Agenda and minutes

To consider any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Nazma Rahman.

Thanking the Chair

The Vice Chair thanked the Chair for his work with the Disability Oversight Panel, he would be stepping down as a Councillor in May’s election and so this would likely be his final meeting as Chair.

No declarations were made.

There was no such business.

To consider the minutes of the meeting held on

The Chair proposed that the agreeing of the minutes be deferred until the next meeting. This was agreed by the Panel.

RESOLVED –

THAT agreement of the minutes be deferred to the next meeting of the Panel.

Report of the Executive Director Corporate Services.

This report provides a further update on the Town Hall refurbishment following the decision to proceed with the main contract works which are currently underway.

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Director Corporate Services.

In his introduction of the report, the Project Director, Town Hall said the project had tried to address the issues raised by the panel about the accessibility of the building and the services that would be based there.

In response to a question from the Panel, the Project Director commented that the building would have a Changing Places toilet.

The Panel commented that the experience of those with learning difficulties in other Camden buildings was that the reception area was difficult to use, they asked for reassurance that the reception area and building would be friendly to those with learning difficulties. The Project Director explained fewer services would be working out of the Town Hall than other building and so it would be quieter. Camden were also introducing more active meeting and greeting of visitors to the building. The lifts in the building would have a straightforward operation, of pushing the floor number desired. The buttons would be visual impairment friendly by having raised numbering.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted

Report of the Head of Sport and Physical Activity.

This report provides an update for the Disability Oversight Panel (DOP) Committee on the sport and physical activity provision for disabled citizens in Camden and the ongoing service developments and targeted initiatives.

Consideration was given to the Head of Sport and Physical Activity.

The report was introduced by the Active Living Manager.

In their discussion of the report, Members made the following comments:

·       Members discussed sports and activities that were available for wheelchair users.

·       They thanked officers for producing information on sport and activity in easy read.

·       Members highlighted the need for non-digital communication options for people who could not access or use the internet. The Senior Sports Development Officer spoke Members through the other avenues that the service used to communicate with service users, such as in person, information stalls.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Equalities and Disproportionality.

This report lays out what we know about the impact of Covid-19 on people with disabilities in Camden. There are also some references to national-level data. This report should be read alongside the 2019 DOP disability and ethnicity report.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Equalities and Disproportionality.

In their discussion of the report, Members commented on the importance understanding the experience of people with disabilities and how COVID-19 had affected them. They also commented that it was important that decision makers and policy creators were made aware of the experiences of people with disabilities in order to inform their decisions.

The Director agreed to come back to the Panel in the new municipal year with an update of this work.

Members also raised an issue with the functionality of Microsoft Teams and in what way it is not very accessible to those who use sign language interpreters. The issue being that in a group call the signer and not the person speaking would be visible.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

Report of Camden Commissioning Teams.

This report provides:

1)    Updates from Commissioners in relation to:

·       Learning Disabilities

·       Children and young people

·       Mental Health

·       Special Educational and Inclusive Intervention Service

·       Carers

There is also a short additional update on the Council’s work as an employer to support disability inclusion in the workplace.

2)    Updates, in the form of an action tracker, from previous Disability Oversight Panel meetings.

RESOLVED –

THAT the updates be noted.

Report of Strategy and Change.

This paper aims support the Disability Oversight Panel in deciding its priorities and focus for 2022/23.

Members agreed to have an informal forward meeting ahead of the next Disability Oversight Panel meeting. They asked that a list of upcoming projects be brought to the meeting to inform the topics the Panel would look at for the next municipal year.

Action by: Head of Strategy

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted

To note the dates for the Disability Oversight Panel in the 2022/23 municipal year:

·       28 June 2022

·       21 October 2022

·       07 February 2023

RESOLVED –

THAT the dates of future meetings be noted.

There was no such business.