Livability discussions with MPs to go ahead in April

Comms Team

02/04/15

Livability can confirm that in mid-April we will be hosting MPs and prospective MPs for a series of discussions on disability issues.

At York House in Ossett (Wakefield constituency) Livability will be hosting prospective parliamentary candidates for a chance to hear from Livability’s beneficiaries on the issues concerning them. Livability hopes to gain representation from all major parties in the area.

The York House discussion will take a Question Time format where residents will be involved in questioning the politicians on key issues, such as: the shortage of accessible housing, accessible transport and the impact of recent governmental policy changes. The discussion will be chaired by Sophie Goodchild, health editor at the London Evening Standard and will coincide with the launch of the new York House friends group; a group of volunteers who help to fundraise for their local service in the community.

‘It’s an opportunity for MPs to hear about the issues that matter most to our service users. A chance to put a face to the people that will be servicing as leaders. To show that the policies made in the future will affect real people within the community.’

Within the Bromley community near Nash College, Livability will also be hosting a young people’s conversation in partnership with  Experts by Experience who offer information, support and training to deaf and disabled people and carers, in the local community.

In the run up to the general election Livability also conducted a survey into the accessibility of MPs constituency offices, finding that:

• 39% could not be entered by wheelchair users as they did not have a level access or a ramp
• 42% did not have wheelchair accessible doors inside the building and were too narrow for wheelchair users to move through
• 41% did not have disabled toilets
• 46% were not near a disabled parking space.