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Press Release

COUNCIL TO IMPROVE SERVICES FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

24 November 2006

Disabled people will play a central role in shaping council services in Camden Council’s revised Equality Scheme.

Members discussed the improved scheme, which includes an extended Disability Equality Action Plan, on Wednesday 22 November.

The plan has been shaped by consultation with disabled residents and organisations. It will ensure that council services and jobs are accessible to disabled people and that the council complies with the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 in actively promoting disability equality.

Over the next three years the council will extend its existing action plan to include:

Involving disabled people more in designing its services to make sure they meets their needs;
Improving customer care to disabled people;
Increasing the number of disabled council employees.

It will also improve facilities so disabled people can take part in more sport and leisure activities and work to stop harassment of people because of their disability.

Cllr Andrew Marshall, Executive member for Equality and Community Development, said: “The council has a duty to promote equality and ensure that jobs and services are accessible to everyone. Camden has always reached beyond its legal duty to do this. We have listened to disabled people to make sure we continue to address their needs according to their priorities.”

The council’s Equality Scheme also includes action plans covering race, gender, age, faith, sexual orientation and social cohesion. Progress on those plans include supporting 33 community festivals that promoted social cohesion; raising the income of lone parents, BME communities and families with disabled children through the income maximisation programme; planning a training programme on safeguarding children for imams, madrassah teachers and mosque committee members; and completing its first year of civil partnership ceremonies.

Camden Council is one of only eight per cent of councils to achieve level three of the Equality Standard for Local Government, which means it has demonstrated commitment, consulted and developed effective objectives leading to positive outcomes for our communities. The council is now working towards achieving level four.

To read the full Equality Scheme report visit http://www3.camden.gov.uk/templates/committees/showHTML.cfm?file=19411.htm



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Camden Council

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