09/12/05 -� East Ayrshire Access Panel Conference

Access …........... The Future

East Ayrshire’s Access Panel North recently held a very successful conference in which many local groups and individuals came along to learn about the work of the Panel in trying to encourage architects & designers to provide accessible facilities for all.

The conference, which was officially opened by Councillor William Menzies, Chair of East Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership., was held in Kilmarnock’s Park Hotel and attracted around fifty people who came along to participate in what turned out to be a very informative and enjoyable event.

Councillor Menzies said: “This event has provided an opportunity for the wider community to contribute towards determining the way forward for the East Ayrshire Access Panel North and I am sure that the group will now forge ahead with renewed determination and focus. The work of the Panel is invaluable and I would like to congratulate all involved in its continued success.”

Panel member Alan Harley, who took the lead organising the conference was delighted that it was so successful. “It was great to see all the hard work which was carried out by Panel members come to fruition in such a successful event.� It presented an opportunity for many interested parties to come together and have their voices heard. The key purpose of the conference was to ask people with an interest in disability or access problems if the Access Panel were focusing on the right issues. We received many positive comments that will help focus and drive our strategies for the future.

�“I would like to thank the Scottish Disability Equality Forum (SDEF) who provided the funding, and thanks also go to East Ayrshire Council’s Development and Property Services Department for their invaluable support.”�

Following the European Year of the Disabled Person in 2003, the Scottish Executive announced �1M funding for disability issues. �500,000 was awarded to all Access Panels across Scotland and this was distributed via the Scottish Disability Equality Forum (SDEF).

�10,000 was awarded to East Ayrshire Access Panel North with the condition that the money was spent on promoting the work of the Panel. (The Access Panel in the south of the Council area, covering Cumnock and Doon Valley, also received �10,000 and are organising their own event).

The morning session at the Kilmarnock conference was devoted to presentations to the delegates. Susan Fulton, East Ayrshire Council’s Disability Awareness Advisor, spoke about the local view of the Access Panel and work they do and Robert Pickles, the Scottish Disability Equality Forum’s Access Development Officer, discussed the national view of access panels and work they do on a strategic level.

The afternoon session took the form of working groups which allowed delegates to discuss relevant access issues in relation to public buildings, shops, leisure facilities and so forth for people with a range of mobility problems.

The conference was closed by Tom Cook, Chair of the Access Panel North District who said: “The Panel is extremely grateful to everyone who took the time to come along and participate in the conference. Their views are very important to us and I can assure them that the comments we received in the afternoon working group sessions are very important to us.�

“The results of the afternoon session will provide the Access Panel with a range of ideas for improving accessibility for everyone.”

The Access Panel is looking forward to continuing to work with professionals who have responsibility for designing the built environment; the impact of which affects everyone in society.

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Photograph left shows Susan Fulton and Councillor Menzies in the foreground with, left to right in the back row: Alan Harley, Panel member (who is also a Past Chair of the Panel); Tom Cook, Chair of the Access Panel North District and Robert Pickles of the Scottish Disability Equality Forum.

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