NOTES of the MEMBERS' AND OFFICERS' DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION

ACT WORKING GROUP held in the Wellington Room on Thursday 23 October 2003.

PRESENT:

Councillors: W H Wheeler (Chairman); Mrs P Dickens

Also in attendance:

Councillors: Mrs A E Bailey; Mrs S M Glasspool, DL

Lynn Palmer, Communications Services Manager and Eileen Groves, Interpreting and

Communication Support Services from Hampshire Deaf Association. (HDA)

Jane Goodwin, Equality and Diversity Adviser - Personnel and Training Department.

Marcos Frangos, Access Manager - Property, Business and Regulatory Services.

Matthew Callow - Passenger Transport Strategy Team, Environment Grouping.

1 NOTES

The notes of the meeting held on 25 July 2003 were confirmed as a correct record.

2 HAMPSHIRE DEAF ASSOCIATION

Lynn Palmer, Communications Services Manager and Eileen Groves, Interpreting
and Communications Support Services from Hampshire Deaf Association attended
the meeting and were introduced to Members.

Lynn talked about the work of the Association, the services offered and the issues
surrounding their client group. There were 275,000 people in Hampshire and the

Isle of Wight who were deaf, deafened or hard of hearing. The Association

employed 50 people, half of whom worked on the Isle of Wight and in total the

Association supported over 5000 deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people every

year. The key issues for the Association were working together with deaf and

hearing people to create a world of equal access and opportunities. It aimed to

promote communications between deaf and hearing people and the rights of deaf

people to the same opportunities, the same access and the same independence as

hearing people.

Lynn advised that unfortunately there was a stigma linked to hearing loss especially

in the communications process and deaf people were often prevented through a lack

of awareness of their needs from taking part in activities that hearing people took

for granted. Old and young people were particularly vulnerable and at greatest risk

of isolation through their deafness. The Association had supported 198 students

with hearing loss in the last academic year. Support had also been given to parents

of children under 11 to help them integrate more into society. Lynn also advised

that the numbers of people attending deaf clubs had diminished because deaf

people were now more able to keep in touch via email, text and facsimile which

reduced the need and importance of face to face socialising with others as much.

Lynn stressed that one important issue was the need to test hearing loop systems

regularly and for these to be well signposted and sited in the most appropriate

position in a room to avoid interference. Textphones (minicom) were essential

communication tools that enabled deaf and hard of hearing people to

communicate although Type talk (Text direct) could be used to relay between

spoken and text phone users it was preferable to have a textphone available and

trained staff. British Sign language users had similar needs as other people for

whom English was a second language and staff needed to be aware of the need to

match communications at an appropriate level to enable the person to respond.

Following a question by the Equality and Diversity Adviser this information

required consideration by the Council as the current approach was to have

1 textphone in the Information Centres and staff then relayed information to the

relevant departments who then made contact via Textdirect.

Deaf or hard of hearing people experienced communication difficulties when travelling on buses. Lynn highlighted this important point because she had recently been supporting someone who was trying to obtain a bus pass to enable

them to travel more easily around the County. The Passenger Transport Strategy Adviser confirmed that this point would be followed up by the Transport department.

Entry `phones at blocks of flats presented significant problems for people with hearing loss. Lynn asked that the Council be aware of this issue and use its influence to make developers aware. The Access Manager acknowledged the difficulty and solutions were being investigated.


Many people with hearing loss were reluctant to draw attention to their situation and therefore it was advised that participants in meetings were always reminded to speak one at a time. Background noise eg electronic equipment, traffic noise could also interfere with hearing aids.

The Group agreed that it needed to look more closely at some of the issues raised
in particular textphone use and entry `phones. It agreed to try and influence developers to assist deaf and hard of hearing people.

The Group agreed that overall the most crucial point was that members and staff needed deaf awareness training. Lynn and Eileen were thanked for attending and

providing such helpful advice.

3 TRANSPORT AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT

Matthew Callow from the Passenger Transport Strategy Team attended the meeting to advise on the role of the Transport and Planning Department and the remit of influence. He advised about Hampshire County Council's responsibilities and initiatives in terms of providing information and new infrastructure to assist mobility impaired people to access public transport and the role of Hampshire County Council's partners, the transport providers in providing easier access to public transport. He also advised about the role in the provision of information via printed materials, internet, telephone, bus stops, bus stations, travel shops etc.

He reported that Kassel Kerbs were being introduced to assist people with

wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with walking difficulties to alight buses.

Also being introduced were pavements with dropped kerbs near bus stops, roomier

shelters not too near the road and brightly coloured handrails and better grips. He

agreed that there was a communications issue with deaf and hard of hearing

people using buses. He also advised that there was a new system using satellite

tracking which would provide real time information in place of a fixed beacon

system. The Group asked that it be kept informed of developments.

4 DDA OCTOBER 2004 DUTIES

The Equality and Diversity Adviser presented a report which sought to clarify the County Council's responsibilities under specific duties to enable the Working Group to advise the County Council accordingly.

The Access Manager advised that Hampshire County Council had been heralded by the Local Government Association as an Authority with excellent practice in delivering practical access improvements to its buildings and services. He anticipated that some complaints were nevertheless likely after 1 October 2004. Hampshire County Council was quoted several times as a good practice Authority in the Local Government Association's recently launched guidance "Access to Services".

The Working Group noted the report and it was agreed that each of the Political

Group leaders should raise this concern with members of their Group.

5 ACTION PLAN UPDATE

The Equality and Diversity Adviser presented an up to date version of the summary of points raised by Member's and Officers' at the first meeting on 14 May 2003.

The Access Manager advised that an internal loop system was provided in the Wellington Room and that he would report back to the Chairman on the unsatisfactory loop system in the Chute Room.

The Equality and Diversity Adviser reported that she was refocusing the approach to training for equalities. Members of the Equalities Strategic Action Group (ESAG) would be undertaking a departmental learning needs analysis. The Chairman requested information regarding the percentage number of staff trained in Health and Safety.

Regarding the employment of disabled people, the Equality and Diversity Adviser reported that all personnel records had been updated. The percentage of all staff (circa 33,000) who declared that they were disabled was 0.68% compared to the previous figure of 2.7% which was based on the records of circa 7,000 staff. 11% of economically active people were either seeking work or in employment in Hampshire and 50% of that group was likely to be unemployed. The Equalities Strategic Action Group would be looking at the key issues and a strategy agreed to be put in place by April 2004. The Group agreed that employment issues should be considered by the Panel at its next meeting and that a representative from the Hampshire Coalition Association should be invited to attend the meeting. The Equality and Diversity Adviser further reported that Spotlight's Christmas special would raise disability awareness.

With regard to increasing the font size of committee reports, the Equality and Diversity Adviser reported that she would seek confirmation that the standard text size for committee reports was font size 12.

In relation to external directional signage, the Access Manager reported that he had consulted with the Architects who had redesigned the external plan from black and white to a three dimensional colour version. He had consulted with Hampshire Association for the Care of the Blind at the final design stage and they had been in agreement with the new signage. He hoped that the new signage would be displayed as soon as possible and would advise the Chairman of the date.

With regard to the Braille signage in lift cars the Access Manager advised that this would be included in the programme to overhaul lift cars.

Member training would be available in January and February and Members were asked to book their place as soon as possible. To encourage Members to attend group leaders would write to members to encourage attendance.

The Equality and Diversity Adviser also reported that staff needed to be proactive when booking meeting rooms so that rooms were suitable for disabled people and staff in Chief Executive's reception provided guidance on access requirements. She advised that she was seeking confirmation that Democratic Services staff asked about access requirements for meetings when they booked rooms in order to book the most accessible rooms possible especially if a person with mobility impairment was due to attend.

With regard to providing a Notice of What's On at the County Council main doors, the Access Manager advised that he had contacted the Corporate Communications Team who had agreed to publish a monthly press release setting out the dates of forthcoming meetings based on the calendar of meetings sent out by the Policy Unit. Members felt that they wanted to see a physical notice board on "What's On" outside the County Council advising the public of meetings. At present meetings were listed on Hantsweb in the calendar of events and also in the Information Centre at Mottisfont Court. A Notice of forthcoming County Council meetings and other relevant key public meetings was also placed on the notice board adjacent to the Council Chamber by Democratic Services.

The Equality and Diversity Adviser referred to 2.6 and agreed to amend the benefit to all disabled people to providing reserved seating for disabled people within the Council Chamber. There had been a misunderstanding that seating was required immediately outside the Chamber.

6 EMPLOYMENT OF DISABLED PEOPLE IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

The Equality and Diversity Adviser reported on a recent exercise to update staff records which had provided Hampshire County Council with a more accurate picture of the demographic makeup of the workforce. The data for numbers of staff declaring that they were disabled was recorded at 0.86%. It was noted that some people might not wish to declare due to concerns over stigmatism. The Equality and Diversity Adviser agreed to undertake further investigation and a strategy to increase the employment opportunities for disabled people would be proposed in January 2004. The next meeting of this Panel would receive a report about this and also hear from the Hampshire Coalition of Disabled People about the issue.

7 AGREED OUTCOMES FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE BUILDINGS, LAND AND CONTRACTS PANEL AT ITS NEXT MEETING ON

9 DECEMBER 2003

It was agreed that the following issues would be referred to the Buildings, Lands

and Contracts Panel at its meeting on 9 December 2003. That an Action Plan for

the Disability Discrimination Act upgrade be implemented to include such items as

· Braille signage in lift cars,


· Provision of a What's On Notice at the County Council advising members of the public about meetings,


· The issue raised by Hampshire Deaf Association about influencing developers of blocks of flats to install entry `phones suitable for deaf and hard of hearing people.

8. DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS

It was agreed that Members of the Panel would be canvassed about dates of future

meetings of the Working Group to be held on April, July and October 2004.

9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

There were no other items of business.

Meeting finished at 4.45 pm.

5MN651003