Archived decisions

Contact: Jane Goodwin tel 8 252 8823; [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) has been amended and now includes stronger statutory duties which are placed on public bodies. This includes the duty to publish a Disability Equality Scheme. A draft scheme for consultation was agreed by Cabinet in May. This report presents the final scheme which has been amended in response to views expressed by disabled people in the County.

1.2 This scheme will support each of the Corporate priorities as the intention is to improve the way that the Council provides services and employment opportunities for disabled people.

2. Background

2.1 The Disability Equality duty places a general duty on public bodies to:

· promote equality of opportunity

· eliminate unlawful disability discrimination

· eliminate disability related harassment

· promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons

· encourage participation by disabled people in public life

· take steps to take account of people's disabilities, even where that involves more favourably treatment

2.2 In addition there is a specific duty to publish a Disability Equality Scheme. This scheme must show how disabled people have been involved with the development of the scheme. The Disability Rights Commission will be monitoring the implementation of the scheme and their campaign motto is `Nothing about us without us'.

3. Approach to the Hampshire Scheme

3.1 A steering group was set up in September 2005 which included representatives from Hampshire Coalition of Disabled People and Southampton Centre for Independent Living, Jobcentre Plus and key Council officers including staff with personal experience of disability. The Council has been actively working to improve services for disabled people for a number of years. Following advice from community groups we used existing research data to develop a draft scheme as a basis for further involvement of disabled people. This scheme was agreed by the Corporate Management Team and Cabinet in May and then sent out to over 250 organisations as well as being published on the Council website.

3.2 These duties impact on all public bodies and in order to present a joint approach to consultation the County Council has worked with District/Borough Councils, the Constabulary, Police Authority, Probation Service, the Fire Service and some local Health Trusts. Local `Disabled People's Involvement events' have taken place in the New Forest, Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport and Basingstoke. The main areas of concern which were expressed related to transport , highways (pavements and dropped kerbs), inconsistency of regulations across the County (parking and concessionary fares), clearer communications and opportunities for employment.

3.3 In response to the information received at these events the County Council's scheme has been amended. It is important to recognise that the scheme currently presented to Cabinet for approval is just the beginning of the work required to fully understand the implications of the revised law. The involvement of disabled people must continue and it is important for that work to involve other public bodies in the area.

4. Financial implications

4.1 Whilst there are no direct financial implications the commitment to meet the communication needs of people will need to be considered when departments set their budgets. The authority has a good reputation for the work on Access improvements. It is important for the authority to maintain the impetus of this work despite the pressure to make efficiency savings. Also the requirement to `involve' disabled people is likely to take more time than current approaches to consultation.

Recommendations

1. Agree that the actions identified in the Disability Equality Scheme reflect the intention of the County Council to promote Disability Equality

2. That all elected Members are aware of their role in ensuring that this scheme is effective and serves to improve the lives of disabled people in Hampshire

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have 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.

None.