Echoing minister's disabled access calls for 2012 (From Dorset Echo)

Echoing minister's disabled access calls for 2012

11:40am Saturday 4th September 2010 in

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I am writing in response to the article ‘Disabled access ‘should be improved’ before 2012’ (Echo, August 30).

As Weymouth & Portland’s brief holder for equality and diversity, I would like to echo the Disabled People Minister’s appeal to the private sector to improve disabled access as we head towards 2012.

The borough council has recently begun an equality impact assessment of its plans to meet the specific demands that the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring the borough. We are working hard to ensure that our services meet everyone’s needs as far as possible.

We recognise that many of our functions – eg; waste collection, tourist information, street cleansing, etc – will be under the international spotlight in 2012.

It is essential to ensure services do not inadvertently disadvantage certain groups.

Recently, the council has worked with the borough’s registered, ‘quality assessed’ accommodation providers, the Royal Yachting Association and the International Federation for Disabled Sailors to collect details of accessible accommodation in the borough. The outcome of this is that our Tourist Information Centre is now in a position to offer disabled visitors very specific advice about where to stay.

Our status as the Olympic sailing venue is already bringing changes to our visitor profile, and we need to ensure we are as welcoming as possible.

This is not just in terms of disabled access, but also to other groups, such as international visitors from a range of cultural backgrounds.

To secure maximum economic benefits for local people, we must ensure we are offering a premier service to all visitors.

Coun Kate Wheller Brief holder for Equality & Diversity Coun Roger Allen Brief holder for Culture, Tourism and Community Facilities