Case Study - Panel with Premises

Angus Access Panel

Angus Access Panel was set up around 1988 and started out because of a plan to refurbish swimming baths locally.� A regional councillor, Rod McFarlane knew that the planned building was not going to be accessible for disabled people, and decided to do something about it.� Rod got together a small group of local disabled people and raised a lot of money, which was put into the extra work that was needed to make the swimming baths accessible.� �

Once this was done, the group used the remaining money to buy the premises and set up a local Panel group.� The group became Angus Access Panel, and covered the whole of Angus as it was given a grant by the council to cover the whole area.� Since this time, the Panel has received support from the Local Authority, by way of grant funding.

The Panel members feel that having premises makes a tremendous difference to the work they can do in their local area.� Angus Panel provides a drop in information service, provided by volunteers, in addition to access work.� Having an office allows the Panel to react more quickly to issues that arise in the local area, without having to wait for a monthly meeting.� The Panel also find the premises useful to store information, so that one individual isn’t responsible for storing everything at home.

The volunteers, who provide the information service, are mainly separate from the Access Panel committee, known as the Executive Committee.� There are eight information service volunteers, sixteen Executive Committee members, and a mailing list of over one hundred and thirty who receive regular information on the work of the Panel.� The volunteers are all trained and attend team meetings together as a means of support and ongoing development.

The Panel is contactable in various ways; from the drop in service, to telephone and email.� Telephone enquiries are the most common; for example from people who will be visiting the area, and are seeking accessible accommodation and services, which the Panel keeps a directory of.

The Panel has good relations with the Local Authority, as well as with the Panels in Perth and Kinross, and Dundee, with whom it shares its meeting minutes.� The Panels used to meet regularly, but this fell by the wayside.� However, they do meet when there are issues that they need to discuss - such as the parking at Ninewells Hospital.�

The Panel puts its success down to have a good team, excellent communication with the council and having premises.� They are able to generate additional revenue by hiring out their meeting room to other local groups for a small donation.� Due to having premises, the Panel was able to spend the Scottish Executive grant on equipment such as a laptop, projector and camera.�

The future of the Panel may include the setting up of a website, updating local access information and continuing the annual Rod McFarlane award and poster competition.�

October 2005

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