DUNDEE ACCESS GROUP

MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 5TH APRIL 2018 IN THOMAS HERD HOUSE, WARD ROAD, DUNDEE.

 

 

PRESENT:  Erik Cramb, Anne Farrow, Lillian Malcolm, Sandy Cameron, Denise Cameron, Heather Flood.

APOLOGIES: Denis Bethell, Dorothy Wilson, Jan Goodall, Carole Craig, Bill Varney.

 

1.     INVITED GUEST: Michael Leeland, co-founder of Oorvit, attended to tell us about his company.  It was founded in 2017 and aims to make locations and businesses more accessible to all by providing virtual tours of their locations. These tours will enable those with accessibility problems to ‘see’ the location before they go and partly remove the stress of visiting a new place. Michael demonstrated this with a virtual tour of Tannadice Park football ground (which can be found at https://oovirt.com/portfolio/stadium/).  It is hoped that businesses will benefit from providing prospective clients with such tours. We were really pleased to have Michael attend our meeting and demonstrate this new product.

 

2.     MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:

 

Some of the information given about the replacement of the taxicard scheme was not correct. The 2 Blether Buses only run from 9.00 to 3.00, Monday to Friday, and Easy On has not taken over the Dundee Council taxicard scheme but is an independent commercial initiative. With these amendments the minutes of the meeting held on 5th 2018 were approved.

 

 

3.       MATTERS ARISING:

 

3.1.          (Re minute 3.1). Ramps. Anne has produced an article for publicity, but it will not be used until more details are worked out. Sandy will visit Graham Angus at Shopmobility to make sure that he is happy that Shopmobility will deal with the process of lending out the ramps and will suggest that they should use the same process for lending out ramps as they presently use when lending out wheelchairs. Carole will produce a form to be signed by the borrowers acknowledging that Dundee Access Group will have no responsibility for any problems arising after they have been borrowed.

 

3.2.          (Re minute 3.2). Website. Our website has been updated. We have not heard from Craigie High School. Anne will contact them if we don’t hear soon.

 

3.3.          (Re Minute 3.4). DES. Erik had a reply to his letter which did not address his concerns. He will reply again.

 

3.4.          (Re Minute 3.5). Wellgate. Erik has not yet had a reply from Geoff Findlay.

 

 

 

4       OTHER AGENDA ITEMS:

 

4.1            Treasurer’s Report.  Sandy had nothing new to report.

 

4.2            Blether Bus.  On 22nd March 5 member of DAG went on the Lochee route of the Blether bus accompanied by 3 DCC employees who answered questions as it went along.  Our main thought is that it in no way can be considered a replacement for the taxicard scheme. However, it appears to be a good use of the buses which also do school trips for children with disabilities. Our concerns were: would it be used in bad weather, would it be available in the school holidays, would a phone booking service be possible, and would it work for wheelchair users who really need picked up at their door and be guaranteed a place on the bus. We acknowledge that the service will take time to settle to its routine and that we should review the situation in 6 months’ time.

 

 

5         CORRESPONDENCE:

 

By email

 

5.1            Inclusion Scotland E-bulletins.

 

5.2            ALLIANCE Newsletters.

 

5.3            On 2/3/18 from Anne Farrow sending Claire D’All’s review of Dundee.

 

This promotes Dundee’s accessibility well.

 

5.4            On 5/3/18 from Disability Equality Scotland (DES) re Planning Scotland Act.

 

5.5            On 8/3/18 via DES re Government urging public to take part in its effort to help build a fairer society.

 

5.6            On 12/3/18 from Euan’s Guide sending its new Guide to Dundee & Angus.

 

This, too, promotes Dundee’s accessibility well.

 

5.7            On 15/3/18 from Dorothy Wilson sending info about Scottish Blue’s Easyon service.

 

5.8            On 15/3/18 from Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance asking us to help them collect info from Taxis & PHCs about the views of drivers/operators of vehicles for disabled passengers.

 

Erik passed this on to Chris Elder, taxi driver representative for Unite.

 

5.9            On 16/3/18 from Orkney Access Panel inviting comments about any airports we have used and whether their Accessible Toilets are kept locked or not?

 

5.10        On 16/3/18 from Equality and Human Rights Commission forwarding the information in its report on the impact of benefit changes on poverty.

 

5.11        On 16/3/18 from DVA inviting nominations for Dundee’s Volunteer Awards.

 

5.12        On 21/3/18 via Scott Mands sending UN recommendations on disability rights.

 

5.13        On 21/3/18 from ALLIANCE sending invitation to event on Understanding Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

 

5.14        On 23/3/18 via DVA sending info re the launch of 2 blether buses in 2 areas of Dundee.

 

5.15        On 23/3/18 from DES Disability Equality Scotland Newsletter - Issue 4.

 

5.16        On 27/3/18 from DES re their Access Panel Conference on Monday 21 May 2018.

 

5.17        On 29/3/18 from Dundee Third Sector Interface sending their Newsletter - March Issue.

 

 

6    A.O.C.B.

 

6.1            Heather said that a lady she knew was unhappy that there was no dropped kerb at the Central Baptist Church. She was asked to tell the lady that she should speak to the Church Board and suggest it contacts Dundee Council and ask what can be done about it.

 

6.2            Erik said that Dundee Council were no longer going to collect glass for recycling and residents would be expected to take it to their closest recycling point.  The Pensioners Forum wrote to all the Dundee Councillors to suggest that Dundee Council do a risk assessment for this. The Labour and Lib Dem Councillors all replied but no SNP or Conservative Councillors did. The Pensioners Forum will now write to SNP and Conservative party leaders about their councillors’ lack of response.

 

 

 

7    DATE OF NEXT MEETING.

 

The date of the next meeting is on Thursday 3rd May 2018 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