Agenda of Disability Advisory Panel

Disability Advisory Panel

30 March 2015

Item 6 - Disability Action Plan

File No.: CP2015/03733

Purpose

1. To provide a point by point response to the Disability Advisory Panel’s submission for a disability strategy, and confirm the development of a disability action plan.

Executive Summary

2. As requested at its 16 February 2015 meeting, staff have provided a point by point response (Attachment A) to the call for a comprehensive disability strategy (Attachment B).

3. The point by point response identifies actions for improvement which will be included in a disability action plan.

4. The response also identifies areas where council is doing well, including the development of accessible communications and customer service centres.

Recommendation/s

That the Disability Advisory Panel:

a) note the point by point response to their submission calling for a comprehensive disability strategy (Attachment A)

b) note council staff will commence work on the development of a disability action plan, and involve the Disability Advisory Panel in its development.

Comments

Background

5. At its 28 April 2014 meeting the former Disability Strategic Advisory Panel passed a resolution requesting the Chief Executive of Auckland Council consider the panel’s request for council to develop a comprehensive disability strategy for Auckland.

6. At its 24 November 2014 meeting the newly formed Disability Advisory Panel (the panel) requested a response from council on the development of a strategy. A submission calling for a comprehensive disability strategy was subsequently sent to the Chief Planning Officer for a formal response.

7. In December 2014 the Chief Planning Officer wrote to the Chair of the panel proposing that, instead of developing a disability strategy, the council focuses on finding an alternative action oriented way to achieve the goals in the submission.

8. At the panel meeting on 16 February 2015, staff agreed to provide a point by point response to the submission and proposed that a disability action plan be developed instead of a strategy.

Discussion

9. Auckland Council acknowledges the value provided in the submission, particularly in relation to understanding accessibility and civic participation and valuing the voice of people with disabilities. This crosses multiple spheres of work relating to an accessible environment, urban design, accessible information and communications and engagement in local democracy.

10. A point by point response to the panel’s submission is contained in Attachment A. This response identifies areas where council is doing well:

· making new customer centres and community facilities accessible

· making the 10 year plan household summary document available in New Zealand sign language

· recognising the needs of people with disabilities in a number of council policies and plans.

11. This response also identifies areas for improvement. These include:

· building further awareness of universal design principles across council

· ensuring information and communications are accessible and meet standards and principles

· monitoring our performance against council’s inclusive engagement guidelines.

12. Council understands that accessible transport is key to fostering social inclusion and enables participation in arts and culture, sport and recreation and civic life in general. In response to this Auckland Transport staff will come and meet with the panel in May to discuss their programme of work.

13. Council staff confirm that no further action will be undertaken to progress a specific disability strategy and that the focus will move to identifying a range of practical and achievable actions and initiatives, that will make a positive difference to the quality of life of people with disabilities.

14. These actions and initiatives will be captured in a disability action plan. The action plan will clearly identify which department in council is responsible for each action, and include timeframes for delivery. Staff consider the key benefits to this approach are:

· providing a sharper focus on facilitating action that makes a difference

· building a culture of continuous improvement of existing council activity relating to accessibility and civic participation

· improved visibility of monitoring and tracking progress

· improved alignment of activities across the wider council family.

Next steps

15. We propose that council staff work closely with the panel in the development of the disability action plan. Key milestones for development are outlined in the below table:

Achievement	Delivery date
Scope and process developed	May 2015
Draft disability action plan developed	TBC*
Final disability action plan developed	TBC*

*Delivery dates will be confirmed as part of the scope and process development.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

16. A common theme across local board plans is building a sense of belonging where people from all walks of life feel valued and can connect with each other.

17. Included in the point by point response attached, is an undertaking by staff to meet with local board chairs about their future local board plans and how they can express and monitor aims regarding accessible and inclusive community environments.

18. Local board implications will depend on the identified actions to be developed and any accessible plan of the local board. Feedback would be sought from local boards if actions were identified that would have an impact on their work programmes or budgets.

Māori impact statement

19. The disability action plan is being developed with a view to making a positive impact on people living with disabilities in Auckland. This is inclusive of all cultures, including Maori.

Implementation

20. There are no implementation issues with this report.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Point by point response to the panel's submission	13
b View	Submission for a comprehensive disability strategy	19

Signatories

Authors

Kathy O'Connor - Principal Policy Analyst

Teena Abbey - Principal Policy Analyst

Authorisers

Kataraina Maki - GM - Community & Social Policy

Kevin Wright - Lead Officer Support

Disability Advisory Panel

30 March 2015

Key submission points

Response

Overall Recommendation

§ Develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure people with disabilities are fully included in all Council activities and services.

We agree that people with disabilities must be fully included in council activities and services, but considers that there is not a need for a specific disability strategy.

The Auckland Plan sets the strategic direction for this issue through chapter one, Auckland’s People. A priority in this chapter is to “Promote inclusion, reduce discrimination and remove barriers to opportunity and participation, particularly for disadvantaged groups.”

This priority is given more detail through a number of strategic action plans and policies on the council’s strategy and policy forward work programme. For example:

· the Sports and Recreation Action Plan provides specific action areas around the accessibility of sports facilities

· the recently adopted Significance and Engagement Policy requires council to meet the principle of “making the process of engagement inclusive and accessible.

The policy leadership team of council considers that there is sufficient high level direction, both in the Auckland Plan and the New Zealand Disability Strategy, in relation to a strategic approach to meeting the needs of persons with disabilities. We acknowledge a gap that needs to be addressed in the next level of policies, implementation, resourcing and reporting on implementation of actions.

The panel has the opportunity to provide advice directly to the council. We will develop a disability action plan that identifies resources and milestones for delivery, and include the panel in its development.

Accessible Environment

§ Review all relevant policies that impact on the physical environment to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are fully accounted for.

§ Council staff to take a liberal and holistic view when issuing resource and building consents.

§ Become fully aware of the needs of people with disabilities and do what they can within current resources to ensure the general urban environment is disability friendly.

The council agrees that there is benefit in identifying existing policies and planning to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are accounted for in those policies.

One positive example of this happening already is the Draft Community Facilities Network Plan which recognises people with disabilities as having particular expectations relating to public buildings. As part of outlining Council’s vision for the future, the plan identifies the design of universally accessible community facilities.

We consider that an overall review of existing policies and plans is a good use of finite resources. We will work with the panel to identify existing policies for review. This will include identifying any that may require updating and clearly setting out how these are resourced, implemented and monitored.

Additional actions to be considered for inclusion in an action plan:

· checking staff guidance and processes to ensure staff are fully implementing legal requirements in relation to people with disabilities and factors affecting the exercise of their discretion in relation to building consents

· ensuring the needs and options analysis for the provision of community arts and culture facilities has identified the needs of those with disabilities

· building further awareness of universal design principles across the council.

Urban Design

§ Easily find affordable and accessible housing in all neighbourhoods.

§ Unitary Plan to back planners and consents officers with regulatory controls and incentives to match Council's aspirations for inclusion.

We agree that affordable and accessible housing is an important and complex issue.

We would welcome the opportunity to engage with the panel and hear more of your views and ideas for affordable and accessible housing.

We consider that the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan as currently drafted is also taking steps to contribute towards accessible housing such as:

· it currently provides assessment criteria for developments of four or more dwellings that refer to providing equal physical access for people of all ages and abilities to common areas

· for developments of 10 or more dwellings, 20% of those dwellings must meet a universal access rule that requires larger access, doorway widths, stairwell and corridor widths as well as the provision of a disabled parking space and access to that.

We do not propose any further action within the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan process that doesn’t arise from the current hearings and submissions process.

Accessible Information and Communications

§ Auckland must ensure that well established standards and principles are followed through all stages of the information production processes that maximise accessibility of information to people using a variety of equipment.

§ Local information to be more accessible to people with disabilities particularly, rates bills, water bills and invoicing.

We agree and acknowledge the importance of accessible information and communication.

Council has a strong commitment to this and has made considerable improvements to providing accessible information and communication. Some success has included

· receiving a silver rating commendation in the Be Accessible review of the new customer service centre in Bledisloe Lane

· making the 10 year plan household summary document available in New Zealand sign language.

We also recognise that we can keep improving.

Further actions proposed include:

· taking a stronger overview of our communications to ensure they meet our standards and principles for accessible information and communication

· ensuring that our ‘Digital Council’ project (includes invoicing like rates bills, water bills) is aware of the panel views and engages with the panel directly.

Accessible and Effective Public Transport

§ As vehicles are replaced and upgraded, Auckland Transport should ensure they are physically accessible and equipped with signs and other equipment so people with disabilities can make full use of them with full independence and dignity in the same way as anyone else.

Auckland Council is committed to providing accessible and effective public transport.

We do have a programme to ensure that public transport in particular is accessible when it is being replaced. The council also acknowledges that it can be difficult to understand the timing and implementation milestones in this area, and that this is a concern for the panel.

We propose that Auckland Transport present its programme of work to the panel, including an update on progress with Auckland Transport’s Code of Practice which sets out how transport infrastructure needs to meet required standards of accessibility.

We note the recently formed Public Transport Accessibility Group and the Capital Projects Accessibility Group. We will enable more effective ways of working across these two action groups and the Disability Advisory Panel.

Inclusive Events and Access to Arts and Culture

§ Council staff responsible for public events or granting permits must take all reasonable steps to ensure events cater for the needs of people with disabilities.

Auckland Council is committed to inclusive access to events and arts and culture.

Accessibility is identified as a key principle for delivering events in Auckland Council’s Events Policy, including identifying how people with disabilities travel to events and move around them.

We propose to keep monitoring our performance against council’s inclusive engagement guidelines.

Local Boards

§ Council must ensure Local Boards have clear objectives and obligations in their plans designed to ensure local community environments are fully accessible and inclusive.

The twenty one local boards have recently completed their local board plans. A common theme across the plans is building a sense of belonging where people from all walks of life feel valued and can connect with each other. The local boards are also committed to providing community facilities that cater for all ages and abilities and are accessible.

We can meet with local board chairs about their local board plans and how they can express and monitor aims regarding accessible and inclusive community environments.

Management and Reporting

§ Auckland [Council] must build into the performance agreements for the Chief Executive, key management staff and CCOs, an obligation to report on the strategies and procedures that are implemented to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are met.

We agree that it should be easier for the community to clearly identify the range of existing council activities where we are implementing and providing for the needs of persons with disabilities.

We have a range of activities, procedures and strategies that we are implementing. These are imbedded within the business as usual making it difficult at times to communicate the breadth and scale of achievement. We need to improve how we are able to show the steps we are taking.

Further action will include looking at ways of improving our communication of achievements particularly the implementation of strategy and procedures that assist us to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

Valuing the Voice of People with Disability

§ Auckland [Council] must actively involve the entire disabled community.

We continue to value the voice of people with disabilities.

The establishment and continuation of the Disability Advisory Panel is one example of how the Council values the voice of people with disabilities.

Further action will be taken to see what improvements might be made to monitoring feedback from the wider disabled community about their ease of involvement in the council engagement process. We will continue to monitor our performance against council’s inclusive engagement guidelines.

Disability Advisory Panel

30 March 2015

A Comprehensive Disability Strategy for Auckland

Submission By the Disability Strategic Advisory Panel (DSAP) March 2014

Recommendation

That the Disability Strategy Advisory Panel recommends to the Governing Body that Council works with DSAP, the disabled people of Auckland and other interested parties to develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure people with disabilities are fully included in all Council activities and services.

Background

The Disability Strategy Advisory Panel was initially established in 2010. Its purpose is to provide strategic advice on pan-disability issues to the Mayor, governing body, local boards, Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) and Council on:

· the interests and preferences of persons with disabilities in Auckland in relation to regional strategies, policies, plans, and bylaws of the Council

· any other matters that the Panel considers to be of particular interest or concern to persons with disabilities in Auckland; and

· processes and mechanisms for engaging with persons with disabilities in Auckland.

We support Auckland's aspiration to be the world's most liveable city. A liveable city is one that is inclusive of all citizens, values participation, encourages social engagement and enables Barrier Free movement for everyone. Since its inception, the DSAP has had input into numerous plans, strategies and policies being developed for Auckland. We acknowledge that some progress is indeed being made in some areas towards achieving this vision for people with disabilities. This paper builds on our earlier submissions, and calls for a more strategic approach to be adopted. Auckland must act decisively if it is to really become more liveable for people with disabilities.

It is no longer appropriate to think of people with disabilities as being a distinct and separate sector within the general public. People with disabilities can be found throughout the entire community. We are tax payers, rate payers, customers, citizens, workers, residents, students at all levels of education, visitors, tourists, and so on. We aspire to participate fully in the community. We seek employment and educational opportunities like everyone else. We contribute like everyone else to the economic life of the city.

Ideally, there should be no need for a strategy focusing specifically on people with disabilities. All the major strategies, plans and policies that guide how Auckland develops and operates should address our needs simply because we are members of the whole public community Auckland serves.

However we have identified that a clear strategy is needed to encourage Auckland to more directly accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. This strategy must focus Auckland's attention on altering certain policies and practices over time that tend to exclude rather than include us. Some of these "sticking points" can be found in .existing policies that have not as yet been reviewed by the DSAP. Other sticking points arise from current operational practices that, albeit unintentionally, contribute to our exclusion. We call on Auckland to commit to working with the disabled community to develop a comprehensive strategy to remove the barriers that currently prevent us from being fully included in this most vibrant city.

In early 2012, the DSAP circulated a paper in which we introduced our group to the Wider Council, and listed some short-term steps that we believed Council could and should take to deliver effective services to all members of the public, including people with disabilities. Then in October 2012, we wrote to the Chief Executive to ask for a summary of current strategies and plans Council has in place to ensure its services will be fully inclusive of people with disabilities. We recognised that achieving real progress towards Auckland becoming a fully accessible city may take a number of years. We asked for this information to help us recognise all the efforts Council is already making to ensure its services are fully inclusive, and to help lead to the development of a comprehensive disability strategy with time frames to achieve a truly accessible city.

Disability Advisory Panel

30 March 2015

Unfortunately, despite the resolutions of the Governing Body at its meeting on 23 April2013 requesting the Chief Executive to provide a cross-council response to our points, we have received no response to our questions. This has rather frustrated our efforts to develop a more comprehensive picture of what is needed for Auckland to become more liveable for people with disabilities.

Auckland has a great opportunity to show leadership and set a new high standard in how cities can be disability friendly even within today's legislation and within current resources. We urge Council members, management and staff to see meeting the needs of people with disabilities as an integral part of delivering services to the public in general. No longer should the Council's ability to meet our needs be dependent on and perhaps limited to special allocations of disability-related funding.

Aspirational Statements

The following statements illustrate what we aspire to as people with disabilities living in a modern society people with disabilities have the right to carry out all our everyday transactions with the same equity and dignity as everyone else.

· People with disabilities live throughout the community and we should be able to easily find affordable and accessible housing in all neighbourhoods

· People with disabilities should have access to the same information and communications from

Council as everyone else

· People with disabilities need to be able to move freely and easily throughout the urban environment

like everyone else

· People with disabilities can be found succeeding at all levels of education

· People with disabilities have the same aspirations as everyone else to be fully and productively

employed

· People with disabilities should be able to participate fully in the social life of the city

· People with disabilities like to go to concerts, museums, and the theatre and to other artistic and entertainment events like everyone else

· People with disabilities can be found actively participating in and contributing to Auckland's local and neighborhood communities.

Developing a Comprehensive Disability Strategy

Auckland must now adopt a committed and strategic approach to meeting our needs if we as people with disabilities are to achieve our aspirations. The strategy we envisage should be well researched and considered, and achievable within agreed resources and with agreed milestones and time frames. The Chief Executive should be directly responsible for overseeing the implementation of the strategy.

Currently DSAP does not have the resources to develop the strategy. However with appropriate resources to carry out consultation and consider information received, we anticipate a comprehensive strategy could be developed and ready for formal adoption within 12 months.

The strategy must at least address the following points which we have so far identified as crucial if Auckland is to really deliver on its aspiration of being a truly liveable city for everyone including people with disabilities.

Accessible Environment

It is crucial that Auckland's physical environment is accessible to people with disabilities, if we are to achieve our aspirations to be fully included in city life. We need to be able to move readily and freely throughout the city and right throughout public buildings.

Unfortunately at this stage, relevant legislation such as the Resource Management Act 1991, the Building Act 2004, New Zealand Standard 4121 and associated regulations do not currently reflect all the aspirations of people with disabilities. But even under the current legislation, there are too many instances of new or recently refurbished buildings that in our view do not comply with accessibility requirements. Until this legislation can be fully reviewed and updated, we would urge council staff to take a liberal and holistic view of the legislation when issuing such documents as resource and building consents.

Auckland must review all relevant policies that impact on the physical environment to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are fully accounted for. For example, policies that determine which intersections . should be controlled by traffic lights seem to depend largely on an assessment of vehicle traffic, with apparently little regard to the needs of the neighbourhood and of pedestrians. An example of such policies at work would appear to be the Onehunga shopping area, which in recent years has changed from being a pedestrian only mall to now being a through-way for traffic with roundabouts rather than controlled intersections. Despite the development of a new railway station and transport hub in the area, which ought to encourage patronage from people using public transport, the result is a shopping area that is particularly disability unfriendly and which even non-disabled people find difficult to negotiate. Surely this is an example of Auckland developing in the wrong direction.

At the same time, staff responsible for maintenance of footpaths, parks, reserves and Council buildings etc. must become fully aware of the needs of people with disabilities and do what they can within current resources to ensure the general urban environment is disability friendly. Areas of Auckland are notorious for uneven and badly maintained footpaths and overhanging trees that are hazardous not just to people with disabilities but to all pedestrians.

Urban Design

People with disabilities live throughout the community and we should be able to easily find affordable and accessible housing in all neighbourhoods. We no longer live in institutions. There is a need for adequate stocks of accessible housing.

A liveable and accessible city will emerge only if the Unitary Plan backs planners and consents officers with regulatory controls and incentives to match Council's aspirations for inclusion. Everyone will benefit. An up-front commitment by Council to access with dignity for people of all ages and abilities is needed in the final Unitary Plan. The long-term liveability of Auckland depends on having the courage to commit to barrier-free design and project delivery.

We believe that even within today's legislation, Council can work proactively with major developers to ensure all new subdivisions have at least a proportion of houses or apartments that are accessible and disability friendly, or which can be easily made so. With a steadily ageing population, it should be understood that designing the urban environment so it meets our needs ultimately benefits everyone.

Accessible Information and Communications

People with disabilities should have access to the same information and communications as everyone else. Nowadays it can be safely said that practically all information published by the Council and its CCOs, and almost all items of personal correspondence, originate on a computer. People with various disabilities can readily access computerised information through a variety of end user equipment, provided that information is accessible.

We note with pleasure the efforts Council is already making in this respect. Council has developed and is continuing to improve its operational guidelines for the production of accessible documents in various formats. We noted with appreciation that Council went to considerable effort to ensure people with disabilities would be able to access the draft Unitary Plan in a variety of ways. Our Auckland is another good example of Council publishing information in multiple formats, including making it available on the Blind Foundation's Telephone Information Service.

But there are many examples of communications which are generally inaccessible to many people with disabilities, including rates bills, water bills and even registering a dog. Local information is particularly inaccessible , such as knowing when rubbish collections will take place in an area or being advised of local disruptions to normal services.

Auckland must ensure that well established standards and principles are followed through all stages of the information production process that maximise accessibility of information to people using a variety of equipment. Auckland must recognise that its communications with the public and individuals covers the whole spectrum from carrying out everyday personal transactions such as paying rates and other charges to participating in the democratic process.

Therefore Auckland and Council Controlled Organisations must follow principles of accessibility with respect to all aspects of its websites, documents, reports, brochures, bills, personal correspondence, and other forms of Council communications. Accessibility of information need not be expensive if the right decisions are made at all steps throughout the information production process, and often it is far more expensive to retrospectively make information accessible if correct decisions were not made early in the process.

In practical terms, Council must give thought to how it can deliver its public information through multiple channels and formats, including electronic accessible formats, and in plain language and sign language.

Council must also ensure the front line call centre staff are well versed with the kinds of issues likely to be raised by people with disabilities, so these can be handled most effectively when they arise.

Accessible and Effective Public Transport

If people with disabilities are to live, work, learn, do our everyday business and recreate in a modern city such as Auckland, then we need to be able to move freely and easily throughout the urban environment like everyone else. Many people with disabilities are unable to drive and are fully reliant on public transport.

We acknowledge real efforts are being made to address the transport needs of people with disabilities. But it is apparent from the proceedings of Auckland Transport's Transport Accessibility and Advisory Group, and from our own lived experience, that there are many on-going difficulties that are taking some time to overcome that seriously detract from people with disabilities being able to easily move throughout the area.

Auckland Council must direct Auckland Transport to develop its own comprehensive plan complete with milestones and time frames, to show how and when it will make public transport fully accessible to people with disabilities. Auckland must ensure the needs of people with disabilities are factored into all levels of planning and implementation of transport services. As vehicles are replaced and upgraded, Auckland Transport should ensure they are physically accessible and equipped with signs and other equipment so people with disabilities can make full use of them with full independence and dignity in the same way as anyone else. This includes knowing which is the right vehicle to use, getting on and off, paying the fare, finding a suitable seat and knowing when to get off. Auckland Transport must also ensure physical facilities such as terminals and bus stops and information such as timetabling are accessible to people with disabilities. Auckland must also remain committed to an effective Total Mobility taxi scheme to provide other transport options for people with disabilities

Inclusive Events and Access to Arts and Culture

People with disabilities want to participate fully in the social life of the city. We like to go to concerts, museums, the theatre and to other artistic and entertainment events like everyone else. We acknowledge Council's commitment to a comprehensive events policy, and we hope this will lead to people with disabilities participating more in such events, not just as members of the public but also as artistic performers.

Council staff responsible for public events or granting permits must take all reasonable steps to ensure events cater for the needs of people with disabilities. As a matter of course, when allocating funding and/or issuing permits for events, Council staff must give due consideration to aspects such as accessible information and publicity, sign language, guides and helpers, and accessible portaloos.

Auckland must ensure organisations that receive Council funding or which use Council owned venues will take all reasonable steps to include people with disabilities in their activities. Strategies to achieve this may include providing sign language and audio description on certain sittings, making ushers available who can give extra help, and targeted advertising. We note with pleasure that The Edge, which manages some public venues for the Council, is developing such strategies.

Auckland must also ensure its venues are accessible to people with disabilities. Certainly many such venues are accessible. The DSAP has noted however that some venues such as swimming facilities tend not to be accessible or are not properly equipped for people with disabilities. Venues such as concert halls, meeting rooms and recreational facilities are there for public use, and over time Auckland must make every effort to ensure all such facilities are accessible to people with disabilities so we can have the same opportunity to use them as everyone else.

Local Boards

People with disabilities can be found actively participating in and contributing to Auckland's local and neighbourhood communities . Council must ensure Local Boards have clear objectives and obligations in their plans designed to ensure local community environments are fully accessible and inclusive. We note with pleasure the recent work done to develop an accessibility plan for the Waitemata Local Board and hope that this will serve as a good example for other areas.

Management and Reporting

A comprehensive disability strategy will have little practical effect unless there is clear reporting to the governing body and to the general public on how Auckland is implementing the strategy and progressing towards being fully inclusive.

Auckland must build into the Performance agreements for the Chief Executive, key management staff and CCOs , an obligation to report on the strategies and procedures that are implemented to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are met.

Valuing the Voice of People with Disability

A comprehensive disability strategy cannot be developed without the voice of people with disabilities. Auckland must actively involve the entire disabled community. This involves gaining a good understanding of the various groups and organisations that make up the disability community, how they differ and how they should be included in consultation. The DSAP can help ensure consultation with the disability community is effective and fully representative of our diverse needs.

Disability Advisory Panel

30 March 2015

xx April 2015

Chief Executive

Auckland Council

Private Bag 92300

Victoria Street West

Auckland 1142

To the attention of Tanya Stocks

Dear Stephen,

The Disability Advisory Panel appreciates the opportunity to provide strategic advice to Auckland Council on matters in the draft Long-term plan relating to people with disabilities. As Chair of the Disability Advisory Panel, I will speak to this advice at the Budget Committee meeting on 14 April 2015.

This letter sets out

· the purpose of the Disability Advisory Panel

· contextual information about people with disabilities

· the need to link actions and the budgeted programme

· advice in relation to transport, housing, jobs, recreation and accessible information

· advice on the Council’s key consultation questions.

Purpose of the Disability Advisory Panel

The Disability Advisory Panel was established in June 2011. Its purpose is to provide strategic advice on pan-disability issues to the Mayor, governing body, local boards, Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) and Council on:

· the interests and preferences of persons with disabilities in Auckland in relation to regional strategies, policies, plans, and bylaws of the Council;

· any other matters that the Panel considers to be of particular interest or concern to persons with disabilities in Auckland; and

· processes and mechanisms for engaging with persons with disabilities in Auckland.

Contextual information

Aucklanders with disabilities are members of the public, pay rates and are entitled to receive services from Council on the same basis as everyone else. People with disabilities want to be active citizens and participate fully in society, but face barriers to things that most people take for granted, such as access to information, transport, buildings, and the physical environment. A liveable city is an accessible city for all.

The 2013 Disability Survey, NZ Statistics, shows that 271,000 Aucklanders (19% of the resident population) are limited in their participation and inclusion in society by impairment, environmental barriers and attitudes - this excludes the temporarily disabled population. Physical impairment and aging are the commonest causes. It is noteworthy that 53% of the national disabled population have more than one impairment. Children under 15 with life-long disabilities represent around 11% of the disabled population nationally - learning impairment is the commonest barrier for children.

The size of the Auckland region's disabled population is increasing with population growth and an increasing proportion of elderly. Currently 11.5% of Aucklanders are aged over 65, (NZ Statistics, Census 2013), 59% of whom will have some impairment.

Auckland Council has statutory obligations to people with disabilities, which arise from such legislation as the Human Rights Act 1993 and the Bill of Rights 1990, which prohibit discrimination on the grounds of disability. The Building Act 2004 requires all buildings to which the public are admitted to have reasonable and adequate facilities for disabled people to visit and carry out normal activities there. There are many examples of existing council facilities that don’t meet this standard.

Auckland Council also has its own policies regarding disability (some of which are set out in the Appendix). These policies seek to promote the inclusion and participation in society and independence of people with disabilities.

Good design of the built environment can minimise barriers to participation for around 25% of Auckland's population. There are many recent examples of infrastructure and buildings provided by Auckland Council and its CCOs which are being designed in accordance with principles of universal access, including train stations, libraries, community centres, events centres, etc. There are also excellent examples of information being provided in ways that meet the needs of people with a range of disabilities, such as during this draft long-term plan consultation. Design, planning and consenting for open spaces, streetscapes and all places intended for public use influence access and remains a problem.

A significant challenge for Auckland Council is to address existing barriers in the existing physical environment and also information provision, which need to be overcome over time in order to meet its statutory and policy objectives. Feedback from people with disabilities at the Have your say event on 11 March indicated emphasised that Auckland Council needs to address and fix what isn’t working before it starts adding new infrastructure and facilities.

Actions and the budgeted programme

The Disability Advisory Panel advises that Auckland Council should check that the Long-term Plan has sufficient budget to deliver the actions in Auckland Transport's Disability Policy and make significant progress in relation to the direction set in the Auckland Plan. It has been confirmed to the Disability Advisory Panel that council staff will develop and implement a Disability Action Plan to determine what can reasonably be done to allow Auckland Council to meet its obligations to people with disabilities. The Disability Advisory Panel supports this and provides a useful mechanism to monitor and report on achievements.

The Disability Advisory Panel advises that resources required to implement these actions should come from existing funding. The Disability Advisory Panel urges Auckland Council to focus on design that is effective, efficient and accessible, not gold plated - get it right first time and so avoid spending additional resources later to fix foreseeable problems.

The removal of barriers of access for people of all ages and abilities should be integrated into all infrastructural development, maintenance, renewals and upgrades. As part of normal planning and Council's core business, proposed capital and operational spending over the next ten years should remove barriers and incorporate into projected budgets specific outcomes, reportable timelines and expertise that ensure people of all ages and abilities are able to access the region's facilities, services and amenities intended for public use with the same directness and dignity as all other ratepayers.

There are immeasurable co-benefits to the rest of the community by implementing the five universal access design principles, plus the principle of reasonable accommodation, (see definition at end of this letter), when considering budgets, compliance and consents.

Auckland Council should consider setting 5 and 10 year targets for the elimination of barriers to people of all ages and abilities, within the context of what is affordable and achievable. Auckland Council should require its CCOs to also contribute to these targets, with appropriate accountabilities in suitable planning documents.

Five priority areas of action

1. Transport

Auckland Council’s funding of universal access in the design and build of transport infrastructure and public transport vehicles needs to become the norm, so enabling people of all ages and abilities to participate fully in community life. Budget allocations over the next ten years must aim for an accessible Auckland, close the access gaps and make the region progressively barrier-free. Auckland Council should ensure that the actions set out in Auckland Transport’s Disability Policy (included in the Appendix) are embedded in the budgeted programme in the Long-term Plan. Auckland Transport has its own disability advisory group, one of whose members is the Blind Foundation. The Blind Foundation has requested the Disability Advisory Panel to support the following improvements in transport access by Auckland Transport:

• Ensuring accessibility of the urban environment, including pedestrian crossings, in areas surrounding transport interchanges, shopping centres etc.;

• footpaths and road crossings and the need for them to be maintained in a safe state;

• audible traffic signals with a commitment to promptly fix faults;

• well-designed interchange facilities, railway stations and bus shelters;

• accessible timetables and electronic passenger information displays at bus stops, railway stations and ferry terminals;

• an accessible integrated ticketing system that alerts us to deductions from the AT HOP cards at the same time that sighted people see deductions;

• braille and large print numbers at bus stops;

• being able to flag down the bus we want to catch;

• audible announcements on buses, trains and ferries to alert us to the next stops;

• a review of the maximum subsidy on the total mobility fare;

• and more.

2. Housing

Accessibility provisions in the Building Act and Code relating to housing are outdated and currently do not require private dwellings to be fully accessible. Adaptable, affordable and accessible social housing of the LifeMark type ought to be dotted through communities and developed as part of ordinary infrastructural growth. The Disability Advisory Panel supports Auckland Council exploring ways to ensure an appropriate percentage of housing stock is available in Auckland that meets the needs of persons with disabilities.

3. Jobs

The Disability Advisory Panel supports Auckland Council fostering work readiness schemes and enabling employment of persons with disabilities on merit. The recent youth employment summit is a good example of linking job seekers and employers and providing support to overcome barriers to employment.

The Panel also supports Auckland Council’s recognition of the value of a diverse workforce: recognising the value of people with disabilities as workers and being a role model employer of people with disabilities and knowledgeable disability advisors.

Recreation. Include access to open spaces and places for passive recreation as well. EG some places for swimming, be it beaches or pools. Such facilities will influence budgets and planning, and while the point of full inclusion should be budgeted for, and that has been well made in the letter, some illustrative expectations should be put forward.

4. Recreation

Recreation includes community facilities and access to open spaces and places for passive recreation as well. The Disability Advisory Panel advises Auckland Council to ensure that the budget allocated for new community facilities does not reduce the requirement to design and provide for universal access for people with disabilities in new community facilities. Auckland Council should ensure that an appropriate amount of funding is allocated to retrofit existing community facilities to provide for universal access.

5. Accessible information and signs

The Disability Advisory Panel advises Auckland Council to ensure that sufficient budget is available to enable it to comply with the Auckland Council Accessible Information and Communication Guideline 2013 and the Inclusive Engagement Guidelines (currently being finalised). The Disability Advisory Panel commends Auckland Council for the inclusive communications used in the draft LTP process. The Disability Advisory Panel is seeking improved accessibility of public information provided by the council and its CCOs, such as public signs, information in water bills and accessible information on council’s website.

Council’s key consultation issues

Auckland Plan Transport Network vs Basic Transport Network: The Disability Advisory Panel advises that the Auckland Plan Transport Network would benefit people with disabilities more than the basic transport network. This is particularly because the new public transport network relies on greater transfer between bus services and bus and train services. It must be possible for people with disabilities to get off one service, easily find and get to the next service and get on board. Accessibility must be fundamental throughout the whole network, including interchange facilities. Additional investment in transport would benefit people with disabilities provided it addresses accessibility issues.

Development Auckland: Auckland Council has a great opportunity to show leadership through a single Development Auckland agency, particularly because accessibility provisions in the Building Act and Code are outdated and currently do not apply to private dwellings. Development Auckland could help ensure an appropriate percentage of housing stock that it proposes to supply meets the needs of persons with disabilities. However, it is critical that accessibility and universal design are fundamental principles that guide all development of Council owned property. If the Property and Waterfront agencies merge, then the new CCO Statements of Intent and other KPRs reflect the new entity's obligation to remain responsive to the needs of people of all ages and abilities.

UAGC: It might be assumed that people with a disability tend to be on lower incomes and tend to own or live in lower value properties and so might benefit from a reduced UAGC. But on other hand, disabled people often need to live near urban centres and close to public transport. Such properties are higher value and thus some people with disabilities might benefit from an increased UAGC. UAGC to favour being closer to urban centres is better for many people with disabilities to be actively involved in the city. On balance the compromise proposal regarding the UAGC at $385 seems the most equitable rate for the disabled community.

Local Board Priorities: While we uphold the right of local boards to make local decisions, local projects must comply with Council disability policies and recognised accessibility standards, and contribute to the vision of Auckland becoming the world's most liveable city. Implementation of Local Board Plans ought to comply with a Council ethos of barrier-free inclusion and be immune from cutting corners on the grounds of cost. The Disability Advisory Panel supports the development of local board accessibility plans, which have been developed by some local boards.

For clarification, references to universal access and reasonable accommodation in this letter should be interpreted in accordance with the following.

Universal access design principles guide universal access:

• Puts people at the heart of the design process

• Acknowledges diversity and difference

• Offers choice where a single design solution cannot accommodate all users

• Provides for flexibility in use

• Provides buildings and environments that are convenient and enjoyable to use for everyone.

Reasonable accommodation means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustment, not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden where needed in a particular case, to ensure persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. (See UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Disability Advisory Panel looks forward to discussing the matters raised in this letter with your staff and elected members.

Yours sincerely

Clive Lansink

Chair of the Disability Advisory Panel

Appendix

Auckland Council policies on disability

The Auckland Plan and Auckland Transport’s Disability Policy are key documents that highlight the Council’s strategic direction in relation to people with disabilities and Auckland Transport’s action to provide universal access in the transport system. The Disability Advisory Panel has provided feedback on a range of policies and plans that include matters relating to accessibility including the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, Accessible information and communication guidelines (still in draft), Auckland Transport Code of Practice (still in draft), etc.

Auckland Plan

The Auckland Plan contains high level directions regarding provision for people with disabilities including:

“There is unrealised potential for Aucklanders with disabilities to contribute socially and economically. Barriers that prevent this, such as attitudes and physical access, must be addressed.” [Para 183]

“Removing structural or institutional barriers so that all Aucklanders are viewed and treated equally is fundamental to improving the well-being of all, and realising the full potential of our diverse populations.” [Para 191

“Around 300,000 Aucklanders have a disability, and this number will grow as the population ages. Persons with disabilities want to be active citizens and to contribute to society, but face barriers to things that most people take for granted, such as access to information, transport, buildings, and the physical environment. However, persons with disabilities say that the biggest barriers are the attitudes others have towards them.” [Para 233]

“Housing incorporating universal design principles should be part of the mix of typologies within neighbourhoods, to provide choice and inclusion for persons with disabilities.” [Para 622]

“…the [transport] system must be designed for safe and universal access for all, including children, older persons and those with disabilities” [Para 755]

Auckland Transport Disability Policy

Auckland Transport recognises the need to take specific actions to ensure that the transport system provides for the needs of people with disabilities.

Actions:

In undertaking its functions and duties, Auckland Transport will:

1. Endorse the concept of the accessible journey as key to integrated AT planning for transport infrastructure and public transport services.

2. In accordance with the principles set out in ATCOP, take steps to ensure the transport network is safe and accessible for all users by designing, building and maintaining infrastructure (including roads, footpaths, stations, interchanges and buildings) to ensure that no users of transport facilities are disadvantaged and that all have equal opportunities to travel.

3. Continue to support consultation through the TAAG and ensure that disabled people and/or disability agencies are consulted either through the TAAG or directly when planning public transport infrastructure and services, and work with them to identify and resolve accessibility and safety issues.

4. Ensure that all public consultation documents are provided in accessible formats to enable disabled people to participate fully.

5. Identify target groups and areas where service and infrastructure planning can help people with disabilities and specify services (or specific elements of services) that must be operated by accessible vehicles, as stated in the RPTP.

6. Conduct an accessibility audit when public transport routes are reviewed or redesigned, to include infrastructure and walking access, to identify any accessibility shortfall and recommend areas for improvement as part of the overall network design, and to ensure that information is provided before changes are implemented.

7. As set out in the RPTP, ensure that public transport vehicles and vessels meet required standards for disability access in compliance with NZTA Requirements for Urban Buses, AT standards for ferries and .AT’s EMU – Technical Specifications.

8. Ensure that services information is accessible and widely available by using appropriate formats and media including both visual and audio channels.

9. Specifically consider the information needs of disabled people when network changes are proposed and implemented and when new infrastructure is provided or when improvements or changes to existing infrastructure are proposed.

10. Continue to support the Total Mobility scheme and ensure that all drivers on Total Mobility services have specialist training in order to provide adequate and appropriate assistance to disabled people.

11. Provide concession fares on public transport services for Total Mobility card holders.

12. As stated in the RPTP, work with operators and Auckland Transport facilities managers to ensure that training for drivers, crew and other staff in contact with the public includes appropriate assistance for disabled people and continue to require such training as a condition of service contracts.

Disability Advisory Panel

30 March 2015

Disability Advisory Panel – Final Work Programme 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2015

Key Programmes and Priorities	Sub-programmes	Other key agencies	Delivery	Implementation	Overlap with other Panels	*Planned* *date*
Employment	Feedback on council’s Inclusive Employment Forum report		Community Development, Arts and Culture	Auckland Council	PPAP	February 2015
Transport	Input to AT (directly and via CPAG and PTAG) to support universal access in its designs and service delivery; including: · ongoing input to support accessible public transport that is user-friendly and safe around rail crossings, terminals and interchanges · promotion of the need for clear signage and audible information on transport movements, destinations and timetables.	Auckland Transport	Community Development, Arts and Culture Auckland Transport	Auckland Transport	YAP SAP	June 2015
Accessibility (buildings, environs, events)	Input into accessible open and recreational spaces, including parks, pools and beaches with accessible toilets, for people of all ages and abilities		Parks, Sports and Recreation	Parks, Sports and Recreation	SAP	June 2015
	Dialogue with the Urban Design Panel to ensure it applies the principles of universal access, reasonable accommodation and personal safety		Council and CCOs	Council and CCOs	SAP	March 2015
	Progress from submission on the Building Code (Built Environment)	Office for Disability Issues	Built Environment	Built Environment		May 2015
Housing	Input to support provision of a range of affordable and social housing designed for safety and convenience, and that accommodates diverse needs	Housing NZ MBIE	Housing Project Office	Housing Project Office	All	March 2015
Long Term Plan Consultation	Input to council’s Long Term Plan consultation approach (joint input from all panels)		Communication and Engagement	Communication and Engagement Community Development, Arts and Culture	All	March 2015
General	Discussions with Councillors and CCO CEs about disability issues and the need for a disability strategy		CPO			February 2015
	Input to council’s Family, Whānau and Sexual Violence Multi-Sector Action Plan		Community and Social Policy	Community Development, Arts and Culture		March 2015
Community Summit(s)	Housing? (tbc)	Tba			All	June 2015

Chairperson	Clive Lansink
Deputy Chairperson	John Herring
Members	Colleen Brown, MNZM, JP
	Dan Buckingham
	Jade Farrar
	David Hughes
	Nicola Keyworth
	Don McKenzie, CNZM, OBE
	Susan Sherrard
Liaison Councillor	Sharon Stewart, QSM

Author	Kevin Wright – Lead Officer Support
Authoriser	Kevin Wright - Lead Officer Support

Author	Martine Abel – Strategic Advisor (Disability)
Authoriser	Kevin Wright - Lead Officer Support