Disability Equality Scheme to be approved for Wokingham
An action plan to ensure Wokingham Borough Council continues to promote opportunities for disabled people and eliminates discrimination against them is set to be adopted.
The authority’s decision-making executive is expected to approve a Disability Equality Scheme (DES), which sets out the authority’s achievements to date for disabled people and establishes a plan of action to further improve its performance, at its meeting on Thursday May 31. The scheme has been developed in partnership with disabled service users and Wokingham Borough Council staff members.
The DES sets out a holistic approach to disability equality to make sure the authority promotes opportunities for disabled people, makes positive changes for its employees and service users, eliminates discrimination and disability-related harassment, promotes positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourages disabled people to participate fully in public life.
In order to ensure Wokingham Borough Council considers disabled people in all decisions, the DES requires that Disability Impact Assessments be carried out on all policies and functions. This will make the council consider whether the policy or function could have a negative impact on disabled people and make necessary adjustments to it to ensure a positive impact instead.
The DES also sets out an action plan for 2007-2009 that sets out how the scheme will be implemented, publicised and monitored to ensure it achieves its aims. Each service will also have an input into this action plan, with its own specific goals for achieving disability equality over a three year period.
Executive member for Wokingham corporate services Cllr Rob Stanton said: “Following consultation I am delighted we will be able to publish this policy, which will ensure all our policies offer equality in all our processes.”
The authority’s decision-making executive is expected to approve a Disability Equality Scheme (DES), which sets out the authority’s achievements to date for disabled people and establishes a plan of action to further improve its performance, at its meeting on Thursday May 31. The scheme has been developed in partnership with disabled service users and Wokingham Borough Council staff members.
The DES sets out a holistic approach to disability equality to make sure the authority promotes opportunities for disabled people, makes positive changes for its employees and service users, eliminates discrimination and disability-related harassment, promotes positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourages disabled people to participate fully in public life.
In order to ensure Wokingham Borough Council considers disabled people in all decisions, the DES requires that Disability Impact Assessments be carried out on all policies and functions. This will make the council consider whether the policy or function could have a negative impact on disabled people and make necessary adjustments to it to ensure a positive impact instead.
The DES also sets out an action plan for 2007-2009 that sets out how the scheme will be implemented, publicised and monitored to ensure it achieves its aims. Each service will also have an input into this action plan, with its own specific goals for achieving disability equality over a three year period.
Executive member for Wokingham corporate services Cllr Rob Stanton said: “Following consultation I am delighted we will be able to publish this policy, which will ensure all our policies offer equality in all our processes.”
Wokingham Borough Council
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