Withdrawal of Funding for Disability Action’s Access Service
The Planning Service will cease funding Disability Action’s Access services by the end of September. Disability Action is actively campaigning for the retention of the service. As part of this campaign we are asking you to support us.
Discussions with the Minister Poots have seen the reinstatement of 25% of our original funding but what was a comprehensive service has now been decimated.
Disability Action will no longer be in a position to examine planning applications to ensure that in future public buildings continue to be accessible, nor to provide advice and advocate for disabled people experiencing discrimination and exclusion.
The problems disabled people experience with access was demonstrated in a survey of 200 disabled people in June 2010 which found that 81.25% had experienced a problem with access, 43.75% said they experienced problems “all the time”.
The Planning Service has also decided to stop the £25,000 in grant aid which funded the voluntary and community sector to improve access to their facilities and services and thereby encourage disabled people to participate in their own communities.
Disability Action is actively campaigning for the retention of the service, as part of this campaign we are asking you to support us - Click here to complete petition.
You can also show your support by writing to the Minster for the Environment Edwin Poots to express your concerns. The address for writing to the Minister is:
Mr Edwin Poots
Minister for the Environment
Department of the Environment
Clarence Court
10-18 Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8GB
A template for such a letter letter can be sent to you, email ceo@disabilityaction.org to recieve a copy. If you do write to the Minister it would be helpful if you could also send us a copy of the letter so we can monitor the support.
If you require any further information please contact us on the details below:
Sinead Owens
Communications and Campaigns Officer
Disability Action
Portside Business Park
189 Airport Road West
Belfast
BT3 9ED
Telephone: 028 9029 7880
Textphone: 028 9029 7882
Fax: 028 9029 7881
Email: ceo@disabilityaction.org: www.disabilityaction.org/access
Website
sineadowens | 31 August 2010 - 8:36am |
