Disabled must 'speak out' to help themselves

Published on 12th October 2006 in News

Disabled residents in the Goole area are being urged to have their say next week on a new government disability equality scheme that aims to tackle disability discrimination.

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005 places a 'general duty' on public authorities to take a lead in promoting disability equality and in line with this, the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) must have a scheme in place by December this year that ensures equality and encourages participation by people with disabilities in public life.

The scheme aims to help the public sector identify where and how barriers have been created that unlawfully discriminate against disabled people, and public authorities now have to consider how they can end discrimination against disabled people as the users of their services and as their employees.

A document published by the ERYC states that only 126 disabled residents throughout the East Riding responded to the consultation that is to be used to form a draft scheme, but Cliff Woolas from the Goole and District Coalition of Physical Disability insists that there are many more disabled residents in Goole who need to have their say.

Now Mr Woolas has arranged a meeting in which anyone with a disability will be given the chance to voice their opinion. He told the Goole Times this week that he could not overstress the importance of this meeting.

"This is an opportunity for anyone with a disability to see what responses the council has received regarding barriers for people with disabilities or sensory impairments which have been considered in developing the equality scheme," he said.

The meeting is to be held at The Courtyard in Goole on Monday, October 16 from 10am until 12 noon.

Mr Woolas added: "All responses from this meeting will be put forward to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council for consideration."