Disability Action Plan

Belfast City Council 2022-25
Disability Discrimination Order

Foreword

As the democratically elected body representing the people of Belfast, it’s important for us to be conscious of the Disability Discrimination Act 1998 when carrying out our functions and providing civic leadership.

This Disability Action Plan is an important document which reaffirms Belfast City Council’s commitment to fulfilling our statutory obligations in compliance with Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006) which places new duties on public authorities to:

• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life

The council’s Disability Action Plan (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Plan’) sets out how we propose to positively meet these new duties.

The council exists to serve the people of Belfast and to provide civic leadership on issues of concern to the people who live and work in the city.

We will ensure that all councillors and council employees are aware of the DDO disability duties. We will take the lead to ensure that the necessary resources are made available for preparing councillors and employees to deliver the actions set out in this Plan. We wish to ensure that the Disability Action Plan is implemented effectively in the true spirit of our commitment to the DDO duties.

Councillor Christina Black

Lord Mayor of Belfast

John Walsh

Chief Executive, Belfast City Council

Introduction

1. The council – its role and functions
2. Public life positions
3. Commitment to the effective implementation of the disability action plan
4. Internal arrangements
5. Annual Report
6. Three-year review
7. Appendix 1: Measures to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourage the participation of disabled people in public life

This Disability Action Plan can be obtained from Belfast City Council in alternative formats, including large print, Braille, audio cassette, computer disk, easy read, sign language format and plain language. You can also download it from our website. Our website is accessible (we work towards level AA of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0). The council will also consider requests to produce this document in other languages. If you require the document in these or other formats please contact the Equality and Diversity Unit on (028) 9032 0202 or equality@belfastcity.gov.uk

1. Introduction

1.2 Belfast City Council is committed to the fulfilment of these disability duties in all parts of our organisation and have set out how we intend to do this in our Disability Action Plan.

We will allocate all necessary resources (in terms of people, time and money) in order to implement effectively this Plan and where appropriate, build objectives and targets relating to the disability duties into corporate and annual operating plans.

We will also put appropriate internal arrangements in place to ensure that the disability duties are complied with and the Plan effectively implemented. We will ensure the effective communication of the Plan to staff and provide all necessary training and guidance for staff on the disability duties and the implementation of the Plan.

We confirm our commitment to submitting an annual report to the Equality Commission on the implementation of this Plan as well as carrying out a three yearly review of this Plan. We are committed to consulting with disabled people when implementing and reviewing the council’s disability plans.

1.3 We will undertake a planned programme of communication and training on the disability duties for all staff and councillors. This training will coincide with our induction training, refresher training and councillor training on disability. Training timescales are evidenced in the Plan.Responsibility for implementing, reviewing and evaluating the Plan and the point of contact within Belfast City Council will be:

Equality & Diversity Unit
Address: Room 117, City Hall, Belfast, BT1 5GS
Telephone number: (028) 9032 0202
Email: equality@belfastcity.gov.uk
SignVideo: www.belfastcity.gov.uk/

1.4 We confirm our commitment to submitting an annual progress report on the implementation of this plan
to the Equality Commission and carrying out a three-year review of this Plan, or plans submitted to the Equality Commission over the three year review period.

A copy of the Plan, our annual progress to the Equality Commission and our three year review of this Plan will
be made available on our website www.belfastcity.gov.uk