Report from the meeting of 26 March 2009
South Ayrshire Access Panel meets on the last Thursday in each month and tackles issues relating to making the environment, facilities and services in South Ayrshire available to all its residents.
SDEF have invited our Access Panel to a meeting, along with those of North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, Cumnock and Doon Valley and Dumfries and Galloway. The aim is to bring together all Access Panels in the area to take forward suggestions for capacity building and the meeting should also be a good opportunity to meet and exchange ideas.
Panel members were given copies of the Inclusive Design Handbook - a best practice guide - to examine.
Planning applications under consideration this month include requests by the Panel for door handles to be changed at premises in Culzean Road, Maybole to have more clearance space and for level access to be provided, the slope of the access ramp to premises in Longbank Drive, Ayr, is insufficient, level access to be provided to buildings at Gowlands Terrace, Barrhill, Girvan and for the disabled parking bays at Belmont Academy, Ayr, to be reserved for the exclusive use of disabled drivers.
If building modifications permit, Ayr Shopmobility will return to their original premises at the rear of the Kyle Shopping Centre at the beginning of May. Shopmobility will be present at the Ayr Flower Show and will take a stall in the hope of raising some of the necessary funding.
With regard to Kassel kerbs, after discussion, it was concluded that, since this matter had been running since 2006 with little or no progress for some time, the subject should be closed.
The RNIB Campaign for the High Rate of Mobility for Disability Living Allowance for Visually Impaired people has been a success with the Government agreeing that severely visually impaired people will be entitled to the DLA higher rate of benefit as from 2011.
Regarding the access modifications required for the Clydesdale Bank in Prestwick, it was decided not to proceed with this matter any further
The Panel were advised that there are new, audible traffic lights at the King Street/Main Street crossing in Ayr.
Reports from previous meetings - November 2005 onwards - can be found in the News archive.