MPA Disability Agenda

Report: 15
Date: 16 November 2006
By: Chief Executive and Clerk

Summary

The purpose of this report is to outline the background to and the current progress of the MPA Disability Agenda.

A. Recommendations

That members agree:

1. To review the progress made by the Metropolitan Police Service in regards to the outstanding issues from the MPA Disability Agenda, which are to be progressed via the MPS Single Equality Scheme.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The MPA commissioned the Greater London Action on Disability (GLAD) to produce a report and hold a conference on policing issues affecting disabled people. The key findings and action points from the draft report were presented to the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board (EODB) in September 2004 and formed the basis of discussion at the community conference in October 2004.

2. Over 100 people attended the conference bringing together disabled Londoners, MPS employees, members of the MPS Disabled Staff Association, the MPS Strategic Disability team and representatives from organisations across London.

3 The final report, Disabled people and the police - a new relationship? was put before the Community Engagement Committee in December 2004 and presents ‘The Disability Agenda’ giving clear directions by which the MPA and Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) can provide a fair police service to the requirements of London’s disabled people.

4 The Disability Oversight Group was set up in response to the report, and was a sub-group of the MPA Equal Opportunities & Diversity Board. Kirsten Hearn chairs both the Board and the Group. The group was charged with overseeing progression of the 12 recommendations of the Disability Agenda.

5. Deaf and disabled Londoners want an efficient police force. The ‘Disability Agenda’ outlines how the police need to act to ensure that the service is meeting the needs of London’s diverse disabled communities. By failing to act on the 12 recommendations, the MPS will continue to fail deaf and disabled people in London. Throughout the recent Generic/Disability Equality Schemes user involvement events, one of the clear messages that the MPA received from delegates, was that the MPA and MPS need to provide clear feedback on how information provided by communities has been utilised and what impact it has had on policing policy and procedures. This is a fundamental principle of community engagement best practise.

6. The Oversight Group held its last meeting on 3 October 2006. It is expected that all outstanding actions from the Disability Agenda, which are in the process of being acted on by the MPS, will be taken forward under the MPS Single Equality Scheme, which will encompass the MPS Disability Equality Scheme.

7. The MPA also sponsored, in partnership with Transport for London, and took part in the London Emergency Planning Seminar with Deaf and Disabled People on the 17 March 2006. This event also provided valuable feedback by a significant number of deaf and disabled people who raised concerns about the extent to which their needs were met within the emergency resilience plans that were implemented by major London authorities following the July 2005 terrorist attacks in London.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The forthcoming Disability Equality Duty under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 makes it increasingly important for the MPA and the MPS to meet the needs of the deaf and disabled community. The MPA Disability Agenda (the recommendations identified within the report) signposts ways to tackle discrimination and inequality in the service that the police provide to all Londoners. If the MPS, and the MPA, fail to ensure that the needs of deaf and disabled people are met, both will have failed in their duty to ensure discrimination is eliminated and that equality of opportunity and good relations between all groups is being actively promoted.

D. Financial implications

1. There are no direct financial implications arising for the MPA from this report. However, there may be financial implications for the MPS as it seeks to enact and progress the 12 recommendations.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Julliett Fearon-Knott, Hamera Asfa Malik & Kim Webster, MPA

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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