Minutes of the Inclusion
& Access Advisory Group
Meeting Date: Monday, 24 May 2021
Location: Council
Chambers, City Administrative Building, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 11.02am
The following members were present:
Clr Patricia White - Chairperson
Ms Lesley Zandstra – representing The Hon Fiona
Phillips MP
Ms Jackie Kay
Mr Chris Mitchell
Ms Penelope Espinoza Hallett
Mr Bill Deaves
Ms Nola Stephens
Ms Kylie Knight (remotely)
Others Present:
Mr Michael Paine - Senior Community Development Officer -
CEO Nominee
Mr Colin Wood - Manager - Certification & Compliance
Ms Carly McWalters - Team Leader - Community Capacity
Building
Apologies were received from Clr
Nina Digiglio, Frederick Oberg, Arthur Ball, Lily Wright, Annette Pham and Theo
Bagou.
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Confirmation of the
Minutes
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RESOLVED (Nola Stephens / Bill Deaves)
That the Minutes of the Inclusion & Access Advisory
Group held on Monday 22 February 2021 be confirmed.
CARRIED
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Nil
Reports
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IA21.8 Update on
Actions - May 2021
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HPERM Ref: D21/87705
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Clr White and
Council Staff addressed the meeting in relation to the items in the Action
Table and made the following comments:
·
IA19.5 - Additional Item - Disability Awareness Training -
Councillors - Clr Training & Development Program - now complete and has
been superseded by IA20.14 - Additional Item - Consider Annual Disability
Awareness Training Program for Councillors and Staff.
·
19.21 - Ulladulla Subway and Services NSW Accessible Parking
Investigation - Defer to Staff - Strata Owners:
o
Meet with Service NSW regarding accessible parking at Ulladulla
Subway and Service NSW and report back to next meeting.
·
IA20.14 - Additional Item - Consider Annual Disability
Awareness Training Program for Councillors and Staff
o
Council to further investigate whether there is a section for
applicants to include their disability on the Council employment application.
o
Receive a report from Council’s Human Resources team as
to how they see these statistics could be recorded.
o
Request someone from Human Resources to attend next meeting to
discuss how we could track statistics of staff with an identified disability.
·
IA21.4 - Additional Item - Footpath & Kerb Ramp Repairs -
Nowra - Scenic Dr / Hyam St / Bridge Rd - Further investigate time frame for
footpath to be fixed by contractors Fulton Hogan.
·
IA21.6 - Additional Item - Ramp Exits from Stocklands and
Accessible Spaces at Kmart Ulladulla - Investigation / Report request –
Council staff to further investigate and meet with Stocklands regarding the
possibility of improving the existing steep ramps to meet wheelchair and
disabled access requirements.
·
IA21.7 - Additional Item - Funding from Accessible Parking
Fines - Budget Allocation - Implementation of Disability Inclusion Action
Plan - Report request
o
Report went to Council and was carried.
o
The new Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) is currently
being developed.
o
Once the DIAP is finalised, the IAAG will need to identify the
prioritised action plan projects and estimate the costs of the prioritised
projects.
o Surplus funds
from Accessible Parking Funds the quarterly 2021-22 budget review and future
years are to be set aside for DIAP prioritised action plan projects.
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Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That
1. The
Inclusion & Access Advisory Group receive the Update on Actions report
for information.
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RESOLVED (Lesley Zandstra / Penelope Espinoza Hallett)
That
1. The
Inclusion & Access Advisory Group receive the Update on Actions report
for information.
2. IA19.5 -
Additional Item - Disability Awareness Training - Councillors - Clr Training
& Development Program - is complete and removed from action table (Recommendation
superseded by Item IA20.14)
CARRIED
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IA21.9 Working Group
- Promote and Engage
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HPERM Ref: D21/187073
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Note: Kylie Knight joined the
meeting at 11:25 (remotely).
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Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That
1. The Committee endorse the proposed actions
developed by the working group as stated below.
a. Increased promotion of the IAAG and its
functions.
b. Increased promotion of people with a disability
within the Shoalhaven via inclusive and positive social media/media campaign
c. Increased committee membership through a
membership expression of interest (EOI)
2. Council develops an EOI application to increase
membership for the Committee.
3. The
Committee endorse a Planning Day, scheduled after a completed membership
recruitment period.
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RECOMMENDATION (Nola Stephens / Jackie Kay)
That
1. The Committee endorse the proposed actions
developed by the working group as stated below.
a. Increased promotion of the IAAG and its
functions.
b. Increased promotion of people with a disability
within the Shoalhaven via inclusive and positive social media/media campaign
c. Increased committee membership through a
membership expression of interest (EOI)
2. Council develops an EOI application to
increase membership for the Committee.
3. The
Committee endorse a Planning Day, to be scheduled for the first quarter of
2022 after a completed membership recruitment period.
CARRIED
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IA21.10 Disability Inclusion
Action Plan review - Committee update
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HPERM Ref: D21/188144
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Carly McWalters provided an update to the meeting:
·
Kylie Knight has been chosen to sit on the DIAP Assessment
Panel and Flagstaff were selected to deliver DIAP.
·
Extensive consultation is being held across Council Directors,
Councillors and Council staff.
·
Council urges all Committee Members to complete the survey
online either as a community member or as a business at https://getinvolved.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/diap-2021.
For anyone experiencing difficulty completing it online, contact Council
staff who can then make contact with Flagstaff for assistance.
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Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That:
1. The
Inclusion and Access Advisory Group receive this report for information.
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RESOLVED (Kylie Knight / Nola Stephens)
That the
Inclusion and Access Advisory Group receive this report for information.
CARRIED
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Introduction of Items as Matters
of Urgency
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RESOLVED (Clr White / Bill Deaves)
That the following addendum
report be introduced as a matter of urgency:
1. IA21.12
Membership Application
CARRIED
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The Chairperson ruled the
matter as one of urgency as it relates to urgent business of Council and
allowed its introduction.
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Addendum Reports
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IA21.12 Membership Application
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HPERM Ref: D21/206390
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Members discussed the membership
application received from Jennifer Anstiss.
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Recommendation
That Council appoint
Jennifer Anstiss as a community member of the Inclusion & Access Advisory
Group.
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RESOLVED (Clr White / Nola Stephens)
That the
Inclusion & Access Advisory Group thank Ms Anstiss for her excellent
application and advise that the Committee does not generally accept
membership from representatives of community groups or CCBs, and that she may
resubmit her application as a community representative to the Committee for
consideration.
CARRIED
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General Business
The following items were
raised in General Business and are considered outside of the Terms of Reference
of the Inclusion & Access Advisory Group:
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IA21.11 Accessible Parking -
Milton Showground – Other Showgrounds and Public Venues
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HPERM Ref: D21/142456
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Lesley Zandstra advised that she had
recently attended Berry Showground for an event and discovered that disabled
community members are not permitted to park inside the Showground premises
and are required to park at Berry train station. They then have to make their
way along the footpath to the Showground, which is challenging for people
using walkers and similar support equipment. Additionally, there is no clear
direction of travel from the train station to the Showground.
This is common at other Showgrounds in
the Shoalhaven, for example Milton and Kangaroo Valley Showgrounds, as well
as at other public venues. Clear direction for people with
disabilities needs to be provided for any event held at public venues across
the Shoalhaven.
Note: This matter has been noted and will be considered in
the review of the Shoalhaven City Council Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
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SHOALHAVEN ENTERTAINMENT
CENTRE - DISABILITY ACCESS
·
Bill Deaves advised that he had asked for an automatic door to be
included at the Bridge Road entrance of the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre
however it has not been included in the upgrade.
PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS AND PUBLIC
TRANSPORT
·
Penelope Espinoza Hallett advised that:
·
In her local area of Worrigee there is very limited access via
pedestrian pathways, for example there is no safe way to cross the highway
anywhere at South Nowra.
·
She would like to be able to see a more continuous network of
pathways, as a lot of them stop at street junctions.
Public
transport is severely lacking especially for disabled people. It’s a
struggle to easily find the bus timetable and locate the bus stops as they are
not clearly marked or identified.
MOLLYMOOK SANDGATE CEMETERY -
DISABLED PARKING SPACES
·
Bill Deaves on behalf of Theo Bagou advised that Mollymook
Sandgate Cemetery still has no disabled parking and requested further
investigation.
Note: This
item was removed from the Action Sheet at the IAAG’s meeting of 4
November 2019. As reported at the time:
Discussed with the Bereavement
Services Manager who advised that there is no dirt car park at Mollymook
Cemetery. People have been parking in an area that is not for parking. That
area is designated for expansion of the lawn cemetery. There is also an informal
car park on the opposite side of Ocean Street on the corner of Mitchell Parade
that will not be formalised. There is a project underway to kerb and gutter
Ocean Street for more formalised parking on the street. There was a CEO Note
regarding this as well. No further action.
ULLADULLA SUBWAY AND SERVICES
NSW ACCESSIBLE PARKING
·
Accessible parking is still an issue for the carpark at Ulladulla
Subway and Service NSW.
ANNUAL DISABILITY AWARENESS
TRAINING PROGRAM FOR COUNCILLORS AND STAFF
·
In discussion, there was a query as to whether there is a section
for applicants to inform Council of any disability on the Council employment
application forms. This could be a valuable source of recording statistics for
disabilities in the workplace.
Note: This matter has been noted and will
be considered in the review of the Shoalhaven City Council Disability Inclusion
Action Plan.
COMPLETION OF FOOTPATH & KERB RAMP REPAIR - SCENIC
DRIVE / HYAM STREET / BRIDGE ROAD
·
Discussion took place about the damage that has been caused and
the work that needs to be carried out by contractors Fulton Hogan to repair the
Footpath & Kerb Ramp at Scenic Drive / Hyam Street / Bridge Road.
RAMP EXITS FROM STOCKLANDS
·
The exit ramps at Stocklands are really steep and therefore not
wheelchair and disabled access friendly. There was discussion about meeting
with Stockland Management and the possibility of moving the disabled parking to
the Woolworths end of the carpark and improving the ramps for easier access.
OTHER GENERAL BUSINESS
·
Clr White asked that Council ensure that members of the IAAG be
included in any applicable community consultation or community engagement
invitations via email going forward.
·
Nola Stephens mentioned that the Foodworks Worrigee development
does not include any outside seating at the front of the building and if it
would be possible going forward to ensure Council includes seating when
approving plans for such developments.
·
Disability Inclusion & Access Plan workshop to be held Thurs
10 June 10:00 - 11:30 at Council Admin building.
·
Kylie Knight queried the additional cost to incorporate the use
of Braille on any new business cards, particularly Councillors. Michael Paine
advised that the Community Connections team have ordered new cards with Braille.
There being no further business, the meeting concluded, the
time being 12.44pm.
Clr
Patricia White
CHAIRPERSON