People Living With A Disability
We are committed to tackling the disabling societal barriers that you face. We will change the things that we have direct control over as a council, and use our influence to provoke change in the areas we do not directly control. We understand the disproportionate impact that the pandemic has had on people living with a disability and the increased loneliness and isolation many have experienced. Trust is at an all time low following the High Court ruling that the council’s Minimum Income Guarantee policy discriminated against “severely disabled” people under the European Convention on Human Rights. Our pledges to you are underpinned by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (info here).
We will
- Rebuild trust with you by never making decisions about you without involving you. We commit to genuine co-production of all policy areas that affect your lives, including the budget and equality impact assessment of any proposed changes
- Communicate with you through the method of your choice. “digital first” broadens participation for some but excludes others. We will ensure no one gets left behind.
- Ensure that the (net) basic councillor allowance never exceeds the Minimum Income Guarantee (‘MIG’)
- Appoint an Independent Chair to oversee the review of the MIG Policy
- Raise MIG by the same amount as any future increases to welfare benefits so money goes to individuals and isn’t eaten up by care charges.
- Lobby government to raise MIG
- Review the Disability Related Expenditure policy, taking account the cost to the council and to individuals of increased bureaucracy of the current arrangements. We will co-produce a new policy that more fairly and efficiently compensates people for the additional cost of living with a disability.
- Commit to meeting with self-organised disabled groups a minimum of four times per year to listen to your experiences and agree how to work together to solve problems
- Support people to access services online, while continuing to ensure access is available through traditional methods of communication
- Work with employers to look at the structural reasons that create employment barriers for people living with a sensory impairment, physical disability, learning disability, mental illness or autism who want and are able to work
- Ensure that we fully meet our responsibilities under the Autism Act and broaden participation in the all-age Norfolk Autism Partnership Board
- Introduce British Sign Language interpretation at all County Council public events and meetings within three months of the election
- Publish easy read versions of council agenda, reports and publications within six months of the election
- Ensure that all council publications are compatible with screen reader technology
- Re-introduce a paper version of the Blue Badge application form for people who are digitally excluded and make it available at libraries, on mobile libraries or by post
- Invest in occupational therapy to increase access and speed of response for adaptations that people need to enable them to continue to live safely in their own home
- Invest in digital and assistive technology to improve safety and quality of life