Hobsons Bay City Council

Disability Advisory Committee (DAC)

Minutes

Wednesday 28 June 2017

6pm to 8pm

Chairperson: Cr Tony Briffa

Minute Taker: Tom Bevan, Metro Access and Inclusion Officer

1.  Welcome and Apologies

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Present

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Cr Tony Briffa

Helen Kowalyk

Daniela Kotevski

Ellen Hibbert

Bernard Graham

Anne Knight

Lee Ogden

Tom Bevan

Kate Naish, Melbourne University

Kelly Kundrat, Melbourne University

Travis Peck, Melbourne University

Brendan Dowd, Melbourne University

Daniel Schofield, Melbourne University

Apologies

Dianna Lane

Gerry Carton

Cr Colleen Gates

Callan Riley

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2.  Matters arising from previous minutes

Access issues

·  Lee Ogden raised the ongoing issue concerning the lack of ramped access points cut into pavements adjacent to accessible parking. A specific example given of 89 Ferguson Street, Williamstown.

·  Cr Gates flagged the lack of a ramped access points within the accessible parking zone at Central Square Shopping Centre, Altona Meadows.

·  Daniella Kotevski related a wheelchair access issue at pedestrian crossing at Aldi, Central Square Shopping Centre, Altona Meadows. The crossing is too deep to accommodate wheelchairs safely.

Council’s Traffic and Amenity team are investigating 89 Ferguson Street as part of a review of accessible parking options on Douglas Parade and Ferguson Street in Williamstown.

Central Square management team are collaborating with Council to assess access points within the shopping centre’s car park.

ACTION: Council to investigate and pursue appropriate outcomes at both sites

Accessible Beaches

ACTION: Council to send Accessible Beaches “faces of the beach” review document to committee members. In addition Council will share the Accessible Beaches stage two evaluation report when complete

3.  Hobsons Bay Community Fund Inclusion Project

Hobsons Bay Community Fund and Melbourne University have teamed up to deliver on their recommendations from last year’s social inclusion of young people with a disability in sport in Hobsons Bay and Wyndham project. The team presented the following overview of their project:

This three year project is funded by Hobsons Bay Community Fund.

Over the next two months, with the support of Metro Access and the Sports and Recreation team, six Master of Social Work students will be working full time on building a local network of inclusive sport champions, capturing positive participation sports club stories, and producing a local inclusion guide for sports clubs, coaches, parents and children in Hobsons Bay and Wyndham.

The students will also investigate potential for an inclusive club sport award and grant options.

The project represents a unique innovative approach to community development, building capacity and delivering on community needs through Melbourne University collaboration.

The students will be running two community review sessions of the inclusion guide out of Compton Green Real Estate in mid July. DAC members are invited to attend, dates and times to come.

The students are seeking connections to sailing, netball and cricket clubs, have prioritised contacting parents and young people playing sport, as well as linking up with the indigenous residents and community groups.

ACTION: Council to share DAC members’ contact details to support collaboration and ensure members are connected to the working group

4.  Advisory Committee Review

Committee members were notified that all Council committee terms expire on 30 June 2017, making this the last meeting of the committee. Members were also reminded that Council has been undertaking a review of its advisory committees. The future model of advisory groups is still being worked through by Council and will be informed by Hobsons Bay 2030 Community Vision and the new Council Plan 2017-21.

Members were thanked for their valuable time and significant contribution to Council and the Hobsons Bay community.

Committee members provided feedback of their collective view on the future of the committee as follows:

“given that the DAC plays such a significant role in supporting people with a disability in the community it should continue to exist as a stand alone and not be merged into a more general committee, therefore ensuring voices of people with a disability be heard, acknowledged and acted upon.”

ACTION: Council to inform members on the outcomes of committee review

5.  Other Business

Access issues

·  Cr Briffa notified DAC of an inaccessible pedestrian refuge on Mount and Blyth Streets in Altona

ACTION: Council to investigate and report back

6.  Close of Meeting at 7.35pm

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