Mid Suffolk Disability Forum
Minutes of the Meeting held at the Salvation Army Centre, Violet Hill Road, Stowmarket, IP14 1NE, on Wednesday, 18th October, 2017,
from 10.30am-1pm
Present:
Linda Hoggarth - Resident / Avenues East / Disability Forum for
Suffolk / Chair
Christian Bone - Head of Community Engagement, East of
England Co-operative Society
John Booty - Performance and Relationship Manager,
Shared Revenues Partnership
Terence Carter - Resident / Vice-Chair
David Finn - Manager, BSEVC
John Grayling - Corporate Manager Food and Safety, Babergh
Mid Suffolk District Councils
Paul Hughes - Corporate Manager-Building Control, Babergh
& Mid Suffolk District Councils
Cllr Wendy Marchant - Mid Suffolk District Council
Cllr John Matthissen - Mid Suffolk District Council
Gareth Moir - Building Community Capacity Officer, Suffolk
County Council
Dawn Spurling - Needham Market Town Council
Elizabeth Storey - Community Development Officer, Healthwatch
Suffolk
Isabell Stribling - The Richmond Fellowship
Doug Swayze - Resident
Sue Swayze - Suffolk Axis / Resident
Helen Toffanello - Resident
Hilda - ACE (Anglia) Ltd
Anya Wooddissee - ACE (Anglia) Ltd
Guests
Alan Neville - Acting Customer Engagement Manager,
Greater Anglia
Rebecca Richardson - Accessibility & Schools Liaison Officer, Greater
Anglia
Apologies
Margaret Anderson - BSEVC
Laura Bullard - Communities Officer, Babergh & Mid Suffolk
District Councils
Sue Calver - Communities Health and Wellbeing Officer,
Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Councils
Patricia De Ville - Resident
Stephen Fountain - First Group
Jan Hardcastle - Manager, Suffolk Axis
Brenda Joyce - Suffolk Coalition of Disabled People
Cllr Diana Kearsley - Mid Suffolk District Council
Linda Page - Resident
Rosemary Pooley - Resident
Liz Roper - Resident
Christine Steward - Sensing Change
Heather Tooke - Stowmarket Town Council
Elizabeth Turner - Resident
1. Welcome and Introductions
Linda welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were
made.
2. Apologies
The above apologies were noted.
3. Update – East of England Co-operative Society Stores
3.1 Christian provided the following update. He said that there was now an emphasis on alleviating loneliness and improving health and well-being.
3.2 In terms of their work to improve the shopping experience of people with dementia, stores were now concentrating on improving their environment. The East of England Co-operative Society’s aim is to be a leader in the region for dementia awareness and understanding. They have already won an award from the Alzheimer’s Society. 5,000 staff (90%) have been trained to be dementia friendly. Many external businesses had also received training from them including Greater Anglia and Ipswich Town Football Club.
3.3 With regard to the environment, they were relooking at the signage, décor and aisle spacing following comments from customers with dementia. This represents a shift from people to buildings. Their aim is to achieve accreditation for three of their stores.
3.4 A consultant from Stirling University is visiting shortly to suggest improvements that could be made to the store shopping experience.
3.5 The East of England Co-operative Society has set up a fund of £70,000 to be used in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex to support community projects which improve people’s health and well-being and alleviate loneliness. Suffolk’s share of this is £23k and is being overseen by the Suffolk Foundation. It is anticipated that the first projects will be signed off in the next few weeks. 22 applications have been short listed and these include projects to combat isolation, provide access to facilities, advice and training, befriending schemes and community transport. Christian will provide details of the successful Suffolk projects in due course.
Action: Christian Bone
3.6 In respect of the Needham Market Store, the bollards at the front have to be kept for security reasons, for example, to prevent ram raiding. In order to improve access to the store and the cashpoint for a wheelchair or scooter user, Terence asked if a walking area through the car park could be marked out. Christian said this was a possible solution. He would position security cameras over this area to see the problem for better analysis.
Action: Christian Bone
3.7 A pillar in the Needham Market Store also makes access difficult. Members asked if it would be possible to move the storage, shelving or aisles to make access easier. Christian would look into this.
Action: Christian Bone
3.8 A member of the Suffolk Coastal Disability Forum had raised concerns that there was only one hearing loop available in the Woodbridge Store. Christian advised that there was more than one in that store and said that the signage would be improved to show where the hearing loops were located.
Action: Christian Bone
3.9 Leaflets to advise customers about the facilities for disabled customers had not progressed. Christian said that 76 Stores had now been fully refurbished. Leaflets would be required for all Stores.
Action: Christian Bone
3.10 The monitoring of the Combs Ford Store's parking area had been discontinued but could easily be restarted if necessary. Parking security can be put in easily at any store. The Parent and Child parking space at Combs Ford needs clearer signage.
3.11 It had been reported that the cords on the I Viewers were too short. Christian will look into having the cords lengthened.
Action: Christian Bone
3.12 At the Bramford Store, the parking spaces for blue badge holders need to be remarked and it would be helpful for there to be suitable signage on the wall facing the spaces.
Action: Christian Bone
3.13 Linda thanked Christian for coming to the meeting and requested that he provides updates on the action points for the next meeting.
4. Access to Needham Market Railway Station
4.1 Alan Neville and Rebecca Richardson from Greater Anglia were welcomed to the meeting. Alan is currently Acting Customer Engagement Manager. Rebecca has been appointed as Accessibility and Schools Liaison Officer.
4.2 Alan explained that Greater Anglia’s new franchise started a year ago and will continue until 2025 with a possible year's extension. For the first time, the network has stability and this unlocks investment opportunities. Abellio's franchise had only been for 5 years, during which time they had invested in a train and station refurbishment programme and in training.
4.3 Greater Anglia has certain committed obligations set out by the government such as staff training, maintenance of trains and stations, and technology such as Apps. For example, Greater Anglia are about to launch Club 50, a new railcard for people aged 50 to 65 in East Anglia.
4.4 All the trains in East Anglia are going to be replaced. The new trains are to be built in Derby and Switzerland. The mock ups have been done and disability groups have been consulted and their suggestions have been actioned. The new trains are due for use in 2019/2020.
4.5 All customer facing staff have half a day of accessibility training.
4.6 Alan was keen to point out that Greater Anglia are not taking guards off the trains. The new trains will have power-operated doors that drivers can operate so that the guards can then concentrate on customer service.
4.7 There are two types of assistance available to passengers – pre-booked or turn up and travel. 3,300 people used this service over a 4 week period. This could be helping carry luggage, pushing a wheelchair or guiding someone who is visually impaired.
4.8 With regard to Needham Market Railway Station, Alan said that the partnership working here is very good. In terms of gaining access to the Ipswich Platform, the old Cattle Tunnel belongs to Network Rail, the camping land to a charity and the slope to Greater Anglia.
4.9 Rebuilding the slope to give a gradient that is compliant is not part of Greater Anglia's committed obligations so they have referred the people of Needham Market to Network Rail which has an ‘access for all’ fund. The work undertaken at Needham Market was intended to make the station safe.
4.10 Members made it clear that the current arrangements at Needham Market were exceptionally difficult for disabled people especially wheelchair users who are unable to leave the train at Needham Market and have to go on to Ipswich and then return to Needham Market in order to be able to leave the train.
4.11 Cllr Matthissen said local people were working with Suffolk County Council, Greater Anglia and Network Rail to secure the funding to make improvements. He felt that Network Rail's preferred option of a lift was too expensive but the issue was gaining public support and upping the pressure on government and Greater Anglia to act.
4.12 The 2006 feasibility study of Needham Market Railway Station had suggested altering the slope from the Camping Land through the Cattle Tunnel would cost £5,000. The Ministry of Transport has a £1,000,000 grant for improvements. The application letter has to be submitted in December/January. There is an expert at sourcing external funding at Greater Anglia and he will assist.
4.13 Members pointed out that improving the access to the Station would increase passengers.
4.14 The point was made that when work was carried out at Needham Market Railway Station local people were not consulted and, as a result, the ramp to the entrance is now steeper and does not comply with access requirements.
4.15 A large poster is needed at Needham Market Railway Station advertising the assistance available for disabled passengers. This is the responsibility of National Rail who are not customer facing. Greater Anglia will raise the issue at future National Rail meetings. It was pointed out that people with visual impairments also need to be able to read or access the information on posters.
4.16 Staff at Greater Anglia will have a whole day's training on customer engagement. There has been some co-production work with people with learning disabilities.
4.17 Alan said that any access problems affecting members of the Forum can be reported to him directly. His contact details are: or Tel: 07920 878647. Rebecca is due to be taking over the role and can be contacted at .
5. Our Report on the Access Survey of Stowmarket
5.1 The draft report was approved by the Members who were largely complimentary regarding the amount of work involved.
5.2 Members discussed the best way of taking forward the recommendations and drawing attention to the content. It would be disappointing not to follow through the findings.
5.3 It was agreed that the report should be shared with Stowmarket Town Council, relevant officers of Mid Suffolk District Council and Suffolk County Council, who would be in a position to progress the recommendations.
5.4 It was thought that the moving or removal of the A boards was the responsibility of Suffolk County Council Highways. Members noted that A Boards caused problems in all towns in Suffolk.
5.5 It was agreed to invite David Blackburn, Town Clerk of Stowmarket, to the next meeting to discuss the findings of the report and identify where the Town Council could be of assistance.
Action: Linda Hoggarth
5.6 Members felt that shops and businesses in Stowmarket would benefit from reading the report. John will ask colleagues in the Economic Development Department at Mid Suffolk District Council if they have the ability to contact all the businesses in Stowmarket by e-mail. He will also invite a representative to the next meeting.
Action: John Grayling
5.7 Linda thanked all members for their assistance in providing information on the accessibility or otherwise of shops and businesses, Doug for providing a range of photographs demonstrating the difficulties that were identified and Margaret for her sterling efforts in giving the Mayor an experience of shopping in a wheelchair and for providing a meeting venue at the end of the afternoon.
6. Minutes of the Meeting held on the 19th July, 2017
The minutes were agreed as a true and accurate record.
7. Matters Arising
7.1 Item 6.2 Sharing Ideas and Activities: This work does not appear to have progressed.
7.2 Item 6.5 Post Office, Ipswich Street, Stowmarket: Concerns remain regarding the future of the Post Office once the One Stop Store closes later this year. This would have a serious impact on elderly and disabled people. Cllr Matthissen will continue to seek further information. It was agreed to contact Cllr Nick Gowrley and Arthur Charvonia, Chief Executive, with the Forum's concerns.
Action: Linda Hoggarth
7.3 Item 7.3.1 Pike's Meadow: Rosemary had provided the following update. She has had no further communication but has been told that a perimeter fence is being erected which goes across the area that had been discussed as possible best wheelchair access to the play area. She presumes that the Forum’s input is not required.
7.4 Item 9.2 Closure of Mid Suffolk District Council Offices in Needham Market: Members had asked for information with regard to the closure of the Mid Suffolk District Council offices in Needham Market and the relocation to Endeavour House in Ipswich. Concerns were raised in respect of the public access points throughout Mid Suffolk. John will invite the new Assistant Director of Public Access, Mid Suffolk District Council, who is starting shortly, to a future meeting.
Action: John Grayling
7.5 Item 9.3 Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre: The contact details of Becky Cruickshank from Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre had not yet been provided.
Action: Liz Roper
7.6 Item 10.2 Draft Leaflet – Mid Suffolk Disability Forum: John had mislaid the draft leaflet and this will be emailed to him again so that a supply can be printed.
Action: Linda Hoggarth / John Grayling
7.7 Item 10.3 Stowmarket Dementia Alliance: Details of the next Steering Group meeting had not been made available.
8. Access Issues
8.1 Report from Avenues East: The report covered the following planning applications:
· Land to the north east of Mill Lane, Creeting St Peter – application for business and industrial development. This is an outline application but is new build and will be required to meet the provisions of Part M;
· Land to the south of Stowmarket Business Park – installation of bio-diesel powered generators, no comments required;
· Riverside Farm, Kettle Lane, Creeting St Mary – change of use to facilitate the erection of a timber framed barn and conversion of garage block to build holiday accommodation. There are no drawings to comment on;