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Attachment 3 |
Notes from the AIP Forum 9 February 2016 |
NOTES FROM ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVENESS PLAN 2017-2027 FORUM
Advisory Group
· Establish group now
o Develop EOI document with input from key disability sector members and individuals with a living experience of disability during selection process
o The group must be accessible to everyone and maintain and enhance diverse views
· Members need to:
o Have a living experience of disability
o cover different geographical areas of the city, age, impairment, gender, ethnicity
o have a good level of knowledge about issues facing the disability community’
o be able to represent and communicate with the disability community
o understand the wider picture
o made up of individuals who can network with disability community, is able to give technical advice and/or has technical expertise
· The Advisory Group will decide:
o Chair
o Meeting processes
· There should be a meeting fee that assists with covering the costs of attending meetings for Advisory Group members
· The Advisory Group will develop a process which enables them to liaise with other Disability Advisory Groups in New Zealand
Issue:
Should the group be Hutt Valley wide or Hutt City only?
People were divided on this. There was a very strong view from some that the initial Forum in May 2016 agreed that the AIP Advisory Group should be Hutt Valley wide. On the other hand others felt that it would be difficult for the group to be giving advice to Both Upper Hutt and Hutt City Council if there was no mandate for this from UHCC.
Another aspect of this is that people from Upper Hutt travel to and work in Lower Hutt so it could be appropriate to have someone from Upper Hutt on the Advisory Group if they were suitably qualified.
Recommendations:
· That Mayor Wallace meets with Mayor Guppy to discuss the possibility of the group being a Hutt Valley wide one
· That relevant UHCC officers are invited to Advisory Group meetings on a regular basis
· That relevant Upper Hutt service providers are invited to attend Advisory Group meetings on a regular basis
Issue:
Interaction with officers
Recommendations:
i. That relevant officers are introduced to the Advisory Group once it is established to advise the group on their areas of responsibility and establish a process for involving the Advisory Group in decision making processes where decisions will have a direct impact on the disability community. Specific areas include:
· Strategy and Planning
· Community Partnerships
· Leisure Active
· City Development
· Libraries
· Museums
· Parks and Gardens
· Environmental Policy
· Urban Design
· Road and Traffic
· Environmental Consents
· City Promotions (includes web site development)
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Goal 1:
Council communication and information is accessible to all people
i. Accessibility of HCC websites and published information
ii. Voting information is provided in easy read and captioned when online
KPIs
Accessibility of HCC websites and published information
i. The Ministry of Health guidelines on best practice communication are applied when developing communications material and engaging face to face (kanohi ki te kanohi).
ii. Council’s website is in the top 5% in New Zealand for accessibility to disabled people
iii. Council’s website contains an “Accessibility page” which gives options for feedback and use of the website
iv. Key strategy and policy documents are easy to access and read. This means
o They are not only available in PDF form
o The font size, colour and contrast used is easily readable by people with sight impairments
Voting information
i. Council promotes accessible voting information with the Electoral Commission.
Goal Two
Council culture and processes[1] include disability awareness and staff receive appropriate training
i. All council staff receive regular disability awareness training measured by HR records of training staff receive this includes:
a. Induction processes
b. The level of visibility of practical assistance that is available e.g. assistance for hearing and sight impaired
c. Contracts containing disability focused requirements
Goal Three:
All people are able to move about the city easily and safely without being limited by the physical environment
i. Street Audits of Lower Hutt are carried out on a regular basis measured by the street audit report
ii. Council makes every effort to ensure that all Council owned assets and facilities are accessible and inclusive to all people.
Goal Four:
In order to give effect to Articles 8 and 9 itself Council will champion and promote employment opportunities for people with impairments and also:
i. Establish an Accessibility and Inclusiveness Advisory Group (AIAG)
ii. Provide support to groups in the community that are giving effect to CRPD articles 8 & 9
a. Provide opportunities for valid employment of disabled people where possible
b. Ensure job descriptions make it clear that disability is not a barrier to employment at Council
[1] This means Councillors and Council staff conducting themselves in a knowledgeable and empathetic way that is respectful of disabled people