Hampshire County Council Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel Item 5 April 2005 Disability Discrimination Act Access audits & improvements strategy Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

Contact: Marcos Frangos Ext: 3811 email: [email protected]

How the conclusion in this report fits with the Corporate Strategy This scheme will impact on the delivery of the following Corporate Aims Aim 1 - maximising life opportunities - by providing disabled people in Hampshire improved access to services and buildings both as customers and employees of the County Council Aim 5 - improving services - approximately 10-11% of people of working age in Hampshire are covered by the DDA definition of disabled people and will be directly impacted by increased accessibility

1	Summary
1.1	The Access Audits & Improvements Strategy was previously presented to BL&PP on 19 October 2004. This report updates on progress in 2004/05 and highlights the resource implications for the Strategy's full implementation in 2010/11.
2	DDA Access Audits & Improvements Strategy
2.1	Phase 1: Public buildings
	Over 150 public buildings have been audited, one third in partnership with disabled people representing local Access groups. Appendix 1 demonstrates the range of access improvements projects in 2004/05. In addition to the project work listed, access improvements are continually dovetailed within all capital schemes, for example at Gosport Discovery Centre, which is being entered for the RIBA Inclusive Design Awards 2005. 53% of all high and medium priority Phase 1 projects have been completed by the end of 2004/05 meeting the target set in October 2004.

2.2	Cost-shared funding in 2004/05
	Cost-sharing for access improvements has been established for the last two financial years. In 2004/05 the contribution from P&R's Capital Repairs, was £230,000. Additional contributions came from Recreation & Heritage (£100,000) and Social Services (£50,000).
2.3	Funding implications for completing Phase 1 improvements
	The total estimated funding to complete priority works to the remaining public buildings is £850,000- 900,000. This will require a continued commitment from P&R Capital repairs over the next six years. The report detailing the proposed capital allocations for 2005/06 suggests an allocation of £150,000. Recreation & Heritage department sites will feature heavily in the remaining 3 year rolling programme, and it is hoped cost sharing on a similar basis to 2004/05 will continue to support the programme.
3	Phase 2: Schools
3.1	Access improvements in schools are in line with the LEA's Accessibility Strategy. Schools Access Initiative (SAI), allocated to the Education Department from the DfES, is used to improve facilities and access in mainstream schools, for example new ramps, hygiene rooms, automatic doors and improved colour contrast. Around £2.14m was available in 2004/5 and approximately 50 primary and 8 secondary school projects benefited from this funding.
3.2	Expanding access audit services to schools
	A pilot has been undertaken to determine the scope of expanding access audit services to all schools. Schools that took part in the pilot responded very favourably and valued the audits as a tool to make their school more inclusive over time. The intention is to integrate this new service within the next Service Level Agreement (SLA) with schools in 2007. If a school wishes to bring forward their audit ahead of the next SLA, this will be possible on a consultancy basis commencing in 2005/06.
4	Phase 3: Part-public buildings
4.1	The concluding phase includes a range of sites where access is available to the public or a section of the public. Some examples include social services older person's homes and day centres, waste and recycling centres, Gypsy and Traveller sites, Highways offices. Whilst a proportion of the social services buildings may already be satisfactory for service users with disabilities, the emphasis will be on upgrading the accessibility of visitor facilities. Access audits for this phase may be undertaken in two tranches, dependent on overall numbers. Audits are planned to start 2006/07, with the option of a second tranche the following year. During 2005/06 an on-line questionnaire will be sent to local managers of potential sites to establish the overall number of sites and their relative priority in terms of DDA adjustments.
4.2	Timescales and funding for access improvements in Phase 3
	It is vital that the County Council's focus remains on completing access improvement works to public buildings (Phase 1) before embarking on improvements to Phase 3. Assuming Phase 1 improvements are complete by the end of 2007/08, improvement works to Phase 3 could commence the following year in 2008/09 with a 3 year rolling programme up to 2010/11. Experience from Phase 1 and early indications of the number of sites to be improved in Phase 3, suggests that it is likely to cost in excess of £1m to make the necessary adaptations. Proposals to fund this phase will need to be considered at a future date.
5	Best Value Indicator No 156 - % accessibility of public buildings
5.1	This PI measures "% of authority buildings open to the public in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to disabled people." HCC was ranked top authority in 2003/04 for this PI among other county councils with an outturn figure of 74%. The target for 2004/05 is 75% which should maintain the County Council's excellent position in the top quartile.
6	Race & Equality Impact Assessment
6.1	The recommendations in this report are not considered likely to have an adverse effect or discriminate against people on the grounds of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability. A detailed race impact assessment was completed by the Access team in 2005 on the Strategy and recommendations included in a 2005/08 service plan.
7	Conclusion
7.1	Phase 1: The department continues to make excellent progress with the implementation of tangible access improvements, completing over 53% of project work by the end of 2004/05.
7.2	Phase 2: An extensive programme of access improvements to mainstream primary and secondary schools has been completed in 2004/05. Access audit services will be included in the next Service Level Agreement with schools due to operate from 1 April 2007.
7.3	Phase 3: The scope and detail for this final phase will be evaluated during 2005/06 with the first audits planned for 2006/07.

Recommendation(s)
	That the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel advises the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that:
1	Progress on the Strategy be noted, and that the annual funding from the Policy and Resources capital repairs budget continues in 2005/06.
2	Access Audits be included in the new Service Level Agreement for schools operational from April 2007.
3	Planning for Phase 3 commences in 2005/06, and that funding implications of this phase be considered at a future meeting.

Section 100 D - 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

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BLPP050405

Appendix 1

Phase 1 Access Improvement projects in 2004/05

Social services	Status	Comments
Aldershot SS Area Office	Due on site	Some c/f 05/06 listed bldg consent
Basingstoke SS Area Office	Complete	WC upgrade
Fareham SS Area Office	Orders placed, due on site	WC upgrade
Gosport SS Area Office	Orders placed, due on site	WC & lift upgrade
Trafalgar House SS Area Office	Complete	Improved pedestrian scheme
Winchester, Corinium House	Complete	Repaint designated parking bays

PB&R: Register Offices	Status	Comments
A capital investment programme has identified £450k in 2005/06 and 2006/07 to be spent across 5 register offices (Havant, Petersfield, Fareham, Alton and Romsey). An additional £50k targeted for the remaining 9 offices. DDA Access improvements will be included within these planned works

PB&R:Office Accommodation	Status	Comments
Ashburton Ct East/South lifts	Complete	DDA upgrade to car and buttons
Castle Avenue	Complete	Replaced door handles
Castle Hill	Complete	Upgrade door closers
EII Court North lift	Complete	DDA upgrade to car and buttons
EII Court 1st floor	Complete	Delayed door closers
Mottisfont Court	Orders placed, due on site	2 new stairlifts for disabled staff
SHHGA - Jermyns House	Complete	Powered doors & loops
SE Education office	Complete	Loop improvements

R&H: Libraries	Status	Comments
Blackfield Library	Orders placed, due on site	Power entrance doors
Bridgemary Library	Due to order	Power existing doors
Chandlers Ford Library	Partially complete	platform lift c/f to 0506
Elson Library	Due to order	Power existing doors
Fair Oak library	Orders placed, due on site	Handrail improvements
Farnborough Library	Complete	Evacuation lift
Horndean Library	Orders placed, due on site	Minor improvements
Induction loops	Complete	All libraries equipped with loops
Portchester Library	Orders placed, due on site	Power existing entrance doors
South Ham Library	Due on site	Ramps & means of escape
Stanmore Library	On site	Powering entrance doors
Yateley Library	Complete	New entrance, accessible WC, ramp
Waterlooville Library	Ordered	New evacuation chairs

R&H: Museums	Status	Comments
Bursledon Windmill	Due to order	path improvements; new floor to barn
Eastleigh Museum	Complete	Accessible WC improvements
Flora Twort Gallery	Complete	Steps & Handrail improvements
Westbury Manor Museum	C/f to 2005/06	New lift to 1st floor

R&H: Arts & Countryside	Status	Comments
Calshott Activity Centre	Due to order	New automatic doors
Manor Farm Country Park	Feasibility	Upgrade to accessible WC's
New Milton Arts Centre	Complete	New induction loop
Queen Elizabeth CP	Feasibility	WC upgrade
Tower Arts Centre	Due on site Sep	Improvements to changing area, WC's & external stair nosings