Minutes:
The Council had before it a Notice of Motion set out in the agenda papers standing in the names of Cllr Mel Allcott, Cllr Richard Udall, Cllr Dan Boatright, Cllr Lynn Denham, Cllr Josh Robinson, and Cllr Luke Mallett.
The motion was moved by Cllr Dan Boatright and seconded by Cllr Lynn Denham who both spoke in favour of it, and Council agreed to deal with it on the day.
The following amendment was moved by Cllr Adrian Hardman and seconded by Cllr Marcus Hart:
“This Council notes that:
In the UK 1 in 5 people have a disability. 80% of these disabilities are invisible. The charity Crohn's and Colitis UK is encouraging venues providing accessible public toilets to install new signage. This is to help stop stigma and discrimination towards people with 'invisible illnesses' such as Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis.
There have been instances nationally where such individuals using an accessible toilet have been accused by staff members of being ineligible to use them, including those with temporary impairments, such as having knee surgery or a broken bone. This has caused considerable distress to individuals and unnecessary conflict.
The Government has decided recently that large accessible toilets for severely disabled people - known as Changing Places - will be made compulsory for large new buildings, such as shopping centres, supermarkets, sports and arts venues, in England from 2021. The signs produced by the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK have two standing figures and a wheelchair user with the words Accessible Toilet and the logo 'Not every disability is visible'.
Council resolves to ask the Cabinet member to aim to put in place arrangements for the Council in partnership with the District Councils of Worcestershire, and following consultation with HOSC and the Health and Well-Being Board as to whether it is helpful to have a different sign from the recognised standard to:
1. Ensure that accessible toilets on Council premises bear these signs, including library facilities in shared spaces or rented from other organisations (such as the Hive or Pershore Library);
2. Work with contractors, service providers and companies renting county council owned premises to do likewise with their accessible public toilets;
3. Seek advice from the charity Crohn's and Colitis UK on the information and training we should provide to Council employees. This is to ensure they understand these illnesses and to prevent potential embarrassment for those who suffer with them;
4. Work with schools and libraries to promote inclusive attitudes to disabilities to prevent potential embarrassment.
5. Ensure that any Changing Places toilets in county buildings are properly signposted for visitors; and
6. Ensure that the requirement to provide new Changing Place toilets is included within the Council's future plans for new public buildings in the County.”
In the ensuing debate, the following points were made:
· The motion was important because accessible toilets and the appropriate signage gave people with a disability the confidence to use them and provided a lifeline. Because not all disabilities were visible, people were being challenged as to whether they were disabled enough to use the toilet. This motion would have very practical implications for many individuals with disabilities
· There should be sufficient public toilet provision to prevent people with disabilities from feeling anxious about their condition, whatever that condition was. More needed to be done to ensure that people lived fulfilling and independent lives, particularly through the Changing Places programme
· The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care commented that Crohn’s and Colitis UK had suggested a more encompassing toilet sign. However, he would like to undertake further research on this issue to ensure that the most appropriate sign was selected which did not cause any difficulties from a health authority or district council perspective. The provision of disabled toilets was a private sector issue and affected all strands of the community in Worcestershire. The Changing Places programme had been successful with £34m of funds made available for bids but it was recognised that more could be done across Worcestershire. It was important to get cross party support for the amendment so that the facilities for disabled people could be championed and the stigma of the use of disabled toilets removed
· Education in relation to hidden disabilities was very important so as to understand that it was not necessary to challenge people for accessing a public toilet
· There was an opportunity to engage the private sector more for example, involving businesses and shops in promoting the Changing Places campaign
· The involvement of district council in the discussions was welcomed for example, Wychavon District Council had found a particular issue with the size of the Changing Places signage
· The use of the adjective “extremely” disabled in the original motion was not particularly appropriate language
· The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care added that there was more to be done in respect of people with learning disabilities to ensure that everyone was treated with fairness and respect. One of the aims of the additional Government funding was to encourage the private sector to respond to the Changing Places initiative. Schools and education also had a key educational role.
On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried and put as the substantive motion which was agreed unanimously.
RESOLVED: “This Council notes that:
In the UK 1 in 5 people have a disability. 80% of these disabilities are invisible. The charity Crohn's and Colitis UK is encouraging venues providing accessible public toilets to install new signage. This is to help stop stigma and discrimination towards people with 'invisible illnesses' such as Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis.
There have been instances nationally where such individuals using an accessible toilet have been accused by staff members of being ineligible to use them, including those with temporary impairments, such as having knee surgery or a broken bone. This has caused considerable distress to individuals and unnecessary conflict.
The Government has decided recently that large accessible toilets for severely disabled people - known as Changing Places - will be made compulsory for large new buildings, such as shopping centres, supermarkets, sports and arts venues, in England from 2021. The signs produced by the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK have two standing figures and a wheelchair user with the words Accessible Toilet and the logo 'Not every disability is visible'.
Council resolves to ask the Cabinet member to aim to put in place arrangements for the Council in partnership with the District Councils of Worcestershire, and following consultation with HOSC and the Health and Well-Being Board as to whether it is helpful to have a different sign from the recognised standard to:
1. Ensure that accessible toilets on Council premises bear these signs, including library facilities in shared spaces or rented from other organisations (such as the Hive or Pershore Library);
2. Work with contractors, service providers and companies renting county council owned premises to do likewise with their accessible public toilets;
3. Seek advice from the charity Crohn's and Colitis UK on the information and training we should provide to Council employees. This is to ensure they understand these illnesses and to prevent potential embarrassment for those who suffer with them;
4. Work with schools and libraries to promote inclusive attitudes to disabilities to prevent potential embarrassment.
5. Ensure that any Changing Places toilets in county buildings are properly signposted for visitors; and
6. Ensure that the requirement to provide new Changing Place toilets is included within the Council's future plans for new public buildings in the County.”