Deaf and Disabled Stakeholders

9 Feb 2012

London SE1 2AA

I chaired the meeting of key London organisations of/for disabled and Deaf people. These meetings provide a useful opportunity to engage stakeholders on my policies and initiatives and ensure they have an opportunity to inform policy development. Through such engagement structures, I have sought to ensure that disability equality is mainstreamed in all GLA functions and policies.

The key agenda items included the revised London Housing Strategy, the TfL Accessibility Plan and the GLA response to the Public Sector Equality Duty.

On the revised London Housing Strategy item, currently being consulted on, the participants discussed a number of issues regarding accessible housing. It was noted that the key objective of TfL Accessibility Plan is to enable independent journeys while Dial-a-Ride, Taxicard and Capital Call funding will continue. Delegates were also informed about the authority’s intention to produce objectives (which will be reviewed every 4 years) to meet the needs of disabled and Deaf people in its response to the Public Sector Equality Duty. They were asked to send through data and information on the inequalities disabled people experience to add to the existing evidence base. The equality objectives will be outlined as part of my revised equality framework, Equal Life Chances for All II.