Harlow Council has agreed to setup a new Disability Action Panel to give residents with disabilities a voice in the decisions the council makes.
A motion, proposed by Councillor James Griggs (Labour) and the Leader of the Council, Councillor Dan Swords (Conservative) was debated by councillors on Thursday night (2 November) and was unanimously agreed.
The start of the motion reads:
“This council recognises that many disabled residents, their families, and carers believe that they do not have a voice and their opinion is often not heard. They are more used to having solutions to issues imposed upon them rather than as a result of consultation. Their lived experience and ideas for a better, more understanding and accessible Harlow should be at the heart of every relevant discussion and decision made by this council.”
The motion goes on to propose the creation of a new Disability Action Panel.
The new panel will be chaired by the Leader of the Council and will include councillors from all political parties and Harlow’s MP. Residents with disabilities and representatives from charities and groups who work with people with disabilities will be invited to attend meetings.
The panel will give residents with disabilities a voice and enable them to directly influence the way the council responds to issues of concern to them. Through the leader of the council the panel will be able to make direct recommendations to the council’s Cabinet for implementation and approval of expenditure relating to the recommendations. The panel’s work will be non-political including its recommendations and activities.
The panel is scheduled to have its first meeting this month where it will agree its terms of reference. The panel will meet once every three months.
