Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to set out a clear policy statement as to what the Social Model of Disability means in terms of how the council will communicate, engage, and deliver services to those who live, work, study in or visit the city. The report also contains an update on the work of the York Access Forum and the move to appoint an independent Chair to take the work of the forum forward.

Resolved: That;

1.  The the policy statement on implementing the Social Model of Disability at City of York Council be approved.

2.  A commitment be made to the council providing elected Members and officers with appropriate Disability Equality Training.

3. The York Access Forum update, Terms of Reference, and the next steps in appointing a new forum Chair be noted.

Reason:     To ensure CYC officers and decision makers are working to a clear policy statement as to what the Social Model of Disability means.

The Executive Member considered a report that set out a clear policy statement as to what the Social Model of Disability meant in terms of how the council would communicate, engage, and deliver services to those who live, work, study in or visit the city. The report also contained an update on the work of the York Access Forum and the move to appoint an independent Chair to take the work of the forum forward.

The  Assistant Director, Customer, Communities and Inclusion outlined the report and recommendations, noting the work of York Access Forum. The Executive Member commented that she was delighted to be making a decision on implementing the Social Model of Disability at the Decision Session as it was the result of work done by many people in the council and in the city following the motion to council in 2022. She expressed gratitude to members of YDRF, HRCN and the Access Forum who had given their time to have input into the paper.  She noted that the experience in York over the last few years taught how far was needed to go to avoid ableism and enable all who live or work in York or who visit our city have equal access both to the built environment and all of the services and positive benefits that the city offered.

The Executive Member added that embedding the social model of disability was not easy, and as a disabled person she had been on her own journey of learning and understanding, having been conditioned all my life to perceive the world through a medical model lens. She added that she looked forward to the challenges that would inevitably come as people worked together to go on the journey to use the  social model of disability to remove barriers and make the city better for everyone.

The Executive Member then:

Resolved: That;

1.  The policy statement on implementing the Social Model of Disability at City of York Council be approved.

2.  A commitment be made to the council providing elected Members and officers with appropriate Disability Equality Training.

3. The York Access Forum update, Terms of Reference, and the next steps in appointing a new forum Chair be noted.

Reason:     To ensure CYC officers and decision makers are working to a clear policy statement as to what the Social Model of Disability means.