DUNDEE ACCESS GROUP
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 7th APRIL 2016 IN THOMAS HERD HOUSE,
PRESENT: Denis Bethell, Anne Farrow, Erik Cramb, Sandy
Cameron, Denise Cameron, Lillian Malcolm, Gordon MacDonald, Doreen McNab,
Dorothy Wilson.
APOLOGIES: Christine
Wilson, Carole Craig, Marie Riley.
1. INVITED SPEAKER:
Patrick Nyamurundira, Access and Inclusion Manager, ScotRail, attended our meeting. He said that Abellio was in the process of forming a Stakeholder Equality Group (SEG) which would liaise with those with disabilities and those with reduced mobility by funding a consultative forum. SDEF would provide representation for Access Panels at SEG meetings. Patrick said that there were plans to use mystery shoppers to monitor the service customers with disabilities were getting and it was hoped that Rail Awareness Open Days and Priority Seating Cards would be introduced to encourage more users with reduced mobility to use trains. He also said that, by the end of May this year, a feasibility study will have been completed into what needs to be done to upgrade Dundee Station. When that is done we will be given the results.
We thanked Patrick for coming to our meeting, keeping us up-to-date with rail matters and offering to handle any railway-related queries we have.
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
The minutes of the meeting
held on 3rd March 2016 were approved.
3.
MATTERS ARISING:
3.1.
(Re minute 2.2). Carole was not present to update us on McDonalds.
3.2.
(Re minute 2.4). Everyone agreed that the event of handing over the ramp
to Pacamara was a success. However it is unclear exactly what we should do next
to encourage more businesses to make their premises disabled-friendly. Sandy
has been in touch with SDEF to ask what we are allowed to do with our SDEF
grant.
3.3.
(Re minute 2.5). Sandy proposed that the new version of the constitution
be adopted. This was seconded by Lillian Malcolm and The Constitution was duly
adopted.
3.4.
(Re minute 3.4). Carole visited the toilet with the changing bench in
Dundee House and suggested having a track fitted for a hoist. It has now been
agreed that this will be done.
Dorothy said that Capability
Scotland have installed 2 changing places toilets in their new hub at City
Quay.
3.5.
(Re minute 4.1). Some volunteers from Faith in the Community had checked
the use of the disabled parking spaces in the Asda car park over an extended
period and found that there was some misuse. It was felt that we had to find a
way of encouraging people to do the right thing.
4
CORRESPONDENCE:
4.1 On 1/3/16 SDEF Voice Issue 30
4.2 On 4/3/16 from Peter Nurick, who is responsible for the development and delivery of the local community engagement programmes with the V&A Museum of Design in Dundee. He would like to speak to our group.
Anne will invite Peter to our July meeting.
4.3 On 7/3/16 from a group of final year students in the Business School of Northumbria University, asking members to fill in a questionnaire.
4.4 On 7/3/16 from Ian Welsh, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, offering all Access Panels throughout Scotland free associate membership of Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.
It was agreed we should accept membership. Anne to reply.
4.5 On 8/3/16 from PAMIS sending their Spring e-News.
4.6 On 8/3/16 via DAAG sending the March edition of the Reshaping Care Network E-Bulletin.
4.7 On 9/3/16 from SDEF sending an Access Panel Contact Booklet.
4.8 On 10/3/16 from Voluntary Gateway Dundee saying that The Third Sector Forum in Dundee is creating a manifesto that will be presented to the candidates prior to the upcoming Scottish Election in May and inviting us to participate.
4.9 On 15/3/16 from Marie Riley saying that she had had a call from Joe Fitzpatrick secretary, who was going to put up an article about the launch of the ramps onto their Facebook page, but needed some details.
Marie replied.
4.10 On 17/3/16 from Alex Thorburn saying that DAG is still doing terrific work and is an example to many other Access Panels.
4.11 On 20/3/16 from Marie saying she had a phone call from Perth Access Group asking for details of our ramp project because they are interested in doing something similar.
Carole replied.
4.12 On 22/3/16 from Willie Lees (Dundee rep for taxis in the GMB union whose members have been fighting for a fully accessible taxi fleet in Dundee) asking for a meeting with our group.
Anne to invite him to our May meeting.
4.13 On 22/3/16 via DAAG, re Channel 4 looking for people with a disability to take part in the TV show Come Dine with Me.
4.14 On 29/3/16 from Marie saying Scott Mands had phoned asking if anyone from DAG could go to the next DAAG meeting where they were going to discuss their possible amalgamation with DAG.
DAG would not be happy with an amalgamation because we are an independent group with a more-focussed remit than DAAG. Lillian and Gordon attended the meeting and thought that it would be more likely that members of DAAG would be encouraged to join DAG. We would be very happy with this.
5.
A.O.C.B.
5.1
It was suggested that the minutes of our meetings be put on internet
every month so that they can be read by anyone who is interested.
Anne will
ask Dave Ellison to do this.
6.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING.
The date of the next meeting is at
12.45 on THURSDAY 5th MAY 2016 in Thomas Herd House, 10 - 12 Ward Road, Dundee, DD1 1LX.
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE
c/o Dundee Carers Centre
Seagate House 124 Seagate Dundee DD1 2HB
web: www.dundeeaccessgroup.co.uk
e-mail: dundeeaccessgroup.org@hotmail.co.uk