Here is today's reply to the Freedom of Information question from 18 September about how the accessibility budget has been spent in this area.

14 November 2008

An official update is as follows:



It is going to done, hopfuly before Christmas
IT was hard work getting done, but I am please say it has pay off.
I will keep you informed.
I am  sorry I did not e-mail you sooner, but I have been on holiday

Kind regards


cllr frances king

Since the Matters Arising at the previous meeting, two questions are being answered under the Freedom of Information Act on behalf of the Reigate & Banstead Access Forum. 

See  www.whatdotheyknow.com .

One question is to Surrey and Sussex Hospital Trust about the parking policy at East Surrey Hospital and the comment "There are a lot of rich disabled people".

The other question is to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council about the £200,000+ that was sent by Surrey County Council for improving access in the town centres over the last four years.



There is also some news about the HPV cervical cancer vaccine. Please contact Grace for full details. 

This is the best colour for the walls -
the FLUSH levers need to be a distinctive colour so they can be seen easily.

Thank you to Janet Hill at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council for asking a resident in North Street, Redhill to cut back their heavily overgrown garden. It was completed almost overnight once she stepped in on behalf of the Access Forum. The pavement is now accessible again.

          At the AGM on 3rd July, Chris Rivers (Head of Estates) gave a talk on Access Issues at the East Surrey Hospital. He welcomed the involvement of the Access Forum and offered to return to another meeting if required. Priorities from the hospital’s Access Audit were being established, and no development would happen without access questions being addressed. The lack of toilets compliant with national guidelines was evident. This was a priority. Upstairs floors have been refurbished and lower floors will follow, as will improved lighting. The Information Desk may be lowered, written signage in Outpatients may be introduced and general signage in the hospital improved. Internal clutter in corridors had been removed.

          Externally, disabled parking bays were to be repainted and increased in number. It was acknowledged, however, that the abuse of parking bays was not policed. Drop off points at entrances were often abused by long term users.

          Chris Rivers was thanked for his contribution.

The new Ha Ha at Reigate Priory Park was turfed on 19 June 2008.

This was the feedback from Nina Porter, the Project Manager on 20/4/2007 after a meeting with the Access Forum:

1) HaHa - after the concern expressed about the haha drop, I discussed
the issues raised with the Heritage Lottery Fund and our landscape
architects and have agreed that we will use the area of grass between
the haha and the path as a planting area to include a range of bulbs to
ensure flowers throughout the year.

2) Additional toilet facility near the lake - this issue was also
discussed with HLF, the Friends of Priory Park and with the Programme
Board to which I report.  It has been agreed that the request requires
additional user research which will be possible once the new facilities
are open (ie. to assess demand for the additional toilets).  This
research will be built into the new Management and Maintenance plan. 

3) Parking in Park Lane opposite allotments - I have still to
investigate this further and will report back once I have further
information.

4) Pavilion - I confirm there will be an electronic door for the
pavilion.  The window in the disabled toilet is being placed at a height
of 1.55m and will be sandblasted glass (allowing light but minimal
vision).

The main path along the south front of Reigate Priory School.



Door for disabled access - push button on the post to the right.  

Success!

Following Barry's email to Surrey County Council regarding the path to East Surrey Hospital (Marian had tried many times herself, sadly without success), the pathway is to be put on the priority list to be re-surfaced. Unfortunately they cannot give a date at present. 

Give your views on social care reform during the current six month government consultation on the future of social care.

        Visit www.lcdisability.org/socialcare

We have been sent this petition to the Prime Minister. To sign it, click the link below.

Surrey County Council signed up for the Every Disabled Child Matters Charter for local authorites, and hopefully Surrey PCT - will be doing the same. CONGRATULATIONS to a member of FABRAB, Gemma Roulston , who managed to get both public bodies in Surrey to sign up to their charters. The web-site to get more details is www.edcm.org.uk.

Gemma is also doing a survey of the car parks in Surrey - to see how many car parking spaces there are, and how many are reserved for the disabled. If anyone can let her know the figures for this, she would be grateful to receive this info. She is doing Council car parks, first - and then she will do hospitals etc. later.  Well done Gemma! Great initiative.

There will be a meeting of the Reigate and Banstead Access Forum on Thursday 24th April at 11 a.m. in the Park Room at Reigate Park Church, Park Lane East, Reigate.
Phone Barry Samuel on 01737 243308 for details or a lift.

Happy Easter!

Here is an e-petiton that Gemma Roulston has created on the number 10 website. She says please sign up, and pass onto others.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/blbadgers/

Many congratulations to Mr and Mrs Sharp who were married on Saturday 21st July at Reigate Park Church.

Dave and Doreen are pictured here walking down the aisle. The congregation is singing "Always look on the bright side of life". There is a Guard of Honour by the 34th Scout Group (Meadvale).