Minutes of Main Committee Meeting:
5 February 2003 (M/M1/03)
Chair:
Jane Wilmot OBE
DPTAC Members:
Peter Barker
Sian Baldwin
Ann Bates
Vidur Dindayal
David Finnegan
Roy Hayter
Janet Seymour Kirk
Grahame Lawson
Jenny Meadows
David Pugh
Carol Thomas
Richard West
Observers:
William Bee - Disability Rights Commission (DRC)
Philip Cortese - LARIA
Kyle Crutchley - DRD Northern Ireland
Ann Frye - Department for Transport (DfT) Mobility & Inclusion Unit
Julie Giles
Paula Morgan - Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
Tariq Nawaz - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
John Stirling - Mobility Access Committee Scotland
Graham Smith - LARIA
In Attendance:
Julie Whitaker - Palantypist
Mark Cook - Interpreter
Darren Townsend - Interpreter
Tim Pope - Secretary
Sandra Duncan - Secretariat
Ffion Grant - Secretariat
Gary Kemp - Secretariat
Harriet Samuels - Secretariat
Agenda item 1: Welcome, introductions and apologies of absence
1. Jane Wilmot welcomed DPTAC members, observers and guest speakers to the meeting. A particular welcome was extended to those attending for the first time:
- Kyle Crutchey, attending in place of Alan Preston.
- Tariq Nawaz, attending in place of Paul Everall.
- Sharon Samuel shadowing Paula Morgan.
- Graham Smith and Philip Cortese who were giving a presentation on the LARIA guidance.
2. Apologies had been received from; Jean Dunlop, Mike Bruton, Mike Spearing, Damian Sharp, Alan Preston and Paul Everall.
3. Alan Hughes, Social Exclusion Unit (SEU), apologised for being unable to provide his presentation on their report on transport and social exclusion. He had agreed to do a presentation at the April meeting.
4. The Committee observed a minute silence in memory of Glynn Vernon, who had died suddenly in December.
Agenda item 2: Minutes of the last meeting (4 December 2002)
5. The minutes of the 4 December meeting were agreed without amendment.
Agenda item 3: Matters arising (paper 01-M1-03)
6. Members were advised of particular issues within the matters arising paper to note (01-M1-03 with the agenda).
(i) European Year of Disabled People
7. The committee endorsed a recommendation to add the European Year of Disabled People (EYDP) logo to the DPTAC letterhead.
8. It was also agreed the Chair would consider if the EYDP logo should be included in 2002 annual report.
(ii) Local Authorities access guidance
9. The Chair report that she had discussed with MIU on how best to encourage local authorities to use access guidance as part of their Local Transport Plans. Further discussions would continue in relation to revised guidance to local authorities.
10. The Department was hopeful of reaching agreement on guidance to local authorities on producing local transport plans and progress reports in alternative formats.
(iii) DRCs position on access officers
11. Will Bee reported the DRC position on the need for access officers. He stated that it is in DRC's Business Plan to start work on the access advice framework. This will look at the roles of Access Officers and Access Groups, and seek to clarify how best they should be utilised.
12. The ideal would be for the Access Officer to be strategically located in any Local Authority structure, preferably in the Chief Executive's Department. This would enable them to take an overarching role influencing the broad policy and practices in delivering access and inclusion throughout the local authority.
(iv) Access Association officers
13. It was reported that the Access Association had its own website. The address is: http://www.access-association.org.uk
14. Richard West was asked to provide comments on the accessibility of the web site.
(v) Audio and visual announcements on buses
15. Ann Frye reported that the European Commission had still not confirmed that regulations on requiring audio and visual announcements on buses can be made under UK law. The issue is on the agenda of a meeting later in the month.
16. Ann Frye also reported that Transport for London (TfL) are still committed to their audio/visual announcements but because of the number of bus stops in London did not anticipate introducing this for 12/18 months.
17. The committee expressed doubts on TfL's seriousness on introducing the new system. Ann Frye was asked to seek a written assurance and report at the next meeting.
(vi) e-community for DPTAC
18. The Chair reported that DPTAC had secured additional funding to develop an e-community. This will enable easier communication with a much wider range of contacts. It will also help ensure former members of the working groups could contribute to the work of the Committee.
19. Members expressed some concerns about the e-community replacing hard copies of papers, the additional burden and cost of e-mails and downloading documents. The Secretary explained that the e-community was intended to complement the hard copies of papers and should reduce the need for e-mails with large attachments. Documents would be available on line without the need to download and Members would be able to comment in this way.
Action Point 2: 'DPTAC supports the aims of the European Year of Disabled People' and the EYDP logo will be added to correspondence.
Action Point 3: The Chair will consider if the EYDP logo should be added to the 2002 Annual Report.
Action Point 4: Chair and Ann Frye to discuss local authorities access guidance in their LTPs.
Action Point 5: Secretariat to circulate DRC's position on access officers.
Action point 6: Secretariat to circulate details of the access association web site.
Action Point 7: Richard West to consider the accessibility of the Access Association web site and provide comments.
Action Point 8: Ann Frye to ask Transport for London to put in writing their position on audible and visual announcements on buses.
Agenda item 4: Progress on work programme (paper 02-M1-03)
20. The Chair introduced the paper, stressing the need to agree the priorities until April, approve the principle of the student award and discuss the web site. Members then considered each task in the work programme.
21. Under task 2 Members were asked, when responding to consultations to use the template circulated by the Secretariat. This made it easier for the Secretariat to identify changes and incorporate these in a final response.
22. Under task 3, the Chair asked for volunteers to help draft a paper for the next meeting on what DPTAC expects from consultations by the Department. This would consider both the content of the consultation covering the needs of disabled people and the process of consultation being accessible to disabled people.
23. Under task 24, Members agreed to proceed with a student award called 'Future Inclusive'. This would be aimed at promoting an understanding of inclusive environments. It was agreed that having a Minister launch the award would raise the profile of the award.
24. Under task 14, it was reported that the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill was disappointing. It did not adequately address the need for accessibility to be fully considered at the planning stage. The Built Environment Group were promoting changes to the Bill and seeking meetings with the relevant officials.
25. It was also reported that the Good Practice Guide on Planning and Access was due to be published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister shortly, after several delays.
26. Under task 17, the Chair reported on a useful meeting with the Department concerning the review of the ten year plan for transport, being considered in the preparations for the next comprehensive spending round. DPTAC would be invited to provide input on the role of transport in meeting the needs of people and DfT would be making a presentation at the next meeting.
27. Under task 22, Members were reminded that the second draft of the Good Practice report on better project briefs had been circulated. The Built Environment Group would publish the report by the end of the financial year.
28. Under task 25, Members considered proposals for a European Seminar bringing together representatives from Governments and organisations like DPTAC to share good practice. This would be arranged in conjunction with the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland in the autumn. Proposals would be developed further and Members kept informed.
29. Under task 31, Members were asked to consider how to promote greater use of the web site (http://www.dptac.gov.uk ).
Action Point 9: A small group of Members to draft a paper on what DPTAC expects from consultations for consideration at the next meeting.
Action Point 10: Chair and Peter Barker to provide advice on the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill.
Action Point 11: Secretariat to circulate a copy of the Planning Guide to members.
Action Point 12: Seek Ministerial backing and publicity for 'Future Inclusive'.
Action Point 13: Members to consider how to increase use of the DPTAC web site.
Agenda item 5: MIU Report (paper 03-M1-03)
30. The Chair welcomed the report from MIU and the formally welcomed the announcement of a draft disability Bill. She had already written to the Prime Minister and other ministers welcoming the announcement.
31. Ann Frye reported that the timing of the draft disability
Bill may mean that not all the proposals relating to transport would be
ready in time but these would be included in final Bill. The Bill is likely
to include measures proposed by the Disability Rights Task Force, including
transport recommendations.
32. She also confirmed the intention to revise guidance for the next round of Local Transport Plans to ensure consideration and assessment of accessibility issues was transparent.
Review of DPTAC
33. The Chair welcomed the overall outcome of the recent DPTAC review and invited Ann Frye to explain the background and conclusions of the report.
34. As a non-departmental public body, there is a requirement for the Department to undertake a quinquennial review to make sure bodies are still necessary and performing the role they were set up to perform.
35. The review was a positive endorsement of DPTAC, although issues were identified that might need further consideration. A particular concern was the impact of the loss of the working groups and contact with stakeholders.
36. Another recommendation of the report was to pay committee members. The Government would have to carefully consider solutions to the problem of members losing benefits should this proposal be adopted.
37. The Chair invited members to write to her in confidence with their comments on the review and these would be discussed with the Department.
Action Point 14: Members to write to the Chair in confidence with views on the DPTAC Review.
Action Point 15: Chair to discuss the DPTAC Review with DfT.
Agenda item 6: Community Engagement - Presentation by LARIA
38. The Chair welcomed Graham Smith and Philip Cortese to the meeting and explained the work by LARIA on community engagement was similar to areas looked at by DPTAC last year.
39. Graham Smith explained that the Local Authorities Research and Intelligence Association (LARIA) was a not for profit organisation working on behalf of local authority officers. The publication being discussed was one of a series of good practice notes published by the organisation to help local authority officers concerned with research or consultation. The guidance on engaging disabled people in consultation had been of immense interest to the group.
40. Philip Cortese explained he and a colleague had originally intended to write the guide for use in their local authority. However, such was the interest they had circulated a draft version to over 300 organisations and received a wealth of comments. The guide had been completely rewritten to focus on how to involve disabled people in consultation processes, not how to undertake consultation. The aim was to ensure disabled people were involved in mainstream consultation processes, not separate consultations on disability issues alone.
41. Advice on consulting people with mental health problems had been omitted because of the lack of consensus arising from the consultation.
42. The guidance covers what consultation is, how to consult with little money, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, involving disabled people, specific advice on different disabilities and where to get help and advice.
43. During discussion, Members agreed that the LARIA guidance was welcome and very useful. However, it would be essential to ensure the guidance was not only read but put into practice.
44. It was agreed that DPTAC should encourage use of the guidance in discussion with the Department and complementary advice to disabled people on how to get involved in consultations by their local authority.
Action Point 16: Use of LARIA guidance to be discussed with DfT.
Agenda item 7: DRTF Consultation Process (paper 04-M1-03)
45. The Chair introduced the draft DPTAC response to the DRTF consultation on lifting the transport exemption under Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Members were invited to comment on the detail of the draft by 21 February.
46. It was agreed to remove a reference to leisure and tourism services, include enforcement issues and consider the response of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC).
47. Members were disappointed that DRC had not given sufficient warning of the date for their Transport Consumers Forum. DRC apologised for the mix up and invited Members to send comments by 14 February.
Action Point 17: Member comments on DPTAC response on DRTF recommendations to be included.
Action Point 18: Secretariat to circulate DRC framework response to the DRTF consultation.
Agenda item 8: Annual Report (paper 05 - M1 - 03)
48. Members agreed the draft Annual Report.
49. The Secretary of State will be asked to write the forward. Before being published, the report will be evaluated by the Plain English Campaign.
Agenda item 9: Any other business
Transport needs of ethnic minorities and faith communities
50. The Chair reported that several Members had attended a meeting on the transport needs of ethnic minorities and faith communities. It was agreed a note of this meeting would be produced.
Action Point 19: Vidur Dindayal to submit a report on the transport needs of ethnic minorities and faith communities.
'Making it Happen' consultation on a Single Equality Body
51. Shortly, DPTAC have to respond to the Department for Work and Pensions consultation 'Making it Happen' concerning a single equalities body. It was agreed to follow the DRC line although the Chair wanted to clear the final text.
Action Point 20: Chair to clear DPTAC response to ' Making it happen'
Date of next Main Committee meeting: Thursday 3 April 2003.
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