13 December 2007
Eastbourne is doing its duty towards disabled people and making progress towards ensuring Eastbourne is more inclusive in the future.
Eastbourne Borough Council Disability Champion Councillor Andrew Goodwin says, “The Council’s role as community leader brings with it great responsibility. The responsibility of leadership requires the ability to build trust and encourage participation; to listen and to be open to change; to demonstrate understanding and show through actions that every single individual’s contribution is valued and needed. This is particularly relevant to Eastbourne’s disabled community.”
The Disability Champion and the Disability Involvement Group (DIG) are working together to look at issues. The DIG was created following an engagement event in 2006 and is made up of individual disabled people representing themselves and disabled people representing members of the groups they belong to. The group has set up its own terms of reference and sets its own agenda.
The group is making a real difference and officers who have attended meetings have found it a positive experience, and gained valuable knowledge and understanding of the issues facing disabled people. This very direct relationship is also helping to break down any barriers around perception and assumption.
Disability is only one part of the Council’s overall work towards improving equality opportunities to services for all the town’s diverse communities.
