Report to the Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services
Report submitted by: Executive Director of Adult Services, Health and
Wellbeing
Date: 10 December 2013
Part I - Item No.
Electoral Divisions affected:
All
Provision of Changing Places Facilities
(Appendix 'A' refers)
Contact for further information:
Habib Patel, Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing Directorate, (01772) 536099
[email protected]
Executive Summary
A proposal to provide Changing places facilities at locations across Lancashire.
Recommendation
The Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services is recommended to:
(i)
(ii)
Approve the proposals to install Changing Places facilities at three specified
locations across Lancashire as set out in the report.
Approve the proposal to undertake a feasibility study on the location of a
fourth Changing Places facility as set out in the report.
This is deemed to be a Key Decision and Standing Order 25 has been complied
with.
Background and Advice
The County Council agreed as part of its 2013/14 budget, an allocation to provide
four Changing Places facilities at locations throughout Lancashire. Changing Places
facilities are designed to meet the needs of an estimated 230,000 people nationally
with substantial physical disabilities, complex needs and/or learning disabilities, their
families and friends for whom a "standard" accessible toilet does not provide the
necessary space or equipment to meet their needs. The availability of Changing
Places facilities will allow those people to visit locations in Lancashire and enjoy
days out in the knowledge that suitable facilities are available nearby to meet their
toileting/changing requirements.
The Changing Places consortium has recommended that facilities are provided in
town centres, major retail, or other facilities or at bus and railways stations so that
people who require such facilities can enjoy the same opportunities to visit places of
interest, leisure activities, etc as everyone else.
-2A Changing Places facility includes equipment such as a hoist and changing bench
and is also much larger than a conventional accessible toilet. Families and friends of
people needing a Changing Place often state that they cannot go out for a full day
unless such a facility is available to meet the toileting and changing needs of their
relative so increased availability of such facilities would help all those people enjoy
visits to town centres, leisure activities, etc which other people take for granted.
To identify potential locations where facilities might have the most benefit, a scoping
exercise of existing facilities has been undertaken and Directorates have been
contacted to identify potential County Council service points which might be willing to
host a Changing Places facility and which would meet the external recommendations
of either a town centre location or transport "hub".
Two District Councils offered premises for consideration and consultation is
underway with Learning Disability Partnership Boards, Carers Forums, Older
People's Forums and other interested parties.
Five locations have been identified as potentially suitable for Changing Places
installations where the premises managers are supportive of managing and
maintaining the facilities and where it is potentially feasible to install such facilities to
meet the Changing Places standards. Two locations have been identified in
partnership with District Councils. The sites identified are:
Proposed Site
Chorley Town Hall
(in partnership with Chorley Borough Council)
Preston Mobility Centre
(in partnership with Preston City Council)
Nelson Library or Burnley Library (subject to a
feasibility study as to the most appropriate
location)
New Accrington Bus Station
Total
Estimated Cost
(£000's)
50
100
70
50*
270
(*£50,000 contribution to the scheme)
Consultation is currently taking place with Learning Disability Partnership Boards and
other community organisations to seek their views on the proposed locations and
suggestions for further provision should there be any under spend from the current
allocation.
A further report with recommendations for additional changing places facilities within
the existing allocation, together with the outcome of the feasibility study on the
suitability of either Nelson Library or Burnley Library, will be presented for
consideration once the current consultations and schemes are concluded.
-3Consultations
Consultations are concurrently taking place with the three Learning Disability
Partnership Boards, Physical Disability Partnership Boards, Carers Forums and
Older People's Forums.
Implications:
This item has the following implications, as indicated:
Risk management
Whilst Changing Places facilities are not mandatory in new or existing buildings, the
recognition of the value of these facilities to a section of disabled people, their
families and friends is increasing. They are included as a good practice proposal in
the new version of Part M of the Building Regulations "Access to and Use of
Buildings".
In relation to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), the County Council's
commitment to increase the availability of Changing Places facilities in Lancashire
can be seen as contributing to meeting the second aim of the PSED's general duties
– i.e. to promote equality of opportunity for people with a protected characteristic(s)
The provision will enhance facilities at those premises where a Changing Places
facility is installed.
Facilities that are to be located in premises outside of County Council ownership will
require legal and property agreements as appropriate.
Financial
The current proposal represents an initial phase of using the budget allocated to
provide Changing Places facilities at four locations throughout the county and to
cover any contingencies. It is proposed that any underspend on these facilities and
remaining allocation is used for a second phase of provision at other identified
locations.
Equality & Diversity
An Equality Analysis has been undertaken and is attached at Appendix 'A'.
List of Background Papers
Paper
Date
Contact/Directorate/Tel
Part M of the Building
Regulations "Access to and
Use of Buildings".
January 2013
Habib Patel, Adult
Services, Health and
Wellbeing Directorate,
(01772) 536099
-4Reason for inclusion in Part II, if appropriate
N/A