' capital resources, the access strategy be developed on a 50/50 cost sharing basis between departments and Policy and Resources.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Papers:

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

File Location

None.

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