Agenda item

Update on Implementation of Recommendations from Previously Completed Scrutiny Reviews - Access to York's Heritage and Cultural Offer

This report provides an update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from a completed review on Disabled Access to York’s Heritage and Cultural Offer.  Members are asked to sign off outstanding recommendations now considered to be fully implemented.

Minutes:

Members considered a report which provided them with a further update on the implementation of the outstanding recommendations arising from a completed scrutiny review on Disabled Access to York’s Heritage and Cultural Offer, having previously signed off some of the review recommendations at their meeting in March 2016.

 

Members agreed that the following recommendations be signed off as fully implemented:

 

Recommendations for City of York Council:

 

ii)         Communicate comprehensively through DisabledGo, with all York venues included on the DisabledGo website the benefits of including a DisabledGo link on their own website.

 

            Members requested confirmation from Disabled Go of how many venues have added the Disabled Go link to their own website. 1

 

iii)        Introduce an annual event around York’s disabled people past and present

 

Officers advised that the council was part of York Human Rights City Network which had committed to undertake events to mark Disability History Month and specifically to do something on International Day for Disabled People working with York Independent Living Network. This would be pursued by Explore York as the lead partner. They suggested this could be a more realistic way of piloting something in that area and a  more effective way of working with the Independent Living Network and representing disabled people rather than trying to start from scratch with a growth bid. Members agreed that if the events described could continue, this could potentially meet the aspiration better and welcomed a future update on these events.

 

Recommendations for Make it York

 

viii)      Full access for all to the city and its attractions should be one of Make it York’s key aspirations

 

Members agreed that Make it York should be asked to include an update on progress on how they were meeting this aspiration when they provided their regular updates to committee.

 

ix)        Work with venues to assess their interest in accessing DisabledGo’s best practice guides, with the intention of charging a fee covering the costs of those guides.

 

x)         Promote and encourage York’s live music venues to achieve the Live Music Industry’s Charter of Best Practice.

 

xiv)      Create and deliver training opportunities for public transport staff and staff at heritage and cultural venues, shops, cafes, restaurants etc to promote good practice

 

Officers advised that when the Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Make it York is renewed this could be fed into discussion to see if it could be part of a SLA element under the business support remit.

 

Members agreed that the following recommendations should be left as outstandingand requested a further update be provided in six months time.

 

Recommendations for City of York Council

 

v)         Liaise with bus providers on policy around access and remind them of the needs of York residents and visitors and the barriers poor access to public transport creates for disabled people trying to access York’s heritage and cultural offer (see paragraphs 71 of Appendix 1of review final report).

 

            Members requested further  information on what issues had been raised at Quality Bus Partnership meetings in relation to this recommendation.

 

vi)        Introduce a downloadable mobile application free to the public – the application to contain a comprehensive guide to accessible facilities in York. One example is the ‘AccessAble’ app provided by DisabledGo. Information available through smartphone friendly website.

 

Members felt there was still a need to clarify whether there was a requirement for a separate app as the information was available on smartphone friendly website and also whether funding was available for an app. Officers advised that the Equality Advisory Group had discussed this subject at their last meeting and were due to receive a presentation from Disabled Go at their next meeting. It was agreed that members would be provided with minutes of these meetings following the next EAG meeting.

 

vii)       If such an application is adopted, a marketing campaign should be run advising residents and visitors of the availability of the application & its benefits

 

Recommendations for Make it York

 

xiii)      Create a best practice accessibility-related award at the annual Visit York Tourism Awards.

 

Members noted that all award categories included specific criteria around accessibility but felt that the update did not address their request for a specific reward and requested further information be provided on this.

 

Resolved:      (i)         That recommendations ii, iii, viii, ix, x and xiv be signed          off as fully implemented:

 

(ii)        That recommendations v, vi vii and xiii remain as outstanding and another update be requested in 6 months time.

 

Reason:         To raise awareness of those recommendations which are still to be fully implemented.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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