Disabled people attended local ‘question time’ style hustings event
A Brighton and Hove charity that supports disabled people was joined by over 50 residents in an evening of lively discussion and debate at hustings event they have organised.
Possability People held the event on Wednesday 26 April, from 4 – 6.00pm, so that anyone who is interested or affected by issues relating to disabled people could put their questions or concerns to all the political parties standing for election to Brighton and Hove City Council in the local elections which take place on 4 May.
The panel included:
- Brighton and Hove Independent Party: Bridget Fishleigh
- Conservative Party: Tim Hodges
- Green Party: Councillor Steph Powell
- Labour Party: Councillors Amanda Grimshaw and Gilliane Williams (to allow for a reasonable adjustment)
- Liberal Democrat Party: Robert Brown
Geraldine Des Moulins, Possability People’s Chief Executive, says:
“Lots of local issues affecting disabled residents have been in the public eye recently. From transport to toilets, parking, the cost of living crisis, employment or social care. Indeed, in March alone, our Advice Centre handled more enquiries than ever before with over 800 contacts recorded; our Community Employment Service supported 54 people and received 28 new referrals last month”.
“We believe it’s vital our local councillors have an opportunity to share their views on how they will support disabled people if they are elected, and we also hope they will listen to the views and experiences of the residents they are accountable to”.
Panel members were asked to describe their party’s vision for how Brighton and Hove can be the most accessible, inclusive city it can be.
Questions from the audience included:
What will you do to ensure that an “inclusive design” approach is applied to ALL council run/commissioned services to eradicate the exclusion of disabled people as a result of non-inclusive design and (in)accessibility restrictions to services?
All disabled and learning disabled adults in Brighton and Hove have to pay a contribution from the meagre benefits to the local authority. Will you support reducing or scrapping these unfair payments to adult social care?
We hear the phrases Carbon Neutral 2030, Liveable City, Active Travel & Car Free City Centre being touted – but BADGE’s 600 disabled members tell us these changes are making their city more Unliveable and their lives LESS healthy or active. One of our BADGE members is a long term resident of Gardner Street, recently closed to traffic during the day, with disabled bays removed completely. The impact of these Committee supported Council decisions means the Resident is now imprisoned in their home, unable to even get to vital medical appointments.
Can you outline your understanding of the discrimination faced by disabled people with disabilities and what your priorities would be in removing barriers to accessibility?
What will you do to help disabled people not on disability benefits to apply and receive it? Applications are long and complex and put many disabled people off.
You can watch the recording of the event here.
We’re sorry that the sound is less perfect than we’d hoped in places (it starts off a bit muffled but does improve). We had some technical problems at the venue.