MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 4th APRIL 2019 IN THOMAS HERD HOUSE, WARD ROAD, DUNDEE.

 

 

PRESENT:  Carole Craig, Erik Cramb, Anne Farrow, Lillian Malcolm, Dorothy Wilson, Jan Goodall, Lynda Sawers, Michael Leeland, Daisy Faild.

APOLOGIES:  Bill Varney, Sandy Cameron, Denise Cameron, Alison Rae, Carol Anderson, Denis Bethell, Heather Flood, John Mitchell, Andrew Peel.

1.     INVITED VISITOR: Unfortunately, Chris Elder was unable to attend but he did send the following information about the training given to taxi drivers for dealing with those with disabilities.

 

Training is now to SQA level 2 certificate and is compulsory. You cannot get a badge without completing the course.

It is delivered by UNITE in conjunction with Dundee and Angus College.

Unless a driver has a disability that qualifies him/her for exemption drivers MUST assist passengers with a disability. If a driver claims an exemption you should take their badge number and check their exemption. If they do not have an exemption, then you should report them immediately.

 

As we still have questions we would like to ask, we will invite Chris to come to another meeting.

 

2.     MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:

 

The minutes of the meeting held on 7th March 2019 were approved.

 

 

3.       MATTERS ARISING:

 

3.1.          (Re minute 3.2). Northern Links’ project.  Caley McDowall replied ‘In terms of a reduction in on-street parking, the location where this is relevant is the proposal to relocate the disabled bays on St Andrew’s Street – views on this proposal would be welcome (including if there are alternative suitable locations). 

On all the other corridors, parking provision would be retained, albeit provided in a slightly different location.’

 

3.2.          (Re Minute 3.3). Coffee & Co. Erik will visit.

 

3.3.          (Re minute 6.2). Problems encountered by Jan Bethany at D C Thomson’s and Marks and Spencer’s. Bill Varney visited both locations to discuss the problems. M&S have slightly adjusted their lights at the escalators. D C Thomson will get back to Bill re locating a buzzer for disabled access to their building in Euclid Crescent.

 

 

4       OTHER AGENDA ITEMS:

4.1              Dundee Council and Caley McDowall have requested feedback from Dundee Access Group re ‘Walking and Cycling in Broughty Ferry (the Broughty Ferry Active Travel Improvements)’.  We agreed that we should try to find someone to be involved in the project. After the meeting, John Mitchell volunteered to do it.  

 

5         CORRESPONDENCE:

 

By email

 

5.1            The ALLIANCE Weekly Bulletins.

 

5.2             Inclusion Scotland E-Bulletins.

 

5.3            On 7/3/19 from Anne sending a reminder to complete Dundee Council’s questionnaire about polling places.

 

5.4            On 8/3/19 from CILPK sending info re Disabled Access Day in Perth.

 

5.5            On 8/3/19 info re National Diversity Awards.

 

5.6            On 8/3/ 19 from Caroline Kennedy saying the poverty and inequality commission are having a public event on the 20th of June 2019 in Glasgow.

 

5.7            On 22/3/19 from Anne sending info re beach wheelchairs in St Andrews.

 

5.8            On 12/3/19 info re HMS Unicorn’s Virtual Tour on Disabled Access Day.

 

5.9            On 13/3/19 from DES re their ‘Parley at the Parly’ event on 14th March.

 

5.10         On 14/3/19 from Dundee Council re Dundee Fairness Commission looking for commissioners.

 

5.11        On 15/3/19 from Dundee Council with info re

·       the workshop Abertay University are holding to gather views on some of the challenges the elderly face with respect to cyber-crime and

·       the Aging Well Consultation event to discuss service provision related to early intervention in the community, support to keep you living well at home in hospital and in care home care.

 

5.12        On 17/3/19 from Abilitynet, an organisation that provides free IT Support to help older people and people with disabilities to use technology to achieve their goals.

 

5.13        On 17/3/19 from DVA forwarding a letter from Dundee Pensioners’ Forum re increase in Sheltered housing charges.

 

5.14        On 20/3/19 from DES re the Sensory and Equality Awards 2019.

 

5.15        On 21/3/19 from Dundee Council asking for comments on their proposals for how the coastal path can be improved from the Grassy Beach to the Castle stretch alongside the flood defence works and from the Castle to Balmossie Rail Station/ Dighty Burn. 

 

5.16        On 26/3/19 from DES sending poll re Primary Care.

 

 

6    A.O.B.

 

6.1            Erik said that Dundee Council were keen to get a person with a disability to be a commissioner for Dundee Fairness Commission.

 

6.2            Anne said that AccessAble now have a free app for mobile phones.

 

6.3            Michael said that there still was no Access Guide to Dundee Station despite Dundee Council via Accessible intending to provide one.   He also said that last time he visited the station the lift was out of order and there was no info telling users what to do. Anne will write to Scotrail’s Access & Inclusion Manager about it.

 

6.4            Lynda raised the problem of the difficulty of getting parked on Perth Road and said that recently when she had parked on yellow lines on a street nearby a parking warden told her she couldn’t park there. Carol had also had a problem with parking on yellow lines in that area. Anne will write to Steve Emmonds, Parking Leader, Dundee City Council, about it.

 

6.5            Carole asked Lillian about the art course she had recently attended and was told that it was run by Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust and the courses they ran were for people with long term conditions. (https://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/OurServicesA-Z/TaysideHealthcareArtsTrust/index.htm).

 

6.6            Carole said that the AGM of Dundee Access Group would be immediately before our June meeting and we agreed that we would not have meetings in July or August this year.

 

 

7    DATE OF NEXT MEETING.

 

The next meeting is on Thursday 2nd May 2019 at 12.45 in Thomas Herd House, 10 - 12 Ward Road, Dundee, DD1 1LX.

 

 

     web: www.dundeeaccessgroup.co.uk            email: dundeeaccessgroup.org@hotmail.co.uk