Edinburgh to review disabled access across the capital to 'set an example'

Councillors are set to examine how policies work towards improving accessibility of public spaces, after their equalities champion said they needed to 'start taking the subject seriously'.

The council is set to look at how it can improve the accessibility of Edinburgh's streets and buildings for disabled people — after one councillor called on the local authority to "start taking this subject seriously".

A motion calling on members to assess how policies impact the accessibility of buildings, parks, land, public facilities and amenities under council ownership was passed by members at a full council meeting last Thursday (December 16).

The motion, raised by councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, reads: "Equality Impact Assessments of such proposals, temporary and permanent, should consider and clearly set out in reports, how proposals will impact on improving the accessibility and inclusion of our city to Edinburgh citizens and visitors.

"Council calls for a report to the Policy and Sustainability Committee within three cycles setting out progress on improving the accessibility and inclusion of Edinburgh; how this is being achieved; and what further steps Council can take to work with its partners to improve the accessibility of major attractions, public services and amenities which are not in the Council ownership."

Seconding the motion, the council's equalities champion Councillor George Gordon told members: "I think it's really important that we start taking this subject seriously."

Full article here https://www.edinburghlive.co.u...

My car was trapped in NCP car park overnight as the ‘disabled access’ was through Iceland and it shut at 8pm

A WHEELCHAIR user's Ford Galaxy was trapped in an NCP car park overnight as the only disabled access was through a supermarket - and it was closed.

Simon Sansome, 39, was forced to wait almost 12 hours to access his adapted vehicle - despite the 24/7 lot advertising itself as wheelchair friendly.

Outdoor community gym and more bike racks, Ulverston Town Council reveals 2022 plans

BETTER disabled access, an outdoor community gym and more walking routes - a town councillor shares the council's plans for 2022.

Mark Wilson, Ulverston Town Councillor and South Lakeland District Council, has revealed what projects Ulverston Town Council are planning for 2022.

Among these is increasing the number of bike racks around the town, making Ulverston station more disabled-friendly and opening an outdoor community gym.

He said: “Looking always towards the future the council has agreed to press ahead with our own schemes and those with partners.

Full article here https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news...

UK explores disability workforce reporting requirements

More UK employers would think more actively about how they can include people with disabilities within their organisation, but would face challenges in data gathering, if proposals under consideration in the UK are implemented, according to experts in disability law.

The UK government has opened a consultation on disability workforce reporting (38-page / 374KB PDF) aiming, among other things, to “understand how and what information is currently collected by employers on disability in the workforce, the impact to business, and the behaviours it causes”. The consultation is further aimed at assessing whether there is a case to require large employers – those with more than 250 employees – to report information about people with disabilities in their workforce, in line with stipulated standards.

Full article here https://www.pinsentmasons.com/...

Untrained blind student lands starring role in Netflix second world war epic

Disability rights groups applaud casting of Aria Mia Loberti in All the Light We Cannot See

Thousands of hopefuls auditioned for the lead role of a blind character in an epic second world war drama series for Netflix that is based on a Pulitzer prize-winning novel. But the producers of All the Light We Cannot See have chosen a student with no formal acting training who is registered blind, in a move that has been welcomed by disability rights activists.

Although Aria Mia Loberti has no formal training, her natural ability has led to her being cast in a four-part adaptation of Anthony Doerr’s novel. She will portray Marie-Laure, a blind teenager whose path collides with Werner, a German soldier, as they try to survive the devastation of war in Nazi-occupied France.

Full article here https://www.theguardian.com/fi...

PIP to be replaced by new disability benefit from next year with rollout dates starting in March

The Scottish Government has announced that the new Adult Disability Payment (ADP) benefit, will open for new applications in pilot areas across the country from March, 21 2022.

The new disability payment to be delivered by Social Security Scotland, will replace Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which are currently delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Adults of working age with a disability, physical or mental health condition or long-term illness, who are not already in receipt of PIP or DLA, and living in Dundee City, Perth and Kinross or the Western Isles local authority areas, will be the first to be able to apply for the extra monthly financial support.

Full article here https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/...

'Remember the most vulnerable': Blyth disability charity's warning as Omicron spreads

Headway Arts recently recieved £60,000 in funding to help disabled artists in the wake of the pandemic

A Blyth charity which sprang into action to keep vulnerable disabled people connected throughout the pandemic has warned the people it serves must not be forgotten as Omicron spreads.

As the Covid crisis began, Headway Arts immediately made arts-based therapy workshops available online to members, many of whom are clinically vulnerable and were shielding, as well as reaching out to people who'd never been involved before.

Full article here https://www.chroniclelive.co.u...

Disclaimer- We do not own/write any of these article extracts, we are simply sharing to our audience in order to raise awareness and increase coverage. Credit is always given.