.
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 5TH DECEMBER
2019 IN THOMAS HERD HOUSE, WARD ROAD,
DUNDEE.
PRESENT: Carole Craig, Anne Farrow, Sandy Cameron,
Denise Cameron, Lynda Sawers, Michael Leeland, Dorothy Wilson.
APOLOGIES: Jan Goodall, Denis Bethell, Bill Varney, Erik
Cramb, Lillian Malcolm, John Mitchell.
1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
The minutes of the meeting held on 7th November 2019 were approved.
2.
MATTERS ARISING:
2.1.
(Re Minute 1). Broughty Ferry Beach Access. Dorothy attended the
presentation on 26th November. She said the meeting was well
attended and the presenter very enthusiastic. Broughty Ferry beach is ideally situated
for having a beach wheelchair project similar to the one in St Andrews as the
infrastructure is already there. What is required is a keen volunteer, or team
of keen volunteers, to carry the project forward.
2.2.
(Re minute 3.1). Parking on Perth Road. The Council was asked if it would be possible
to install
a dropped kerb at the double yellow lines adjacent to 'Hair Warehouse'. This
was considered but the decision was that the location was unsuitable for dropped kerb
installation. There are basements associated with businesses there which extend
under the footway making it impossible to construct the dropped kerb along with
associated utility services. Also, their
budget is limited, and they do not install dropped kerbs for people to
access vehicles only.
We felt that we had now exhausted all possibilities for
getting more disabled parking spaces in Perth Road.
2.3.
(Re minute 3.2). Parking at the V&A. Anne wrote to Joanna Mawdsley saying
that we were happy with the solution they had provided and asked that it be put
on the Accessibility page of their website. Joanna replied saying she had asked
their website team to do so.
2.4.
(Re minute 3.3). Access to shops
in Perth Road. Lynda continues to keep in touch with the shops and will ask the
butchers if she can bring a ramp provider to look at the step into his
premises.
2.5.
(Re Minute 3.3). Update to Stobswell Area. Anne wrote to the Stobswell
Forum and to The Boomerang Centre in Stobswell asking if there was anyone in their organisations
who could tell us if there were any difficulties disabled people had in the area.
Dorothy suggested that to extend our project
of making buildings accessible in other areas of Dundee, we contact the Local
Community Planning Partnership.
2.6.
(Re Minute 3.4). Dorothy
noticed that Jan had commented that the blether bus was underused. She
suggested that publicity was needed to make people aware of it.
2.7.
(Re Minute 5.8). Finlathen Play Area. Carole and Lynda have been in
touch.
2.8.
(Re Minute 6.1). Starbuck’s Toilet. Carole has visited again and will
write to Starbuck’s Customer Services.
2.9.
(Re Minute 6.3). Tailend
Restaurant. The matter has been resolved.
2.10.
(Re Minute 6.4). Heart Space Yoga. Alan has been back in touch saying
that he thought that making the alterations he wanted and using a temporary
ramp was the best option. We could not condone planning the long-term use of
temporary ramps when the premises are at present accessible. Carole will get
back in touch with him.
3 OTHER AGENDA ITEMS:
3.1 Treasurer’s Report. Sandy had applied to DES for a grant.
4 CORRESPONDENCE:
By email
4.1
ALLIANCE weekly Bulletins.
4.2
Inclusion
Scotland E-Bulletins.
4.3
Dundee Third
Sector Interface Newsletters.
4.4
On
4/11/19 info re meeting about Broughty Ferry Wheelchair Project.
4.5
On
7/11/19 invitation to Tayside Intergenerational Network meeting in Perth on 13th
November.
4.6
On
8/11/19 from CILPK saying that they had worked with
Kinross-shire Action Partnership to make Kinross shops more accessible and were
delighted to receive funding for portable ramps, bells and signs to provide
access into premises which would otherwise be inaccessible to those with
impaired mobility due to step access.
Sandy contacted Gillian from CILPK about the funding they received and was
told it was given by Kinross
Action Partnership which seems to be a quasi-Council organisation. There doesn’t
seem to be a similar organisation in Dundee.
4.7
On
11/11/19 Detailed Briefing on upcoming East
Coast Upgrade planned engineering works.
4.8
On
12/11/19 from Alliance Scotland re their next
members networking event on Tuesday 3 December 2019 on working in the community.
4.9
On
13/11/19 from John Whyman sending info about the St Andrews Beach Wheelchair
presentation.
4.10
On
14/11/19 an invitation to a meeting to be held on 25th November in
Dundee by group commissioned by Transport Scotland to undertake projects which
will consider future transport investment in Scotland.
4.11
On
14/11/19 from Caley McDowall with an invitation to a Broughty Ferry&
Monifieth Active Travel Improvements site visit.
John visited for us.
4.12
On
22/11/19 invitation to Coats n Quilts Coffee
Information session.
4.13
On
27/11/19 sending a survey for blue badge holders to fill in re Low Emission
Zones in Scottish Cities.
4.14
On
28/11/19 sending info re What's On in Older
Peoples Services in November and December.
4.15
On
30/11/19 from Euan’s Guide asking people to
share their views on disabled access.
4.16
On
30/11/19 from Nicola Mitchell, DVA asking us to advertise in their Spotlight on Older Peoples Services.
Anne replied. In the advert she said DAG wants to be told about the buildings and places older people
or those with disabilities find difficult to use.
4.17
On
2/12/19 from DES sending the profile
for Dundee Access Group that was used at the exhibition they held at Scottish
Parliament last week to spotlight the Access Panel Network.
5. A.O.B.
5.1
Lynda informed us that the lift in T J Hughes
in the Wellgate is operating again and it should relieve the pressure on the
lift in the centre.
5.2
Carole said that she had gone to a craft fair in the Doubletree Hilton
and was dismayed to find that it was being held upstairs when they had no lift.
She complained to the management to make them aware that people in wheelchairs
couldn’t attend and those with children in buggies were finding it very
difficult.
5.3
Michael thanked all those who had given him feedback for his V&A
project.
6 DATE
OF NEXT MEETING.
The date
of the next meeting is at 12.45 on Thursday 6th February 2020 in Thomas
Herd House, 10 - 12 Ward Road, Dundee, DD1 1LX.
web: www.dundeeaccessgroup.co.uk e-mail: dundeeaccessgroup.org@hotmail.co.uk