|
Issue 2 February 2007 ____________________________________________________________ Make a note in your diary of the Brecknock Access Group ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING PLANNING ACCESS STATEMENTS We invited Jane Hutt, Welsh Assembly Minister for Equalities, to speak at our AGM last March. She left that meeting in no doubt about our strong feelings on the failings of the planning system, in particular the need for applications for planning consent to be accompanied by an ‘access statement’. We heard on the grapevine that Jane Hutt immediately raised the issue with the Disability Rights Commission and the WAG Minister for Planning, Caerwen Jones. Well, now we have it in writing. From 30 June 2007 Assembly legislation will come into force requiring more or less what we have been campaigning for. We have yet to find out whether any categories of planning will be exempt from this requirement, and also exactly what an access statement will have to explain. We made it clear in our response to the Assembly consultation last autumn that all new developments and refurbishments relating to residential, commercial and public buildings must be included, and that the statement must set out clearly how the developer will comply with policies promoting ‘access for all’ and ‘housing for life’. We shall soon see what comes out in the fine print. This change in legislation has been campaigned for by access groups throughout
.……..on the question of licensing – the bad news is that Anne McGuire, Minister for the Disabled, is not prepared to support our view that the accessibility of buildings and public events should be a factor in deciding whether a drinks or entertainments license should be granted. Despite her being made aware of the failure of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act to open up buildings and services for all people she is sticking grimly to the narrow argument that we will all get the access we need through the DDA and ‘building control’. On the brighter side we are pleased to see that Disability Wales has agreed to our suggestion that all access groups throughout Wales should take part in a concerted campaign to (a) get their MP to take up this at Westminster, and (b) make licensing an issue with their local authority as part of their Disability Equality Scheme discussions. We are hopeful that as more local groups join with us in this important campaign we will have a better chance of success. Footpaths at Tai Cae Mar, Llanwrtyd Wells During the Christmas holidays my husband, David, and I visited our daughter and her family at their new house in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. My 10 year old grandson, Lewis and I decided to go for a short walk around the new estate to see the progress of the new houses being built. Unfortunately, the Powys County Council planning dept. had decided the footpaths should be tarmac outside one property and grass outside the next, alternating around the whole estate. As I rely on crutches, I was unable to walk on the grass verge. We stepped onto the road and were forced into the middle because of parked vehicles. At this point a large builder’s lorry came around the corner at considerable speed. Lewis was able to run to the grass verge but I was left stranded in the road. The lorry driver stopped inches from me but gave me a tirade of abuse. He did calm down when I explained the situation and agreed it was a totally unacceptable plan. On 5th January I telephoned PC.C. Highways Dept. and spoke to an anonymous young man who was totally uninterested and could only praise this new idea of footpaths which, he assured me was to be extended to all new estates throughout Powys as a cost cutting exercise. (although grass-cutting will be needed or will this responsibility be passed to the local residents?) On January 8th, I e-mailed Mr Hobbs at P.C.C. Highways Dept. and explained what had happened and the conversation I had had with one of his colleagues. I pointed out that this planning idea was in contravention of their recently produced Disability Equality Scheme as well as being downright dangerous. Mr Hobbs replied as follows: “Unfortunately I cannot influence planning requirements. However I can assure you that if any similar planning proposals for grass service strips instead of tarmacadam footways are submitted in the future, every effort will be made to convince both the developer and the planners that the proposal is unacceptable.” I continued to e-mail Mr. Hobbs on the safety of children, parents with prams and the disabled, taking into account my narrow escape as well as the fact that after the torrential rains the grass verges had become bogs and were completely impassable. Initially I was told any alterations to these footpaths would contravene existing planning requirements so I requested information on how I could appeal against this planning decision. My persistence now seems to have resulted in some progress. On 5th February I received the following from Mr Hobbs. “Colleagues will be approaching the developer with a request that the grassed areas be tarmaced. I have asked my colleague to e-mail you with an update if progress can be made.” I am currently ploughing my way through the Highways Act and it seems that this planning decision contravenes the Act. I shall, of course, be continuing with my efforts to have a safe footpath installed. If anyone else has come across this idiotic idea to save money contact P.C.C. and complain. Please feel free to use this article as reference. Watch This Space!!! Anne Summers YSTRADGYNLAIS & DISTRICT ACCESS GROUP
The Ystradgynlais and District Access Group meets on the first Wednesday of every month in the Ystradgynlais Miners’ Welfare Hall at 11 o’clock. The next meeting will be on March 7th. There is always a good turnout. Our members include three County Councillors, five town councilors, the local community policeman, John Price of Powys County Council as well as a number of disabled members of various ages and disabilities. We always have a good discussion and usually satisfactory answers ranging from bus shelters, seats, paving slabs, overhanging branches etc. A cup of tea or coffee is always available. One burning item kept cropping up: the question of stairlifts in the pensioners’ flats in Ystradgynlais. Several disabled pensioners living in upstairs flats were trapped and hadn’t been able to get out for months on end. Letters had been written, without completely satisfactory answers from Powys County Council. Finally, it was decided to invite Mr. Wynne Davies of Powys County Council down to one of our meetings. He agreed and came to our January meeting. After answering many questions, he promised that he would arrange for an audit to be carried out on all County Council owned premises (bungalows, flats etc.) in Breconshire, to examine disabled access. He pointed out that there are no access groups in Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire. We will wait and see, hoping that this audit will be carried out, as promised, and the results made known to us, and then appropriate action taken. Donald Morgan sends his regards to everyone, and is looking forward to rejoining the Group at some future date. He is very cheerful and is being kept up to date with Council work and access work. Neville Makin is also ill at present and cannot attend meetings but hopes to be better soon. We are all very grateful as a Group for the work that Carol has done in Ystradgynlais over the years. Cllr. John Coombe BBNP Disability Equality Scheme: the next steps Like other public bodies the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has produced a Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan as part of the Disability Equality Duty. With 9 local authorities, a dispersed population, as well local and national tourism issues to take into account, it’s not been an easy process to date. With the primary information gathering now complete and the first three-year action plan published, BBNPA would like to thank all of those that have contributed so far. However, as you are aware the process is far from over and BBNPA hopes that you will continue to help to develop and, more importantly, implement its Disability Equality Scheme. We’re in no doubt that this next stage is not going to be straightforward and BBNPA is currently compiling a list of all its practices and policies prior to them being screened and, if required, subjected to Disability Equality Impact Assessments – and this is where your continued help, expertise and assistance will be extremely valuable. If you would like further information on how you can get involved in the next stages please contact me as soon as possible on 01874 620451 or email at nick.toulson@breconbeacons.org We look forward to continue working with you. Nick Toulson Disability Equality Scheme Co-ordinator Brecon Beacons National Park Authority street “improvements” If you have been in Brecon recently you can hardly have missed the roadworks in the High Street and Struet.
In the end the pavement and road will be completely relayed to create what is known as a shared surface from the Kwik Save shop to Lloyds Bank. This means that there will be no kerbs and the pavement and road surface will be on the same level. Recently John David of Powys County Council came to an Access Group meeting to talk about this scheme. He described it as something of an experiment and that if it works well the shared surface will be extended throughout Brecon town centre. Nationally, the Guide Dogs organization has been highly critical of such schemes in other town centres. Obviously there are problems for visually impaired people with or without guide dogs when there is no clear boundary between the pavement and the road. On the other hand it is easier for wheelchair users and other disabled people to negotiate a flat surface than to get over kerbs or to look for ramps, (which in Brecon are often blocked by parked cars and vans). Please contact the Access Group with your views on this scheme. NEXT MEETINGS: Wednesday 28th February at 10 am and then the AGM on Wednesday 28th March 2007 at the Subud Centre, The Watton, Brecon – 10am to 2pm. Meetings of the area SUB GROUPS are as follows…….. BRECON – the 2nd Wednesday in every month at the Brecon Leisure Centre at 10am – NEXT MEETING: 14th March 2007 HAY-ON-WYE – next meeting – Friday 13th April at the Parish Hall in Lion Street at 11am. YSTRADGYNLAIS – the 1st Wednesday in each month at the Miners Welfare Hall at 11am – NEXT MEETING – Wednesday 7th March 2007. For more details of meetings and other activities please contact our Project Manager, Carol, on 01874 611401, or email at brecknock.access@virgin.net, or post to Brecknock Access Group, New Wing, Brecon War Memorial Hospital, Cerrigcochion Road, Brecon, Powys LD3 7NS – or visit our website www.brecknockaccess.org.uk. LET US KNOW IF YOU WANT FUTURE NEWSLETTERS IN AUDIO OR OTHER FORMAT |
