Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced those on the top table.  Attendees were reminded to introduce themselves, state the organisation they represent, if applicable, and to use the microphone when addressing the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Anthony Gee, Councillor Beverley Murray, Cindy Bolton (Chorley and South Ribble CVS), Estelle Brown (Chorley Pensioners Association), Yvonne and Brian Curewen (Walking for Health), Claire Dillon (Helpdirect Lancashire), Diane Gradwell (Chorley, South Ribble & Districts Citizens Advice Bureaux), Deanna Hartley-Davies (Runshaw College), John Miller (LGBT), David Naden (Linkability), Stephanie Nicholson, Sarah Palmer (District Partnership Officer, Lancashire County Council), Jeannie Stirling (Homestart) and Members of the Youth Council.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Equality Forum held on 18 January 2011 (enclosed).  A schedule is enclosed outlining queries raised at the last meeting (pages 9-10).

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2011 be confirmed as a correct record, apart from a question omitted from the minutes, by Marel Urry relating transport difficulties in Hoghton and Brindle.  Sarah James responded to the question at the close of the meeting.

There will be a presentation by Tony Moreton from Lancashire County Council on concessionary travel.

 What is the purpose of this item?

To inform members of the Forum on the current provision of concessionary travel.  The forthcoming changes, why they are being implemented and what impact these changes will have on the services provided to customers in Chorley.

Tony Moreton can be contacted by email on tony.moreton@lancashire.gov.uk

Tony Moreton gave an overview on Concessionary Travel, reporting that for the vast majority of residents there would be no change in their travel requirements.  This included the NOW cards which allows residents, who are eligible to received one, free travel on local bus services between 9.30am and 11.00pm, with a small charge for those travelling before 9.30am.

Members of the Forum were advised that Lancashire County Council and District Council’s had pooled money together to fund community transport schemes such as Dial-a-Ride and the Community Car Hire Scheme for a further three months.  Funding for these schemes had previously been withdrawn due the shortfall in Government budget allowance.

During the three month period a consultation exercise would take place, while officers would consider all options available to them to find alternative ways of keeping the services running.

Members of the Forum were encouraged to make their views known by taking part in the consultation exercise.

Members of the Forum thanked Lancashire County Council for their continued effort in supporting the community transport scheme for a further three months, but expressed their concern of how the cancellation of the schemes would impact on the residents who used them.

Tony Moreton explained that unlike other bus services which are statutory, community transport schemes had always been discretionary.

Members of the Forum asked for a number of issues to be considered within the consultation including:

·        consider those areas not covered by a bus service at the moment

·        older people visiting hospitals as patients or hospital visitors

·        the feelings of isolation that would be felt by those people who were reliant on these services if they were cancelled

At the conclusion of the presentation the Chair asked for questions from the Forum.

There was a discussion on the benefit of the new microchip NOW Smart Cards and the possible development opportunity’s that the technology could bring.

In response to a question raised, the Forum was advised that special needs school transport could be provided following an assessment.  However, this would not apply for those students studying at college.

The Chair thanked Tony Moreton for attending the meeting and reminded Members of the Forum to take part in the consultation on Community Transport by contacting Lancashire County Council with their concerns.

Tony Moreton can be contacted on email :

tony.moreton@lancashire.gov.uk

There will be a presentation by Sarah James  on Chorley Council’s approach to Equality and Diversity

What is the purpose of this item?

This item will provide an overview of Chorley Council’s approach to Equality and Diversity.   It is in response to a question asked at the last meeting regarding Chorley Council’s approach to training.  It will inform the Forum of the current processes in place, and of our plans for meeting the new equality legislation.

Questions for the Forum

Are there any additional actions that we should be undertaking to ensure that we meet our commitments and customers needs in relation to equality and diversity?

What are we going to do with the information?

Any responses that would assist with meeting our commitments to equality and diversity will be considered alongside the implementation of the action plan 2011/12.

Sarah James can be contacted on 01257 515348 or email sarah.james@chorley.gov.uk

Sarah James gave an overview of the review of the Council’s Equality Scheme.

Members of the Forum were informed that the existing scheme had been updated to take account of new legislation in the Equality Act 2010, and as a result there had been changes to the Council’s general duties and specific duties with regards to equality.

Taking in to account the new legislation, the Council has identified nine equality strands:

·        Age

·        Disability

·        Gender Reassignment

·        Pregnancy and Maternity

·        Race

·        Religion and Belief

·        Rurality

·        Sex

·        Sexual Orientation

It was recognised that these groups may need additional consideration in service delivery or policy development.

All of the strands identified, except rurality, are protected by law through the Equality Act as people who have protected characteristics.  In addition Chorley Council had chosen to recognise rurality as an equality strand because of the issues that people living in rural areas can face when accessing services.

The new scheme was approved at the Executive Cabinet on 31 March 2011.

Members of the Forum were advised of the processes that were in place which embedded equality and diversity in every aspect of the Council’s roles and responsibilities including its responsibility as an employer.

At the next meeting of the Forum the equality strands will be changed to take in to account the nine new equality stands.

3a     The Town Centre Accessibility Action Plan Update is enclosed.

Some actions are complete, however, there are other significant pieces of work including the Flat Iron development that are ongoing, and that we will continue to update the Equality Forum.  In the meantime, if there are any new service issues relating to the town centre, please can they be reported through the Chorley Council contact centre – 01257 515151, contact@chorley.gov.uk, or if there are any issues relating to maintaining roads, footways and public footpaths, please contact Lancashire County Council on 0845 053 0011

3b     Buckshaw Village Surgery – Verbal update from Eileen Bee, Disability Forum.

6a   Sarah James updated the Forum on the progress of work identified in the Town Centre Accessibility Action Plan.

·        Smaller works identified in the Action Plan had either been completed or had been scheduled to be completed in the near future.

·        There was still work outstanding on the Flat Iron car park.  This work however, is subject to a much larger development and the works identified would be incorporated within the development.

·        Officers of the Council were still communicating with market traders and shopkeepers of their responsibilities in relation to street furniture and ‘A’ boards through Town Centre Workshop meetings and individually.

Negotiations were still on going with Lancashire County Council on the devolution of their enforcement powers to Chorley.  However, no date for the transfer of responsibility had been proposed.

·          A process has been implemented to ensure that the gates which are situated at strategic points of the town centre, to turn the town centre in to a predestrianised zone, are closed at the correct time.  

In response to members of the Forum‘s concerns that there was still a potential danger from cyclists riding their bikes while the Town Centre was pedestrianised, Chris Sinnott advised that any other form of barrier had to out weigh the cost and potential success.

6b   Eileen Bee gave an update on the Buckshaw Village Surgery which was currently progressing through the planning process.  It was anticipated the timescale for the handover would be April 2012.

·               Joyce Morris expressed her concern that Lancashire County Council had decided to withdraw funding to the Chorley and South Ribble CVS.

·               Councillor Rosemary Russell alerted members of the Forum about malicious telephone calls being directed at elderly residents in which they were being told that Chorley Council would evict them from their home because of their age.  If anyone becomes aware of any incidents please contact Chorley Council as soon as possible.

·               Matthew Hansford thanked those involved in the development of the new Brinscall play park which had been opened recently.

·               Eileen Bee advised that she shared Joyce Morris’ concern that Lancashire County Council had decided to withdraw funding to Chorley and South Ribble CVS (Minute 11.EF.16a).

        Chris Sinnott confirmed that, at their annual review, Lancashire County Council had decided not to fund a number of CVS districts in the first round of funding allocations.  However, it was still possible for the CVS to reapply for funding under the second funding round.

Members of the Forum asked that comments raised at this meeting be fed back to Lancashire County Council.  

No issues were raised.

No issues were raised.

No issues were raised.

MarelUrry reiterated her concerns relating to community transport in the Withnell, Withnell Fold, Brinscall and Hoghton areas expressed earlier in the meeting (Minute 11.EF.13).

No issues were raised.

·               Following a question from Councillor Rosemary Russell it was confirmed that the type in bold on the play areas table (pages 11-17) indicated play equipment suitable for wheelchairs.

·               Geraldine Moore advised that the Stronger More Involved Communities Local Strategic Partnership Sub-Group was changing its name to the Voluntary Communities and Faith Sector Forum and encouraged members of the Equality Forum to attend future meeting.

        Geraldine Moore can be contacted on email gmoore@ageconcernlancs.org.uk

        The Chair invited Ms Moore to give a presentation on the role of Forum at a future Equality Forum.

·               The Chair advised that the next meeting of the Equality Forum had been arranged for Tuesday, 5 July 2011 at 6.30pm in the Lancastrian Suite, Town Hall, Chorley.

At the conclusion of the meeting Forum members were encouraged to take part in the networking session.