6 October 2006
Help us improve our services
Wealden District Council is asking disabled people to help improve its services.
“We are committed to providing a good service to everyone. To do this we need to ask disabled people to tell us how they find our services…what sort or experience they have had, where we might be letting them down, and how we can improve things,” said Councillor Nigel Coltman, Leader of Wealden District Council.
“According to East Sussex in Figures, one in six people in Wealden has a limiting long-term illness or disability. The new Disability Equality Duty for public services serves to remind us to take our equality responsibilities seriously. As a seriously disabled person myself, I already keep a close eye on our how our services are provided to all of the community but we need to hear from more disabled people whether our services reach them properly.”
The East Sussex Disability Association (ESDA) is helping Wealden District Council with the survey which will involve a questionnaire, focus groups and one-to-one interviews. ESDA has a well-established expertise in research based on the actual experience of disabled users.
The questionnaire can be completed online at the Wealden website, www.wealden.gov.uk for the next three weeks, or by hand in standard, large print, Braille or audio tape/CD versions. The different versions of the questionnaire can be obtained from ESDA by telephoning 01424 421411 or emailing theresa@eaconsultancy.co.uk .
Alternatively researchers from ESDA can help participants complete the questionnaire over the phone or in person.
Responses to the questionnaire will be forwarded directly to ESDA where two researchers will collect and analyse the information. The research results will be reported to Wealden District Council, but all comments will remain confidential.
ESDA would also like to hear from disabled people who are interested in taking part in focus groups or interviews. All expenses will be paid.
“We ask all those interested in participating in this research to complete the questionnaire by October 27,” said Councillor Coltman. “It is important you have your say.”
The Wealden website now is now speech-enabled, which means users can download the Browsealoud software, and once installed, will be able to listen to the words on the screen by moving the mouse over them.
For more information please contact the Policy & Review office at Wealden District Council on 01323 443184 or email PR@wealden.gov.uk .
