community access committee minutes 4 april 2014 agendas and...minutes of an ordinary meeting of the...

City of Bunbury

4 Stephen Street

Bunbury WA 6230

Western Australia

Correspondence to:

Post Office Box 21

Bunbury WA 6231

Telephone: (08) 9792 7000 ◌ Facsimile: (08) 9792 7184 ◌ TTY: 133 677 ◌ www.bunbury.wa.gov.au

Community Access Committee

Minutes

4 April 2014

Committee Terms of Reference

The City of Bunbury Community Access Committee exists to guide the Bunbury City

Council towards attaining best practice on matters of access. The Community

Access Committee is to make recommendations to Council based on the following

Terms of Reference:

1. To develop proposals and make recommendations to Council on matters

of access to City of Bunbury buildings, facilities, services and information;

2. To seek funding opportunities that improve access to all areas within the

City of Bunbury;

3. To guide City of Bunbury departments and Councillors on decisions of

best practice on matters of access to City of Bunbury buildings, facilities,

services or information;

4. To monitor the implementation of the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

for City of Bunbury buildings, facilities, services and information.

Community Access Committee

Minutes A larger print size is used throughout this document

for the benefit of Committee members with visual impairment

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of the Community Access Committee held at the City of

Bunbury Administration Centre, 4 Stephen Street on Friday 4 April 2014.

Minutes 4 April 2014

Members of the public to note that recommendations made by this Committee are not

final and will be subject to adoption (or otherwise) at a future meeting of the Bunbury City

Council.

1. Declaration of Opening

The meeting was declared open by the Presiding Member at 1:05pm.

2. Disclaimer

Not applicable to this committee.

3. Announcements from the Presiding Member

The Presiding Member welcomed Angela Darling, a Disability Services Commission

Local Area Coordinator and Tracey Slattery's replacement during her Leave of

Absence, to the meeting. The Presiding Member also wished Tracey well on her

Leave.

4. Attendances

Present:

Committee Members:

Presiding Member Deputy Mayor Brendan Kelly

Members Councillor Murray Cook

Adam Johnson

Andrew McClean

Margaret Holden (Short on Sight Support Group)

Peter Sears

4 April 2014

Minutes – Community Access Committee meeting

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Page 2

Rhonda Alman

Thomas Blair

Tracey Slattery (Disability Services Commission)

Support Staff:

Community Development Officer Isabell Evans

Community Development

Support Officer

Elizabeth Larkin

Public:

Angela Darling Disability Services Commission

Rob Alman Husband and carer of Rhonda Alman

Ruben Curtis

4.1 Apologies

Anthony Bertone, Deanna Sullivan, Gillian Fry, Kathryn Hewitt, Stephanie

Addison-Brown (Ex-Officio Member).

4.2 Approved Leave of Absence

Nil.

5. Declaration of Interest

IMPORTANT: Committee members to complete a “Disclosure of Interest” form for

each item on the agenda in which they wish to disclose a

financial/proximity/impartiality interest. They should give the form to the Presiding

Member before the meeting commences. After the meeting, the form is to be

forwarded to the Administration Services Section for inclusion in the Corporate

Financial Disclosures Register.

Nil.

6. Public Question Time

Nil.

7. Confirmation of Minutes

The minutes of the Community Access Committee meeting held on Friday 7

February 2014, are confirmed as a true and accurate record.

4 April 2014


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Moved: Tracey Slattery Seconded: Rhonda Alman

CARRIED

9 votes “for”/ nil votes “against”

8. Presentations

8.1 Petitions

Nil.

8.2 Presentations

Nil.

8.3 Deputations

Nil.

9. Method of Dealing with Agenda Business

Actions arisen from previous meetings are discussed in a permanent item in 10.3:

Any other General Business.

In the absence of any 10.2: Members Reports, a roundtable update will take place

following the discussion of all 10.3: General Business items.

10. Reports

10.1 Officer Reports

10.1.1 Approval of revised Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2012 – 2017

File Ref: A05850

Applicant/Proponent: Officer Report

Author: Isabell Evans, Community Development Officer

Executive: Stephanie Addison-Brown, Director Community

Development

4 April 2014


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Summary

The purpose of this report is for the Community Access Committee to

consider supporting the revised Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2012 –

2017.

Following amendments to the Disability Services Act 1993 Western Australian

public authorities have until July 1 2014 to amend their current Disability

Access and Inclusion Plans to incorporate a seventh Outcome.

Executive Recommendation

That the Community Access Committee;

1) Notes and supports the revised Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2012 –

2017 (the “Plan”) to be presented to Council at their Ordinary Meeting

on Tuesday 15 April;

2) Agrees that within the Plan the word 'ongoing' be replaced with the word

'progressive.'

Moved: Tom Blair Seconded: Margaret Holden

CARRIED

9 votes “for”/1 vote “against”

Background

As the Committee is aware, the City of Bunbury has in place a Disability

Access and Inclusion Plan 2012 – 2017 (the “DAIP”) which encompasses six

Outcomes outlining the various ways the City is working to improve access to

its various services and facilities.

Amendments to the Disability Services Act and Regulations gazetted on 11

June 2013 require local government organisations to incorporate a seventh

Outcome into their respective DAIPs prior to July 1 2014.

DAIPs must now include information about how public authorities will

increase the employment opportunities for people with disability, and how

potential barriers to employment will be addressed.

At their meeting dated Friday 7 February 2014, the Committee provided

feedback to the Community Development Officer – Access on potential tasks

4 April 2014


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and strategies to be included in this seventh Outcome. Following this

meeting, additional consultation methods were implemented including an

online and hard copy survey.

As a result of this consultation, a revised DAIP with a draft Outcome has been

developed (see Attachment A).

This Outcome contains numerous strategies and tasks to be completed over

the remaining life of the DAIP, with the Human Resources and Community

Development teams holding primary responsibility for this.

Council Policy Compliance

There is no Council policy applicable to this report.

Legislative Compliance

The Disability Services Act and Regulations 1993 require all Western

Australian local governments to introduce a seventh outcome into their

Disability Access and Inclusion Plans by July 1 2014.

Officer Comments

Through the consultation process (see “Community Consultation” below),

including the Committee round table brainstorm conducted at the previous

meeting, a number of specific actions were identified as potential

components of the new Outcome Seven.

Concurrent with the structure of the DAIP, these specific actions have been

incorporated into broader tasks and strategies. These actions have been

internally noted against the tasks for consideration at the time the tasks are

scheduled for completion. For example, the action “Include a disclaimer at

the bottom of job advertisements encouraging applications from Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander people and people with disability” will be

considered as part of work to complete the task “Review job advertisement

template and process for accessibility.”

Analysis of Financial and Budget Implications

There are no financial and budget implications applicable to this report.

4 April 2014


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Community Consultation

A number of targeted and generalised consultation processes have been

undertaken as follows:

• Round-table brainstorm discussion at Community Access Committee

meeting dated Friday 7 February 2014;

• Survey developed and distributed to Community Development Team

industry networks as well as being made available on the City of

Bunbury website and in hard-copy at the Administration Centre;

• Local Disability Employment Services (DES) individually contacted;

• Face-to-face meeting held with one DES.

Councillor/Officer Consultation

The Human Resources department have been consulted as have staff who

operate volunteer programs within the City (the Manager Wildlife Park,

Senior Visitor Centre Officer and Senior Library Officer Programs &

Engagement).

Deputy Mayor Brendan Kelly and Councillor Murray Cook are aware of this

report.

Committee Discussion

Rhonda Alman questioned whether mention had been made in Outcome

Seven around allowing carers to accompany employees with disability. Isabell

reported that specific actions such as this will be undertaken following the

endorsement of the finalised broader document.

Councillor Cook distributed the Future Possibilities for Employers 2014 flyer

(see Attachment B), an event the City's Human Resources department

attended. Councillor Cook reported that 15 of 200 employees at the Bunbury

Farmers Market have disability which demonstrates a local business

exercising leadership of employment of people of all abilities.

Adam Johnson suggested that the Manager Human Resources attend

Community Access Committee meetings on a regular basis (for example six

months) to report on developments around the Outcome thus generating

increased ownership by the department of the document.

4 April 2014


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Actions:

• Isabell to replace the word ‘ongoing’ with the word ‘progressive’ in the

Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2012 – 2017;

• Isabell to notify the Committee if and when Council adopts the final

revised Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2012 – 2017.

10.2 Members Reports

Nil; see item 10.3.6.

10.3 Any other General Business

10.3.1 Disability Services Commission Board meeting debrief – Deputy

Mayor Brendan Kelly and Community Development Officer Isabell

Evans

Councillor Kelly thanked the Committee for their support of the

Disability Services Commission Board visit on 6 and 7 March 2014 and

explained that the group experienced a number of networking and

learning opportunities during their stay, including dinner with

Disability Services Commission Count Me In Ambassadors and

breakfast with Art Partners representatives.

Isabell informed the Committee of her presentation given to the

Board on disability access and inclusion initiatives in the South West

with an emphasis on the City's activities and role in increasing access

and inclusion in Bunbury.

10.3.2 Koombana Bay toilet block upgrade – Community Development

Officer Isabell Evans

Isabell informed the Committee that the City will be renovating the

toilet block at Koombana Bay, which includes the installation of an

accessible toilet.

However due to funding scope and the plumbing and sewerage

network of the site the entrance to this toilet will be on the car park

side whereas entrances to the gender specific toilets will be on the

beach side.

Isabell requested the Committee's feedback on appropriate signage

directing people to the toilet as well as any other practical

considerations that could be incorporated into the accessible toilet

4 April 2014


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that are not specified in the relevant Australian Standards. Feedback

was as follows;

- Margaret Holden: hooks behind doors for white canes/handbags;

- Rhonda Alman, Councillor Cook, Adam Johnson: access from

building to beach;

- Adam: adult rather than just baby change table;

- Adam: possibility of this block housing the beach wheelchairs;

- Tracey Slattery: addition to the You're Welcome website;

- Tom Blair: large signage at less than 170cm in height.

Councillor Kelly reported that there may be opportunity for the City

to apply for substantial funding in the 2015/16 financial year to

deliver large-scale development of the area.

Action:

• Isabell to investigate scope for integration of suggestions into the

Koombana Bay toilet block renovation.

10.3.3 Centrepoint ACROD bay changes – Community Development Officer

Isabell Evans

Isabell informed the Committee that the alterations to the ACROD

parking bays at Centrepoint which have been previously discussed by

the committee will be completed next Monday 7 April.

Specifically these adjustments entail the moving of the bays on the

North side of the centre (opposite Subway) will be moved undercover

opposite Liquorland to enable better access in adverse weather

conditions.

Isabell also reported that Committee member Rhonda will be present

for a media opportunity informing the community of the changes on

Wednesday 9 April.

The Committee queried what is to happen with the old bays in

consideration of those ACROD permit holders with large vans that do

not fit under the undercover area, to which Isabell reported she will

respond via email.

Actions:

• Rhonda Alman to attend media opportunity at Centrepoint

ACROD bays on Wednesday 9 April;

• Isabell to inform Committee of future use of old ACROD bays.

4 April 2014


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10.3.4 Update of actions from last meeting (see attached minutes) –

Community Development Officer Isabell Evans

Action Status

Committee to forward any other

suggestions for improving

employment rates of people with

disability to the City (via Stephanie

Addison-Brown on

[email protected])

between now and the next meeting.

Completed.

Isabell to return to the Committee

with a draft Outcome Seven at the

next meeting;

Completed; see item 10.1.1.

Isabell to ensure meeting minutes

forwarded on to Director Works &

Services outlining access concerns as

part of Withers laneway closures

community consultation period;

Completed.

Isabell to forward Director Works &

Services, and Withers Advisory

Committee details on to Rob Hesketh.

Completed.

Committee to mark ‘Most Accessible

Regional City’ workshop date and

time in their calendar and RSVP by

Friday 21 March 2014 to

[email protected].

Completed.

Committee to nominate additional

person to attend workshop and send

details along with RSVP.

Completed.

Committee to mark the afternoon of

Thursday 6 March in their calendars

for afternoon tea with the Disability

Services Commission Board.

Completed.

Isabell to continue input of Gopher

Recharge Program on You’re

Welcome and Visit Bunbury websites.

Continuing.

Isabell to report back to committee

regarding costs for Bunbury Wildlife

Park door automation.

Carried forward.

Isabell to list National Relay Service

demonstration on agenda of meeting

Carried forward.

4 April 2014


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in Administration Centre.

Isabell to complete library access

updates.

Continuing – Isabell liaising

with Association for the Blind

WA regarding ZoomText

training.

Isabell to investigate viability of

recording Committee meetings.

Carried forward.

Isabell to query viability of accessible

viewing platform at Groovin The Moo

music festival.

Completed; an accessible

viewing platform will be

installed as per previous

years’ events.

Councillor Kelly to make contact with

Bunbury Forum owners regarding

access between KFC and Eagle Boys.

Carried forward.

Isabell to investigate existence or

otherwise of access standards for the

height of parking ticket machines.

Completed; no stipulations

exist in the legislation as

ACROD permit holders do not

need to obtain tickets.

Deputy Mayor Kelly to investigate

access considerations undertaken as

part of Minninup Forum renovation.

Completed; see text under

table for details.

Isabell to again query installation of

tactile ground surface indicators

along Victoria Street coffee strip.

Completed; tactile ground

surface indicators installed.

With regard to the Minninup Forum item, the Committee resolved to

conduct the following;

Committee Decision

That the Community Access Committee write to Citygate Properties

outlining potential improvements to access at Minninup Forum and

request that if possible they be implemented.

Moved: Andrew McClean Seconded: Rhonda Alman

CARRIED

9 votes “for”/nil votes “against”

The possibility of connecting the City of Bunbury-owned Island Queen

Street footpath from the bus stop west toward the shopping centre was

also raised as a potential action to improve access at the site.

4 April 2014


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Actions:

• Isabell to continue input of Gopher Recharge Program on You’re

Welcome and Visit Bunbury websites;

• Isabell to report back to Committee regarding costs for Bunbury

Wildlife Park door automation;

• Isabell to list National Relay Service demonstration on agenda of

meeting in Administration Centre;

• Isabell to complete library access updates;

• Isabell to investigate viability of recording Committee meetings;

• Deputy Mayor Kelly to make contact with Bunbury Forum owners

regarding access between KFC and Eagle Boys;

• As Chair, Deputy Mayor Kelly to write to Citygate Properties

regarding potential access improvements at Minninup Forum;

• Isabell to investigate scope for extending footpath from the Island

Queen Street bus stop west toward the shopping centre.

10.3.5 ‘Most Accessible Regional City’ workshop debrief and report -

Deputy Mayor Brendan Kelly and Community Development Officer

Isabell Evans

Deputy Mayor Kelly thanked the Committee for their participation at

the Most Accessible Regional City (MARC) workshop held Friday 28

March.

Isabell presented the Committee with a post-workshop report

outlining the data collected and major outcomes as well as

recommendations for future actions (see Attachment C).

Deputy Mayor Kelly requested the Committee read the report

following the meeting and make suggestions or comments via email to

Isabell prior to the next meeting when final resolutions will be made.

Notwithstanding this the Committee did enter discussion around

future plans for the development of the MARC idea as below:

- prior to making recommendation to state and federal bodies for their

uptake of the idea work should be undertaken locally to improve

community inclusiveness;

- Choose Respect Inc could be a potential partner;

- presentation could be made to the newly formed Events Reference

Group on accessible events best practice;

- schools are a potential base for awareness raising;

4 April 2014


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- prior to the completion of local awareness raising efforts a letter

could still be sent to the Disability Services Commission requesting

their comments on how such a prize could be formed;

- wording could be altered from 'most' to 'leading' to maximise

accessibility to the prize for cities;

- potential for recommendation to council that they endorse a time-

specific target to be the most accessible regional city;

- potential for community stakeholder awareness raising to be

incorporated into the distribution of City of Bunbury rate notices.

Actions:

• Committee to read report and contact Isabell with

recommendations or comments prior to the next meeting on

[email protected] or 9792 7075.

• Deputy Mayor Kelly to investigate potential linkages with Choose

Respect.

10.3.6 Member round table update – all present

Community Development Support Officer Elizabeth Larkin welcomed

herself to the Committee and expressed her enthusiasm at being a

part of Committee projects.

Margaret Holden reiterated that education around accessible,

inclusive and welcoming communities must begin in schools.

Tom Blair stated that a public awareness program must be

accompanied by practical works.

Adam Johnson congratulated the City of Bunbury for its commitment

to access and inclusion demonstrated by the permanency given to

Community Development Officer Isabell Evans’ position. Adam also

raised the potential of sub-Committees relating to physical access and

also inclusive community to be discussed further at the next meeting.

Rhonda Alman apologised for her apology at the Most Accessible

Regional City workshop.

Rob Alman reiterated the need for education on welcoming and

inclusive communities.

Ruben Curtis and Peter Sears also reiterated the requirement of

community education.

4 April 2014


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Angela Darling expressed her enjoyment of the Committee’s

discussion.

Tracey Slattery bid the Committee farewell for the six months of her

Leave of Absence and stated she will return to the Committee with

comments on where in her travels she felt welcomed and why or why

not this was so.

Andrew McClean notified the Committee of traffic issues on Ganfield

Street, Bunbury.

Action:

• Isabell to contact Andrew and Activ with a suggestions/complaint

form to be filled out regarding Andrew’s comments.

11. Applications for Leave of Absence

Tracey Slattery; 11 April – 22 October 2014.

Committee Decision

That Tracey Slattery’s Leave of Absence from the Community Access Committee

from 11 April – 22 October 2014 be approved.

Moved: Margaret Holden Seconded: Andrew McClean

CARRIED

9 votes “for”/ nil votes “against”

12. Motions of Which Previous Notice has been given

Nil.

13. Questions from Members

13.1 Response to Previous Questions from Members taken on Notice

Nil.

13.2 Questions from Members

4 April 2014


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Nil.

14. Urgent Business

Nil.

15. Date of Next Meeting

Friday 6 June 2014; 1pm – 3pm; location to be confirmed.

16. Close of Meeting

The meeting was closed by the Presiding Member at 2:45pm.

Actions Required after Meeting

1. Minutes of meeting to be sent to Council for noting;

2. Items to be raised for Council following requests/recommendations/motions

by committee;

3. Any other actions required;

- Isabell to replace the word ‘ongoing’ with the word ‘progressive’ in the


- Isabell to notify the Committee if and when Council adopts the final revised


- Isabell to investigate scope for integration of suggestions into the

Koombana Bay toilet block renovation;

- Rhonda Alman to attend media opportunity at Centrepoint ACROD bays on

Wednesday 9 April;

- Isabell to inform Committee of future use of old ACROD bays;

- Isabell to continue input of Gopher Recharge Program on You’re Welcome

and Visit Bunbury websites;

- Isabell to report back to Committee regarding costs for Bunbury Wildlife

Park door automation;

- Isabell to list National Relay Service demonstration on agenda of meeting in

Administration Centre;

- Isabell to complete library access updates;

- Isabell to investigate viability of recording Committee meetings;

- Deputy Mayor Kelly to make contact with Bunbury Forum owners regarding

access between KFC and Eagle Boys;

- As Chair, Deputy Mayor Kelly to write to Citygate Properties regarding

potential access improvements at Minninup Forum;

- Isabell to investigate scope for extending footpath from the Island Queen

Street bus stop west toward the shopping centre.

4 April 2014


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Page 15

- Committee to read report and contact Isabell with recommendations or

comments prior to the next meeting on [email protected] or 9792

7075;

- Deputy Mayor Kelly to investigate potential linkages with Choose Respect;

- Isabell to contact Andrew and Activ with a suggestions/complaint form to

be filled out regarding Andrew’s comments.

City of Bunbury Disability Access & Inclusion Plan ● Page 1

4 Stephen Street

BUNBURY WA 6230

PO Box 21, BUNBURY WA 6231

Phone: (08) 9792 7000

Fax: (08) 9792 7184

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.bunbury.wa.gov.au

Disability Access

and Inclusion Plan

2012 - 2017

This plan is also available upon request in alternate formats

such as large print, audio, Braille and via email.

ievans

Typewritten Text

ATTACHMENT A


Contents

City of Bunbury Overview ................................................................................................... 3

Functions, facilities and services provided by the City of Bunbury .................................... 3

People with disability .......................................................................................................... 4

Planning for better access ................................................................................................... 4

Progress since the 2007 – 2012 DAIP ................................................................................. 5

Access and Inclusion Policy Statement ............................................................................... 8

Development of the 2012 – 2017 Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) .................. 9

Consultation process ........................................................................................................... 9

Findings from the Consultation Process ........................................................................... 11

Access Barriers .................................................................................................................. 11

Responsibility for Implementing the DAIP ........................................................................ 12

Communicating the DAIP .................................................................................................. 12

Implementation and Review ............................................................................................. 12

Evaluation ......................................................................................................................... 13

Reporting on the DAIP ...................................................................................................... 13

Implementation Plan ........................................................................................................ 15

OUTCOME 1 ...................................................................................................................... 16

OUTCOME 2 ...................................................................................................................... 21

OUTCOME 3 ...................................................................................................................... 30

OUTCOME 4 ...................................................................................................................... 33

OUTCOME 5 ...................................................................................................................... 36

OUTCOME 6 ...................................................................................................................... 39

OUTCOME 7 ...................................................................................................................... 41

Acknowledgements

The City of Bunbury acknowledges the input received from a range of individuals and

community groups who have been invaluable in the preparation of this Disability Access and

Inclusion Plan.


City of Bunbury Overview

The City of Bunbury is the capital

of the South West Region of

Western Australia and is located

176 kilometres south of Perth.

Bunbury enjoys a unique location

of great natural beauty,

surrounded by the waters of

Geographe Bay and the Indian

Ocean, Koombana Bay,

Leschenault Estuary and

Leschenault Inlet, and close to the

rivers and forests of its hinterland.

These natural assets, together with a diverse community, are the foundation on which

Bunbury’s attractive lifestyle and culture are based.

Bunbury is one of the largest regional centres in the State of Western Australia. The City

of Bunbury local government area is home to 31,000 residents. However, the Greater

Bunbury Urban Area, which encompasses the core residential areas and the spill-over

suburbs of Australind in the Harvey Shire; Eaton and Millbridge in the Dardanup Shire;

and Dalyellup, Gelorup and Stratham in the Capel Shire; gives a total population of more

than 62,000; all of whom access Bunbury as their key service centre.

The lifestyle and opportunities available in Bunbury are attracting new residents at a

strong rate. There is significant population growth anticipated over the next 20 years

which will correspond with increasing demands for housing, education and recreation.

It is estimated that between 100,000 to potentially more than 150,000 people could live

in the Greater Bunbury Urban Area between 2031 to 2050.

Functions, facilities and services provided by the City of Bunbury

The City of Bunbury is responsible for a range of functions, facilities and services

including:

Services to property: construction and maintenance of Local Government-owned

buildings; construction and maintenance of roads, footpaths and cycle facilities; land

drainage and development; waste collection and disposal; litter control and street

cleaning; planting and caring for street trees; numbering of buildings and lots; street

lighting; and bush fire control.

Services to the community: provision and maintenance of playing areas, parks,

gardens, reserves and facilities for sporting and community groups; management of

recreation centre and pool; public libraries and information services; citizenship

ceremonies; youth services and community events.

Regulatory services: planning of road systems, sub-divisions and town planning

schemes; building approvals for construction, additions or alterations to buildings;


environmental health services and ranger services, including pet control; and the

development, maintenance and control of parking.

General administration: the provision of general information to the public and the

lodging of complaints and payment of fees including rates and pet licences.

Processes of government: ordinary and special Local Government and committee

meetings; Council meetings and election of Council Members; community

consultations.

People with disability

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Disability, Ageing and

Carers (2009), four million people in Australia (18.5%), identify themselves as having

some form of disability. This translates to just under one in five Australians reporting

disability. The rate of disability increases with age, with 88% of people aged 90 and

over having disability. There are 2.6 million carers who provide assistance to those

needing help because of disability or age.

According to the Bureau’s latest statistics (2011), there are around 2,500 people with

profound or severe disability living within the City’s boundaries and spill-over suburbs.

A report published by the Disability Services Commission entitled: Profile of Disability:

South West Statistical Division: City of Bunbury, indicates that within the City’s

boundaries there are 6,500 people with disability overall.

The Bureau’s 2011 data shows that the percentage of people over 55 living within the

City’s boundaries is 27%, which is above the state average of 23%, and this number is

projected to continue to rise. It is anticipated that in line with this increase, the

incidence of disability will also rise.

These figures lend weight to the importance of this Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

as the primary planning tool for how the City of Bunbury aims to make its buildings,

services, facilities and information more universally accessible. What the figures don’t

reflect are the numbers of people with disability who visit or would like to visit the

region, or the numbers of parents using prams, cyclists, and culturally and linguistically

diverse tourists that have benefited and will benefit from universal access initiatives

undertaken by Council as well as Bunbury businesses.

Planning for better access

It is a requirement of the Disability Services Act (1993) that all Local Governments

develop and implement a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP) that outlines the

ways in which they will ensure that people with disability have equal access to its

facilities and services.

Other legislation underpinning access and inclusion includes the Western Australia

Equal Opportunity Act (1984), the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992


(DDA) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability.

Progress since the 2007 – 2012 DAIP

The City of Bunbury is committed to facilitating the inclusion of people with disability

through the improvement of access to its buildings, facilities, services and

information. The City adopted its first Community Access Plan (CAP) in 2002 to

address the barriers within the community for people with disability, which was

replaced in 2007 with the five-year Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.

Since the adoption of these plans, the City has implemented many initiatives and

made significant progress towards better access, including:

1. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to

access the services of, and any events organised by the City of Bunbury.

• The City worked with Morrissey and Bunbury Community Home Care to create

an accessible senior’s event component to the Australia Day celebrations.

• The Access Officer consulted and worked with the City Events team on the

inaugural Funtabulous Kidfest, to provide improved access including ramps.

• The City organised RIPPA-Fest 2011 and 2010 in collaboration with the Disability

Services Commission, Investing in Our Youth, Activ, and other local agencies, an

event in a public space to celebrate people with disability and their inclusion in

the community.

• City Library redevelopments and renovations were conducted in accordance with

relevant building codes and standards to provide full accessibility.

• Libraries have been investing in equipment and technologies that facilitates

improved access to information to people with impairments, including recent

subscriptions to Audio E Books, Daisy Reader from the Association of the Blind,

Play Aways, iPads and CCTV.

• Library staff have received training in supporting others to use equipment and

technologies for people with impairments, including accessing recent training

sessions from the Association of the Blind on the use of colours, style guide and

font sizes.


access buildings and other facilities of the City of Bunbury.

• The Community Access Committee worked together with the Parking

Coordinator to audit all of the ACROD bays in the CBD area, and all actions were

completed and integrated into the GIS Mapping System.

• Installed a ramp for the Scott Street Viewing Node.

• Installed a concrete path leading from the car park to the picnic table near the

car park south of the City of Bunbury Surf Lifesaving Club.

• Installed an adult change table at the Rocky Point toilet block.

• The City organised for a concrete footpath and patio area to be donated from


Boral Contractors for the Sail into Life program.

• The City worked in partnership with the South West Development Commission,

Enable South West and South West Fundraisers to secure three beach

wheelchairs for residents and visitors to Bunbury.

• The City organised in collaboration with Better Life Centre for two wheelchairs

for visitors to the Bunbury Wildlife Park.

• Achieved funding for the Bunbury Accessible Playground which is in the final

stages of construction.

• The Community Access Committee and Access Officer worked with the South

West Sports Centre to install three new electric door openers to provide

improved access for patrons and staff with disability.

• The Community Access Committee and Access Officer liaised with the South

West Sports Centre for the installation of a new handrail in the South West

Sports Centre change-room.

• The Community Access Committee and the Parking Coordinator worked together

to improve ACROD parking outside the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery.

3. People with disability receive information from the City in a format that

will enable them to access the information as readily as other people are

able to access it.

• The Access Officer liaised with the Association of the Blind on providing

information from Bunbury 2030 consultation campaign in accessible formats,

such as in larger print documentation.

• Advertisements for public consultation DAIP focus groups went into newspapers

in larger print format.

• Information about access and inclusion and the Community Access Committee

was placed on ‘on hold messages’ when people phone the City of Bunbury.

• Access and inclusion information included in the customer service screen

available for public information when in the Council reception area.

• Access and inclusion information included in a variety of different media,

including radio, newsletters, newspapers.

• Completed You’re Welcome WA Access Project in collaboration with the Shires

of Capel and Dardanup, resulting in detailed, up-to-date website information of

local businesses, attractions and facilities that have accessible features.

• Information gathered from various audits of City of Bunbury facilities (toilets,

parking and visitor accommodation), was entered into the City of Bunbury

website to help residents and visitors locate them.

4. People with disability receive the same level and quality of service from

City of Bunbury staff as other people receive from City staff.

• The City organised Disability Awareness Training for the Engineering

Department, attended by six engineers.

• The profile of access and inclusion has been raised amongst City of Bunbury staff


through high profile projects such as the Bunbury Accessible Playground, the

You’re Welcome Access WA Initiative, and RIPPA-Fest (International Day of

Disability).

• The profile of the Community Access Committee has been raised amongst City

staff through regular invitations to attend meetings and hear about access and

inclusion matters being raised.

• The profile of the Access Officer’s role has been raised as a liaison point for City

of Bunbury staff on queries on matters of access and inclusion.


provide feedback and make complaints to the City of Bunbury.

• There is an opportunity for online feedback on the City of Bunbury website

under ‘Accessible Bunbury’.

• There is an ongoing opportunity for feedback to the City of Bunbury verbally via

the Community Access Committee.

• The Customer Service counter was recently renovated to include a lowered

section for people with a wheelchair to more easily approach and communicate

with staff.

• Customer Service staff recently fed back that people using a wheelchair require a

portable EFTPOS machine so they can be served effectively at the lowered

counter in reception; this is in the process of being undertaken.


participate in any consultation by the City of Bunbury.

• Recent Bunbury 2030: Your City Your Say consultations were held in a range of

different accessible venues, and had opportunity for feedback in different forms,

including pamphlets and online.

• The City of Bunbury Cultural Mapping and Strategy Consultations were held in a

range of accessible venues, and people with disability were invited to share their

views and feedback.

• Focus groups for the Disability Access and Inclusion Review were held on site

where possible, for people with disability at their regular meeting venue,

including the Association for the Blind, Milligan House, Enable South West and

the Senior Citizen’s Centre.

• People with disability and their family/ carers were invited to form the Working

Party for the Bunbury Accessible Playground.

• The Community Access Committee has formal community representation

including members with disability.

• The Community Access Committee were consulted on a range of projects,

including:

• City Library renovations

• Closing the Gap Public Artwork installation

• Big W car park renovations


• CBD Style Guide

• Centrepoint car park renovations

• Bunbury Regional Art Gallery renovations

• Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre car park re-development.

• Media releases go to both print and electronic media and are promoted on the

website.

• The proactive Community Access Committee has been meeting regularly and

monitoring the progress of the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan.

• The Community Access Committee regularly has guest visitors and speakers from

a variety of disability organisations and groups, which enables a broad range of

views on disability and access issues from the local community.

Access and Inclusion Policy Statement

The City of Bunbury is committed to ensuring that the community is an accessible and

inclusive community for people with disability, their families and carers.

The City of Bunbury interprets an accessible and inclusive community as one in which

people with disability can access and are welcomed to participate in all Local

Government functions, facilities and services (both in-house and contracted), in the

same manner and with the same rights and responsibilities as other members of the

community.

The City of Bunbury:

• recognises that people with disability are valued and contributing members of

the community who make a variety of contributions to local social, economic and

cultural life;

• believes that a community that recognises its diversity and supports the

participation and inclusion of all its members makes for a richer community life;

• believes that people with disability, their families and carers should be

supported to remain in the community of their choice;

• is committed to consulting with people with disability, their families and carers

and, where required, disability organisations to ensure that barriers to access

and inclusion are addressed appropriately;

• is committed to ensuring that its agents and contractors work towards the

desired outcomes in the DAIP;

• is committed to working in partnership with local community groups and

businesses to facilitate the inclusion of people with disability through improved

access to information, services and facilities in the community.

The City of Bunbury is committed to achieving the six desired outcomes of its

Disability Access & Inclusion Plan. These are:


1. People with disability have the same opportunities other people to access the

services of, and any events organised by, the City of Bunbury.

2. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access the

buildings and other facilities of the City of Bunbury.

3. People with disability receive information from the City of Bunbury in a format

that will enable them to access the information as readily as other people are

able to access it.

4. People with disability receive the same level and quality of service from the City

of Bunbury staff as other people receive from City staff.

5. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to provide

feedback and make complaints to the City of Bunbury.

6. People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to participate

in any public consultation by the City of Bunbury.

Development of the 2012 – 2017 Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (DAIP)

It is the Community Development Directorate and the City of Bunbury Community

Access Committee’s role to oversee the development, implementation, review and

evaluation of the DAIP. The Access Committee is a formal Committee of Council.

Consultation process

During 2012, the City undertook a review of the 2007-2012 DAIP and consulted with key

City employees, community members and local agencies to draft a new DAIP to guide

further improvements to access and inclusion.

The Disability Services Act Regulations (2004) set out the minimum consultation

requirements for public authorities in relation to DAIPs. Local Governments must call

for submissions (either general or specific) by notice in a newspaper circulating in the

local district of the Local Government, under the Local Government Act (1995), or on

any website maintained by or on behalf of the Local Government. Other mechanisms

may also be used. A minimum period of three weeks is recommended for this public

notification, and other mechanisms may also be used.

During April and May of 2012, the community was advised through the local

newspapers, the City of Bunbury’s website, and the South West Agency Partnerships

(SWAP) Network emailing group that there was an opportunity to provide input into

the review and development of the plan. The public were invited to attend a number

of focus groups to provide their input, and thus assist in the continual process of

addressing the barriers that people with disability and their families experience in

accessing information, services and facilities.

The process included:

1. Consultation with people with disability, their families, carers,

disability organisations and relevant community groups (including the

City of Bunbury Community Access Committee):


Focus Groups: Five focus groups were held from the 15th

to the 23rd

of May at a

variety of locations throughout Bunbury, including the Association for the Blind at

Lotteries House, Milligan Resource and Community Centre, The City of Bunbury

function room, Enable Southwest and the Senior Citizen’s Centre.

Participants included people with disability, such as vision, intellectual and mobility

impairments; mothers of children with disability as well as other family and carers;

and professionals working in the field of disability. Participants also included senior

citizens, who themselves have accessibility difficulties in the community.

There was consistent involvement and participation from attendees across the board.

There were sixty participants across the five focus groups. Participating groups

included:

• Focus Group 1: My Time@ Milligan Support Group: parents of children

with disability or a chronic medical condition – held at

Milligan Resource and Community Centre and attended

by 16 participants.

• Focus Group 2: Short on Sight Support Group: people with vision

impairment – held at the Association for the Blind in

Lotteries House, Bunbury, and attended by 14

participants.

• Focus Group 3: People with disability, family members, carers and

professionals – held at the City of Bunbury Council

Function Room, and attended by 15 participants.

• Focus Group 4: People with disability, family members, carers and

professionals – held at Enable South West, and attended

by 7 participants.

• Focus Group 5: Senior citizens – held at the Senior Citizen’s Centre, and

attended by 8 participants.

Survey: participants were also provided the opportunity to record their input on

access and inclusion on surveys provided during the consultation. The survey was also

made available to the public who did not attend the focus groups, by advertising it on

the South West Agency Partnerships (SWAP) email networking group, and providing

the survey to disability, seniors and support agencies.

Public comment: The draft 2012 – 2017 DAIP was opened to the public for comment

for a period of two weeks in July/August 2012.

2. Consultation with City employees and Elected Members of Council:


Staff Briefing of 2007-2012 DAIP Review: March 2012 – Details about the

development of the new DAIP were provided to key City of Bunbury staff, including

managers and operational staff.

Internal Review of the 2007 – 2012 DAIP: April 1012 – The existing DAIP

Implementation Plan and relevant tasks relating to staff areas were provided to key

staff in small meetings following the initial March briefing. Staff members were asked

about the status of the tasks, including whether they were ongoing and needed to be

included in the new DAIP.

Internal Review of the 2012 – 2017 DAIP Draft: July 2012 – The new DAIP

Implementation Plan and relevant tasks relating to staff areas were provided to key

staff in small meetings following the completion of the draft Implementation Plan.

Staff members were consulted on tasks, areas of responsibility, and task timelines.

Their suggestions were inputted into the draft Implementation Plan.

Additionally, elected members were advised through the Community Access

Committee and reports to Council about the draft 2012-2017 DAIP.

Findings from the Consultation Process

The review and consultation found that many of the objectives in the 2007 – 2012

DAIP had been achieved. There were also many strategies and objectives that were

nominated as ongoing or requiring further action, and therefore were required for

inclusion in the 2012 – 2017 DAIP.

The consultation also identified barriers to access and inclusion not previously

captured in the existing DAIP, to be addressed in the new DAIP Implementation Plan.

Access Barriers

While the internal review and public consultation noted a great deal of achievement in

improving access it also identified a range of barriers that included:

• There may be a lack of general awareness in the community of the City of

Bunbury’s policies reflecting requirements for people with disability.

• Difficulty with pedestrian crossings throughout Bunbury can present challenges

to people with disability to access events and services.

• There may be a lack of footpaths in various locations throughout the Bunbury

area, and many footpaths may need repair.

• Some aspects of the City Library and South West Sports Centre buildings are not

as accessible as they could be.

• Information about accessible features is not always provided on event

promotional material, which leads to a lack of knowledge in the community as to

whether events are going to be accessible.

• The City of Bunbury websites may not currently meet best practice standards

and guidelines for accessibility.

• Clear signposting and pathway markings to communicate the placement of City

facilities and services are not always in place.


• City staff and volunteers dealing with the public may not have the knowledge or

confidence to communicate appropriately with individuals that do not

communicate using speech and/or vision.

• City staff and volunteers may not have the appropriate knowledge

or experience to communicate appropriately with people with non

physical disability.

• There may be difficulties for members of the public in receiving updates from the

City of Bunbury about what is happening with their complaint/ feedback, and

response times for complaints and feedback can be lengthy or inconsistent.

• Public transport needs to be taken into consideration when planning

consultations.

The identification of these barriers informed the development of strategies in the

2012 – 2017 DAIP.

Responsibility for Implementing the DAIP

The Disability Services Act 1993 (amended 2004) requires public authorities to take all

practical measures to ensure that the DAIP is implemented by its officers, employees,

agents and contractors.

Implementation of the DAIP is the responsibility of all sections within the City, with

some actions in the Implementation Plan applying to all areas, while others apply to

more specific sections. The Implementation Plan identifies who is responsible for each

action. Agents and contractors will receive a link advising them they are working on a

strategy related to City of Bunbury’s DAIP and in particular if they are in contact with

members of the public that they will be aware of any accessibility issues.

Communicating the DAIP

The availability of the plan will be promoted amongst staff and publicised widely within

the community, including key community disability groups and through the media. Once

the DAIP is endorsed by Council and the Disability Services Commission an

advertisement will be placed in the local newspaper and copies of the plan will be

available for viewing on the City’s website, in its libraries and in the foyer of the

Administration Building.

As plans are amended City employees and the community will be advised of the

availability of updated plans, using the same methods.

Implementation and Review

The Disability Services Act sets out the minimum review requirements for public

authorities in relation to DAIPs. The City’s DAIP will be reviewed at least every five

years, in accordance with the Act. The DAIP Implementation Plan may be amended on a

more regular basis to reflect progress and any access and inclusion issues which may

arise. Whenever the DAIP is amended, a copy of the amended plan will be lodged with

the Disability Services Commission.


This plan is a dynamic document intended to guide the City of Bunbury in its work to

continue to create an accessible and inclusive community for all. To facilitate its

implementation:

• The Community Access Committee will be consulted on the further

development, implementation and monitoring of the plan. The Committee has a

key role to play in providing strategic advice to Council on behalf of people with

disability, their families and carers.

• A review of the City’s 2012-2017 DAIP will be included in the 2017-2022 DAIP

which will be submitted to the Disability Services Commission in 2022. The

report will outline what has been achieved under the City’s 2012-2017 DAIP.

• Community Development Officers in liaison with the Community Access

Committee and other relevant City employees will prepare a report each year on

the implementation of the DAIP, including a status report provided to Council for

formal endorsement.

Evaluation

Once a year, prior to 31 July, the City will provide advice to the community regarding the

implementation of the DAIP and seek feedback on the effectiveness of strategies. This

will inform the further implementation of the plan.

A notice about the consultation process will be placed in the Bunbury Mail newspaper

and in the City’s newsletter, posted on the City’s website, and circulated to disability

service providers, and interested community groups and individuals.

Elected Members of Council and City employees will also be requested to

provide feedback on how well they believe the strategies are working and to make

suggestions for improvement.

Reporting on the DAIP

The Disability Services Act sets out the minimum reporting requirements for public

authorities in relation to DAIPs.

The City will report on the implementation of its DAIP through its Annual Report and

the prescribed progress report template to the Disability Services Commission by 31

July each year, outlining:

• progress towards the desired outcomes of the DAIP;

• progress of its agents and contractors towards meeting the six desired

outcomes;

• The strategies used to inform its agents and contractors of its DAIP.


City of Bunbury

Disability Access and Inclusion Plan

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

2012 - 2017


Implementation Plan

The Implementation Plan itemises what the City of Bunbury will be proposing to undertake in 2012 - 2017 to improve access to its

services, information and facilities for people with disability.

Guide to using the Implementation Plan:

The Implementation Plan is presented using a table to outline the following steps:

1. Barriers related to each of the six outcomes are identified

2. Broad strategies are recommended to minimise or eliminate the identified barrier

3. Strategies are developed into specific tasks that can be initiated

4. A City officer, Community Access Committee member or specific other is given the responsibility of overseeing this

task

5. A timeline is set for a measurable outcome to have been implemented

As outlined in the City of Bunbury Disability Access & Inclusion Plan, some of the broad strategies may not be completed in 2012 –

2017; however individual tasks to support the achievement of those strategies will be undertaken in part or whole in 2012 – 2017

through the Implementation Plan.

Broad strategies that have not been achieved in 2012 – 2017 will be supported by tasks outlined in future Implementation Plans.

It must be stated that the following strategies and key actions are subject to being incorporated in forecasted financial year budget

plans. It is important that the Community Access Committee and the relevant City staff and Councilors, review the results of the

budget each year and update the actions and implementation plans required. If change is required then it is essential that the

custodians of each of the strategies be proactive in providing the relevant staff member(s) up to date information on actions that

have occurred, are newly planned or are not being implemented.


OUTCOME 1

People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access the services of, and any events organised by, the

City of Bunbury.

Barriers Noted:

• There may be a lack of general awareness of the City of Bunbury’s policies reflecting requirements for people with disability.

• There may be a lack of confidence that access and inclusion policies are being embedded City-wide.

• Event planning and coordination does not always adequately address access and inclusion requirements.

• Contractors and other service providers using City facilities may not be aware of the needs of people with diverse ability.

• Community managed events are not always held in accessible locations.

• Public transport does not always provide adequate access to events and services.

• Difficulty with pedestrian crossings throughout Bunbury can present challenges for people with disability to access events

and services.

• Some aspects of the South West Sports Centre services are not as inclusive as they could be, including the crèche and some

recreational/exercise programs.

Strategy Task Task Timeline Responsibility

1. Community Access Committee (CAC)

to guide the implementation of the

DAIP activities.

• CAC to meet regularly over the 5 years that the

plan spans.

Ongoing CAC Executive Officer

• Improve public awareness of Community Access

Committee through regular promotion/

advertising.

Ongoing

2. Develop links between the Disability

Access & Inclusion Plan and other

Council plans and strategies.

• Identify appropriate strategic business planning

documents, budget processes and all other

relevant plans and strategies requiring

alignment with the Disability Access & Inclusion

Plan.

Annually Access Officer

Integrated Planning –

Senior Projects Officer

Manager Finance



• Incorporate the objectives of the Disability

Access & Inclusion Plan into the City’s strategic

planning, budgeting processes and all other

relevant plans and strategies.


Integrated Planning –

Senior Projects Officer

Manager Finance

3. Ensure that events organised by the

City are accessible to people with

disability wherever possible.

• Improve public awareness and knowledge that

events are accessible through including

accessible symbols and information on event

promotional materials.

Ongoing Events Officer

• Ensure all events are planned using the

Accessible Events checklist.

Ongoing, with

annual refreshers

Events Officer

Access Officer

• Make the Accessible Events checklist available to

relevant staff.


Access Officer

• Train appropriate City staff on accessible events

protocol.


• Provide a copy of the Accessible Events checklist

to organisations requesting permission from the

City to hold public events.

Ongoing Events Scheduling

Officer

• Events team to work to reduce queues where

possible.

Kidsfest – October

2012, and ongoing

for relevant events.

Events Officer

Kidsfest Coordinator

• Provide a quiet area at events for families with

children with a disability to go to when needed.

Kidsfest – October

2012, and ongoing

for relevant events.

Events Officer


• Incorporate public transport considerations into

events planning.

June 2013 and

ongoing

Events Officer


Access Officer

• Investigate links with community support groups

such as Bethanie to cooperate with providing

access to events and parking.

June 2013 Access Officer



4. Ensure that Councillors, Council staff

and contractors are aware of the

relevant requirements of the

Disability Services Act.

• Include disability awareness training in the

induction process for new staff (include in this

training that staff have a responsibility to let

contractors know of DAIP responsibilities).

Ongoing Access Officer

Team Leader

Corporate

Administration

• Provide contractors with a DAIP Summary

Report / include a clause in the tender

document that has a short paragraph with a link

to the DAIP on the website.

Beginning of each

year

Manager Corporate

Performance

Manager Contracts

and Property

5. Improve access and inclusion of the

South West Sports Centre services.

• Provide training to front-line staff at the Sports

Centre who provide services and programs, on

ways to effectively include people with disability

in their programs.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Manager, Sport,

Leisure and Active

Lifestyles

Swim School

Coordinator

Dry Side Operations

Manager

Club & Sport Liaison

Officer

Club Development

Officer

Crèche Coordinator

Access Officer

• Investigate possibilities with providing support

to South West Sports Centre staff in developing

and delivering inclusive and accessible programs.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

• Encourage staff at South West Sports Centre to

go beyond being “made aware” that a child has

disability to knowing how to include the child

effectively in the program (i.e. ‘grading’ of tasks

etc).

June 2013 and then

ongoing

• Improve accessible and inclusive options for

children with disability at the South West Sports

Centre crèche.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

6. Provide improved public transport in

the City of Bunbury.

• Liaise/lobby the Public Transport Authority to

work together to provide a Cat Bus service with

small/no fee, or a circuit bus equivalent going

through the CBD/ Bunbury area.

June 2016 ELT

Engineering Technical

Officer



• Liaise/lobby the Public Transport Authority to

provide improved public transport on Saturdays,

Sundays, public holidays and evenings to enable

people with disability to access events held at

this time, as well as the cinema, theatre and

cafes.

June 2016 Director Works and

Services


Officer

Access Officer

• Provide a special service/ community bus to

events when public transport is not available.

June 2016 Events Officer

Access Officer

• Provide education to community that the public

can feed back to the Public Transport Authority

on public transport matters such as extended

routes.


Team Leader

Customer Service

• Place a link on the City of Bunbury website to

the Public Transport Authority website; also

include an explanation on what the City’s/PTA’s

roles are (e.g. main heading “Public Transport”)


Community

Development Team

Leader

7. Continue to provide access to library

services throughout the City.

• Libraries to invest in continuous improvement by

sourcing equipment and technologies that

facilitate improved access to information for

people with impairment.

Ongoing Regional Librarian

Special Services

Librarian

Access Officer

• Library staff to receive ongoing training in

supporting others to use equipment and

technologies for people with impairment.

Ongoing Regional Librarian

Special Services

Librarian

Access Officer

• Provide bright colour contrast steps outside

library to improve visibility for people with vision

impairment.

June 2014 Director Works &

Services

Manager Building &

Trades


Officer

Access Officer

• Provide non-slippery TGSI’s in the library. June 2014



8. Ensure policies and procedures in the

City of Bunbury reflect access and

inclusion.

• Develop a special policy or condition to

encourage best practice access where

appropriate (i.e. that goes over and above

Australian Standards).

June 2015 Manager, Corporate

Performance

Manager

Development Services

Access Officer

• City of Bunbury to promote its commitment and

policy to best practice of access and inclusion in

the City.

June 2017 ELT

Access Officer

CAC & relevant City

staff member • Work towards a unified approach to access and

inclusion in the City of Bunbury in conjunction

with the above task.

June 2017 and then

ongoing


OUTCOME 2

People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access buildings and other facilities of the City of Bunbury.

Barriers Identified:

• There may be a lack of footpaths in various locations throughout the Bunbury area, and many footpaths may need repair.

There may be a lack of gopher-friendly pathways throughout Bunbury, i.e. are not wide enough.

• Various private businesses in the Bunbury CBD and outer area have insufficient access, such as steps at entry or narrow door

widths.

• There is a lack of safe pedestrian crossings throughout the CBD and outer areas.

• Footpaths can contain obstacles such as misplaced signs and bins.

• Some aspects of the library and South West Sports Centre buildings are not as accessible as they could be.

• There may be an insufficient number of accessible toilets and change-room facilities at the South West Sports Centre.

• Private shopping centre car parks throughout the Bunbury area may not have enough ACROD bays and the bays may not be

as accessible as they could be.

• There may not be enough ACROD bays at some City of Bunbury owned or leased facilities such as the Bunbury Regional

Entertainment Centre.

• Accessibility for pedestrians with disability may be insufficient at some intersections in Bunbury, including the round-a-bout

near the Bunbury bus station and Centrepoint Shopping Centre, and the intersection of Beach and Forrest Roads.

• There may be a lack of connecting buses to the Bunbury train station.


1. Identify barriers to

access buildings and

facilities owned by the

City.

• Conduct a comprehensive audit of City owned and leased

facilities to identify access barriers to buildings and facilities.

June 2015 Engineering

Technical Officer

Access Officer

• Seek feedback from people with disability about their barriers

to access and inclusion.


CAC

• Ensure above information is included in the redevelopment

of any building or facility

Ongoing Planning Officers

Engineering

Technical Officer

• Investigate ways of improving access to heritage buildings

while maintaining their integrity

June 2016 Heritage Officer

Access Officer



• Prioritise and make submission to Council to commence work

on rectifying identified barriers.

Ongoing Planning Officers

Engineering

Technical Officer

• Prioritise and seek funding to purchase equipment (such as

hoists, change-tables, gym equipment) that will facilitate

greater access to recreational, arts and tourism facilities.

Ongoing Manager SWSC

Manager Aquatics

Access Officer

• Ensure that public accessible toilets are cleaned as regularly

as mainstream toilets.

Ongoing Manager Building &

Trades

• Provide more unisex accessible toilets and change-rooms at

the South West Sports Centre, and consult further on this

with the community and the Access Committee.

June 2015, in line

with the feasibility

study into building

extensions

Manager SWSC

Manager Aquatics

Manager Sports,

Leisure and Active

Lifestyles

Manager Building &

Trades

Access Officer

• When planning future pathways and parking, make

considerations for predicted increases in use of gophers as

the population ages.

June 2014 and then

ongoing

Programs & Projects

Team Leader

Development

Engineer

Engineering

Technical Officer

CAC

• Consider the benefits from installation of a hydro-pool at the

South West Sports Centre.

June 2017 Manager SWSC

Manager Aquatics

Manager Sports,

Leisure and Active

Lifestyles

Access Officer

• Provide movement sensored lighting where there are toilet

facilities.

June 2017 Manager Buildings

and Trades

Access Officer



• Investigate possibilities of installing a ramp into the 50 m pool

at the South West Sports Centre. Building an 11th lane would

be the best option, and to be done in conjunction with the

new pool being built.

June 2017

Manager Aquatics

Access Officer

ELT

2. Improve safety and

accessibility to Bunbury

and the central business

district to make it more

pedestrian friendly.

• Investigate strategies to encourage business owners and

landlords to provide more accessible entries to shops for

prams and wheelchairs.


Landscape Officer

Director Works &

Services

Director Planning

• Employ strategies for encouraging business owners to keep

footpaths clear of obstacles such as signs.


Compliance Officer

• Provide more safe pedestrian crossings including signalised

tactile-audio crossings and zebra crossings where possible.


Services

Engineering

Technical Officer

Access Officer

• Remove islands in the middle of the street and replace with

cut-through pedestrian refuges, so pedestrians with disability

do not have to negotiate kerbs or ramps when crossing the

street.

June 2015 Engineering

Technical Officer

Access Officer

• Investigate funding for raised round-a-bouts throughout the

CBD so that traffic is encouraged to slow down, and

pedestrians with disability have a level crossing from the

footpath.


Services

Manager Engineering

Engineering

Technical Officer

Access Officer

• Investigate the feasibility for removing cobblestones from

footpaths and roads.

June 2016

Access Officer

Landscape Architect

Engineering

Technical Officer

• Provide more adult change-tables throughout Bunbury,

making considerations for vandalism.

June 2015 Manager Buildings &

Trades

Access Officer



3. Continue to advocate to

local businesses and

tourist venues the

requirements for and

benefits flowing from

the provision of

accessible venues.

• Promote to business the economic benefits of being

accessible, on an ongoing basis.


CAC

• Investigate potential partnerships with the Bunbury Chamber

of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), to offer access and

inclusion awareness training/education to local businesses.


• City of Bunbury to investigate strategies for providing

incentives to businesses for better customer service.


Marketing Officer

• Develop information for businesses on access/universal

design.


• Continue to make access information available on the City’s

website.


• Continue work on the You’re Welcome website project:

updating businesses and sites on the website and adding new

sites; providing information sessions to local businesses.


• Draftsmen, architects and engineers to advocate accessibility

to businesses and facilities in early design stages.

Ongoing Building Officer

Development

Engineer

4. Promote access and

inclusion awareness to

the general community.

• Use Council media available such as City newsletters,

website, big screens in library and admin building customer

service, and ‘on hold’ phone messages to promote access and

inclusion awareness to the general community.


Marketing Officer

Events Officer

• Partner with other agencies to promote access and inclusion

awareness to the general community, such as in events,

activities or other initiatives.


Events Officer

• Provide gopher education / training on ‘rules’ and ‘etiquette’. Ongoing Access Officer

• Provide improved communication/ promotion to the

community about access and inclusion achievements in the

City of Bunbury, in media such as City Beat Newsletter and

City Focus column.


Communications

Officer



5. Ensure that facilities in

parks, sports grounds

and reserves are

accessible.

• Conduct audit of appropriate City owned parks, sports

grounds and reserves.

June 2013 Recreation Team

Leader

Manager Buildings &

Trades

Landscape Architect

Access Officer

• Increase the number of accessible options in existing and new

playgrounds.

Ongoing Landscape Architect

Access Officer

• Audit/survey need for more fencing in parks and playgrounds. June 2013 Landscape Architect

Access Officer

• Provide seating with arm rests at the Bunbury Wildlife Park. June 2015 Manager Wildlife

Park

Access Officer

• Improve accessibility at Hands Oval, focusing on providing an

accessible space for people with disability to watch, and

improving ramp, which is currently difficult to use.

June 2016 Club Liaison Officer

Manager Sport &

Recreation

Manager Buildings &

Trades

Access Officer

6. Ensure that all new or

redevelopment works of

City buildings/facilities

provide best-practice

access to people with

disability, where

practicable.

• Continue to implement procedures to enable the Community

Access Committee or representative to review proposals for

redevelopment and new work projects.

Ongoing CAC

Access Officer

ELT

Planning Officer

Engineering

Technical Officer

• Investigate options for the capacity of new systems of IPM

and CAMS to include a pathway for all plans to be checked

past the Community Access Committee or representative, as

a matter of course.

June 2014 Integrated Planning –

Senior Project Officer

ELT

Access Officer

• Ensure Community Access representation on any internal

working groups, such as Project Management Groups, that

may be formed in the City of Bunbury.

Ongoing Integrated Planning

Officer

ELT



Access Officer

• Where necessary keep aware of Executive Updates and alert

appropriate staff for the inclusion of the Access Committee in

the consultation stage of planning.


7. Ensure that there is

adequate ACROD

parking to meet the

demand of people with

disability in terms of

quantity and location.

• Conduct audits and surveys of ACROD bays at City facilities,

including the South West Sports Centre, the Bunbury Wildlife

Park, BREC and City parks and playgrounds.

Annually Parking Coordinator

Access Officer

• Continue with liaison and collaboration with the parking

coordinator on providing improvements to ACROD parking in

the City, as required, in conjunction with the Community

Access Committee.

Ongoing Parking Coordinator

Access Officer

CAC

• Parking Coordinator to continue to have regular involvement

in Community Access Committee meetings.


Access Officer

CAC

• Investigate special considerations/ options for people with

vision impairment/their carers – collaborate further with

vision impaired support groups and organisations.

June 2014 Parking Coordinator

Access Officer

CAC

• Investigate specific locations to provide more drop-off, pick-

up bays throughout Bunbury and the CBD.

June 2016 Parking Coordinator

Access Officer

• Work with Events team to investigate suitable quantity and

location ACROD bays required for events.


Access Officer

• Liaise with management of City leased premises such as the

Stirling Street Arts Centre, to establish if they would like their

car parks monitored by the rangers and parking departments

(i.e. in regular patrol routines). Establish if they would like to

be provided contact details of parking departments/ Rangers

to call direct when ACROD bays are being parked in.


Parking Coordinator

Rangers

• Create awareness in the community that responding to

ACROD bay calls for monitoring are a high priority by the City

of Bunbury, subject to staffing availability.

June 2013 and

ongoing

Access Officer

Media and

Communications

Officer

Parking Coordinator



• Continue to liaise with private shopping centres regarding the

prioritisation of ACROD bays, regarding information obtained

through the Community Access Committee.


Access Officer

CAC

8. Provide safe and

accessible linkages

between bus stops and

destinations throughout

Bunbury.

• Liaise with Assets and Infrastructure Department regarding

the completion of audit of existing arterial pathways to

determine type, conditions and barriers.


Asset and

Infrastructure Officer

• Survey well-used linkages between bus stops and

destinations throughout Bunbury and the CBD, for

continuous safe and accessible lines of travel to destination,

and liaise with the Public Transport Authority.


Engineering

Technical Officer

Director Works &

Services

• Liaise with/ lobby the Public Transport Authority to provide a

regular and consistent connecting bus / shuttle service with

train station for when the train arrives.


Engineering

Technical Officer

Community

Development Officer

• Consult wheelchair and gopher users, as well as people with

vision impairment, to determine most used points of origin

and destination.


CAC

• Community Access Officer to work with Engineering

Department on reviewing 10 year plan and making

improvements to paths and intersections annually.


Engineering

Technical Officer

Director Works &

Services

• Investigate options for installing footpaths going from College

Row School; also options for footpath connections at

Minninup Shopping Centre.


Engineering

Technical Officer

• Investigate options for a community bus to drop off to

locations within the City of Bunbury such as doctor’s

surgeries.


Community

Development Team

Leader



• Provide more gopher-friendly pathways throughout Bunbury,

including at the train station (liaise with the Public Transport

Authority).

June 2014 and

ongoing

Director Works &

Services

Engineering

Technical Officer

• Investigate options for installing footpaths near the Forum,

King Road and Oleander Road.


Services

Engineering

Technical Officer

• Investigate providing a public telephone at the train station,

including liaison with the Public Transport Authority and

Telstra.


Engineering

Technical Officer

Visitor Centre

Manager

• Ensure Visitor Centre communicates with future visitors

regarding information about where the train station is

located in Bunbury.

June 2013 Director CCS

Visitor Centre

Manager

Access Officer

• Investigate whether information can be printed on train

tickets about the location of the train station.


9. Improve access to the

beach and the sea,

including marine

facilities and boat

ramps, for people with

disability.

• Investigate methods for providing access. June 2014 Access Officer

CAC

• Implement a strategy to provide access. June 2015 Access Officer

Engineering

Technical Officer

CAC

• Investigate options for improving accessibility of marine

facilities, in particular boat ramps and floating pontoons

(investigate Hillary’s marina).


Engineering

Technical Officer

CAC

Director Works &

Services



• Liaise with local sailing and fishing clubs, as well as people

with disability, for priorities in improving access.


• Consider more accessible options leading down to Back Beach

near Extensions, and Hungry Hollow. Provide better

directional signage to the ramps.


Engineering

Technical Officer


OUTCOME 3

People with disability receive information from the City of Bunbury in a format that will enable them to access the

information as readily as other people are able to access it.


• Information relating to the City’s services and facilities is not always available in appropriate formats for people with

disability.

o E.g.: written information is often too complex or not in appropriate font sizes

o Information may not be “visual” enough; having too much text and not enough icons.

• Information about accessible features is not always provided on event promotional material, which leads to a lack of

knowledge in the community as to whether events are going to be accessible.

• The City of Bunbury websites may not currently meet best practice standards and guidelines for accessibility.

• Clear signposting and pathway markings to communicate the placement of City facilities and services are not always in place.


1. Provide information and

documentation in

alternative formats for

important information, and

on request for other

information

• Consult with key stakeholders. June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

CAC

• Review the effectiveness of the documentation currently

being used.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

CAC

Marketing Officer

• Prioritise highly important over less important information,

and publish highly important information in alternative

formats.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

CAC

Marketing Officer

• Investigate the use of Arial size 12 font for all Council and City

documents and correspondence.

June 2015 and then

ongoing

Marketing Officer

Manager Information

Services

• Allocate budget for alternative format production and staff

training.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Community

Development Team

Leader



Finance Officer

Office of the CEO

• Utilise tourist radio to promote accessible features/locations

in Bunbury.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

Communications

Officer

• Provide maps promoting accessible features throughout

Bunbury, at the Visitors Centre and other important

locations; have them accessible after hours. Have the map

easily downloadable from the City of Bunbury website

(increased pictures reduce text).


Marketing Officer

• Provide better awareness of accessible information such as

accessible maps and events.

June 2014 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

Events Officer

• Include accessible map in mail-out of newsletters such as

those that come from the library, or City Beat newsletter.

June 2015 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

• Provide more universal signage throughout the City with the

use of the universal access symbol.

June 2015 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

Director CCS

Director Works &

Services

2. Improve community

awareness that Council

information to be made

available in alternative

formats upon request.

• Ensure all new public documents carry a notation regarding

availability in alternative formats.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

• Advise the community via the local newspaper, City Beat

Newsletter, disability group newsletters and other already

existing mail-outs that alternative formats are available.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

• Advertise alternative options on the front page of the City of

Bunbury website.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer



3. Improve staff awareness

of accessible information

needs and how to obtain

information in other

formats.

• Conduct Access and Inclusion Policy training and include in

induction of new staff.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

• Ensure all customer service staff attend training opportunities

in serving customers who have hearing or vision impairment,

and intellectual disability.

June 2014 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

4. Ensure that the City’s

website meets

contemporary good practice

and guidelines for

accessibility.

• Website redevelopment to incorporate best practice

guidelines for accessibility, such as picture text, easy

navigation.

In line with website

redevelopment

2013

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

Manager Information

Services

• Include best practice guidelines for all City of Bunbury

websites, including library and South West Sports Centre.


redevelopment

2013

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

Manager SWSC

• Ensure all forms and information brochures are available

electronically.

June 2013 and then

ongoing

Access Officer

Marketing Officer


OUTCOME 4

People with disability receive the same level and quality of service from City of Bunbury staff as other people receive from City

staff.


• City staff and volunteers dealing with the public may not have the knowledge or confidence to communicate appropriately

with individuals that do not communicate using speech and/or vision.

• City staff and volunteers may not have the appropriate knowledge or experience to communicate appropriately

with people with non physical disability.

• City staff in recreational facilities dealing with the public may not have the knowledge or confidence to adapt

programs to cater for the needs of people with disability.

• City facilities and services may not be equipped with access enhancing technology and equipment that can

enable people with diverse ability to be assured of equal rights and opportunities

• There may be inconsistent customer service in businesses throughout Bunbury.

Strategy Tasks Task Timeline Responsibility

1. Improve awareness of

disability and access

issues on an ongoing

basis for all staff and

contractors.

• Include access and awareness training for all City of Bunbury

staff and councillors at induction.


• Investigate and research disability associations for latest

research on training and initiatives in the field of service

delivery.


• Provide staff with resources that they can use to increase

their own awareness.


• Provide a paragraph summary of the DAIP with a web link to

the officer responsible for large tenders, to provide to

contracting companies at the beginning of the year, or with

purchase orders, as well as individual smaller tenders.

Include in the paragraph some bullet point such as tick and

sign (similar with safety section), i.e. 5 or 6 sentences.


Manager Contracts

and Property



2. Improve staff and

contractors’ skills, on an

ongoing basis, to

provide a good service

to people with disability.

• Provide regular, ongoing training to staff on access and

inclusion awareness and best practice customer service

delivery to people with disability.


Human Resources

• Investigate options for including access and awareness

induction training for contractors, including resourcing that is

necessary.


Manager Contracts

& Property

Human Resources

• Provide training options for staff on disability related issues

specific to their role.


3. Improve the awareness

of new staff and new

Councillors about


issues.

• Prepare information and plan the establishment of awareness

raising in the induction of new staff and new Councillors.


4. Further generate and

sustain opportunities for

staff awareness of and

commitment to


issues.

• Ensure that disability access and inclusion information is

circulated to all staff and contractors.


Managers

• Continue to provide regular information on access and

inclusion in the City Beat newsletter.


• Provide Disability Access and Inclusion training to relevant

staff as required.


• Partner with disability organisations to provide opportunities

for awareness raising.


5. Ensure department-wide

integration of City of

Bunbury departments in

coordinated and

consistent customer

service delivery and

commitment to access

and inclusion.

• Ensure regular inter-team and inter-departmental

communication about access and inclusion awareness;

providing effective accessible and inclusive customer service.

Access Officer to also act as a liaison point, e.g. sharing

knowledge of recreation facilities in general community, with

SWSC managers (i.e. beach wheelchairs, Sail into Life etc).


Manager

Community,

Culture and

Engagement

Manager SWSC

Manager Libraries

and Learning

Manager Big



Swamp Wildlife

Park

• Team Leader Customer Service to incorporate access and

inclusion awareness into the Customer Service Strategy,

Standards and Pledge.


Customer Service

Team Leader


OUTCOME 5

People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to provide feedback and make complaints to the City of

Bunbury.


• The needs of people with disability may not always be taken into account when developing feedback mechanisms; e.g.

written feedback/complaints is not always suitable for a person with disability.

• People with disability may not be providing valuable comments, compliments or complaints to Council about a range of

issues that affect them as Citizens, because the feedback mechanisms may be inaccessible.

• There may be difficulties for members of the public in receiving updates from the City of Bunbury about what is happening

with their complaint/ feedback, and response times for complaints and feedback can be lengthy or inconsistent.


1. Ensure that feedback

mechanisms are accessible

for people with disability.

• Continue to provide current feedback mechanisms

appropriate for people with disability, including alternative

formats and inclusion on website.


Marketing Officer

ELT

• Investigate the provision of an obvious icon on City of

Bunbury website homepage that can be clicked to provide

easy feedback.


redevelopment

2013

Access Officer

Marketing Officer

Manager Information

Services

• Continue to survey people with disability on effective

feedback mechanisms (including the Community Access

Committee), and further develop these mechanisms.


Marketing Officer

• Promote the availability of feedback mechanisms through

various avenues, including the City Beat newsletter, on an

ongoing basis.


• Promote the Walk-It Bunbury & Pathway Report Form

initiatives as positive examples of focussed feedback.


• Provide feedback mechanism process and outcome

satisfaction survey forms in alternative formats upon request;

DAIP Officer and Customer Service Coordinator to work

together to customise the customer feedback form.

Ongoing Customer Service

Team Leader

Access Officer

Manager Information



Services

• Provide feedback forms/boxes at a range of important

locations throughout the city, including the Bunbury

Accessible Playground, South West Sports Centre, Libraries

etc.


Landscape Architect

• City of Bunbury to continue to provide a DAIP Officer /

Community Access Project Officer, as this position is useful

for communicating about access issues and assisting the

public to provide feedback to Council.

Ongoing Community

Development Team

Leader

Director CCS

• Provide information on feedback mechanisms in City Beat

Newsletter and other media such as website and City Focus

Column.


2. Enable staff to facilitate

the receipt of complaints

from people with disability

• Incorporate good practice in handling complaints from people

with disability into induction and disability awareness

training.

June 2014 and

ongoing

Customer Service

Team Leader

Director CCS

Manager Information

Services

SWSC Team Leaders

Wildlife Park

Manager

Library Managers

Access Officer

• Give staff the opportunity to comment on disability related

issues at regular team and individual meetings.

Ongoing

3. Improve feedback/

complaints mechanisms to

• Ensure that the auto-response generated from feedback

emails communicates a time-frame for feedback.

June 2013 ELT

Records Officer



have consistent and speedy

response times, and that

expected response times are

clearly communicated to

people providing the

feedback.

• Ensure that the people receive consistent feedback about

what is happening with their feedback / complaint, including

good response times.


Customer Service

Team Leader


OUTCOME 6

People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to participate in any consultation by the City of Bunbury.


• The needs and requirements of people with disability may not always be taken into consideration when developing

consultation plans.

• Public transport needs to be taken into consideration when planning consultations.

• Community and Council consultations may not always be conducted in facilities with universal access.

• Communication of times and facilities of public consultation may not be accessible in a variety of formats.


1. Continue to promote the

consultation processes in

place to the community.

• Promote the existence, role and activities of the City’s

Community Access Committee to the community, and ensure

adequate cross-level representation.


• Community Access Committee to meet regularly to provide

strategic advice to Council, with support from Council staff.


CAC

• Conduct a review of the City’s community consultation

processes and provide guidelines for improving access


• Ensure that media releases go to both print and electronic

media and are promoted on the website.


Communications

Officer

• Ensure people with disability are making strategic decisions,

particularly where access and inclusion is concerned.


CAC

CCE Manager

2. The City of Bunbury to

continue to monitor the

DAIP to ensure

implementation and

satisfactory outcomes.

• Community Access Committee to regularly monitor the

progress of the plan and be involved in all reviews of the plan.


CAC

• Cross representation from various relevant City of Bunbury

departments in the monitoring of the DAIP in cooperation

with the Community Access Committee.

Ongoing ELT

Managers

Access Officer

• Consult people with disability using a range of different

consultation mediums e.g. focus group, interviews, surveys.

Ongoing Managers

Access Officer



3. Continue to enable

people with disability to

access the established

consultative process of

Council.

• Investigate options for presenting questions at Council

meetings in alternative formats.


• Investigate and implement methods for making the Council

meetings more accessible, e.g. to citizens with hearing

impaired.


• Continue to hold public consultations on familiar/home

locations for people with disability; for example, visit support

groups at their usual meeting locations for consultation; visit

retirees in retirement villages and so on.

Ongoing Managers

Access Officer

• Ensure advertisements for public consultations can be

provided in appropriate font sizes for people with vision

impairment.

Ongoing Managers

Access Officer

Communications

Officer

4. Seek a broad range of

views on disability and

access issues from the local

community on an ongoing

basis.

• Community Access Committee to actively pursue the views of

people with disability on a wide range of issues.


CAC

5. Develop a consultation

policy for the City that

ensures the needs of people

with alternative

communication

requirements are met.

• Partner with the Deaf Society and the Blind Association and

other relevant disability related organisations for appropriate

strategies and procedures to use.


• Ensure that the City of Bunbury is receptive to feedback, and

ready to act on it.

Ongoing ELT

Access Officer


OUTCOME 7

People with disability have the same opportunities as other people to access employment, volunteering and work experience

opportunities at the City of Bunbury.


• There may be a lack of communication between the City’s Human Resources Department and Disability Employment Services

and the Disability Services Commission.

• There may be a lack of innovative work, volunteering and work experience opportunities for people with disability.


1. Ensure employment,

volunteering and work

experience opportunities are

advertised in an accessible

manner, and are easily

accessible for people with

disability.

• Review job advertisement template and process for

accessibility.


Human Resources

Officer

• Review work experience and volunteering policies and

procedures for disability access considerations and promote

these to Disability Employment Services (DES’) and Disability

Services Commission Local Area Coordinators (LACs).


Human Resources

Administration

Officer

Senior Visitor

Centre Officer

Senor Library

Officer Programs &

Community

Engagement

Manager Wildlife

Park

• Develop and maintain relationships with DES’ and LACs and

use these to advertise vacant positions.


Manager Human

Resources

Human Resources

Officer

• Continue work experience relationship with local schools. Ongoing Access Officer

Manager Human



Resources

• Investigate possibility of work experience relationship with

local education support units.


Manager Human

Resources

• Investigate viability of accessible traineeship program. June 2016 Access Officer

Manager Human

Resources

2. Ensure recruitment

processes are accessible to

people with disability.

• Review online job application process for accessibility. June 2015 Access Officer

Human Resources

Officer

• Review recruitment panel training package for disability

access considerations.


Human Resources

Officer

• Ensure Human Resources Department is kept up-to-date

regarding access assistance provisions available for both

employers and employees.


3. Ensure that the City of

Bunbury is an accessible and

inclusive place to work,

volunteer and conduct work

experience at.

• Include a disability access and inclusion component as part of

the induction process for all new staff, students and

volunteers.


• Deliver targeted disability access and inclusion awareness

training for staff working with people with disability.


• Conduct audit of City workspaces. June 2016 Access Officer

Occupational

Safety & Health

Officer

• City of Bunbury Workforce Plan to continue to include

provisions on employing people with disability.


Human Resources

Department

• Analyse position descriptions and consider the of realignment

to allow for job creation opportunities as required.

June 2015 and

ongoing

Access Officer

Human Resources

Department

ievans

Typewritten Text

ATTACHMENT B

Most Accessible Regional City in Western Australia

Workshop Report

Introduction

On Friday 28 March 2014 the City of Bunbury hosted a workshop looking at the possibility of Bunbury making the claim as the most accessible regional city in Western Australia.

Attended by external stakeholders in the disability services industry, the idea behind the workshop arose from the City’s Community Access Committee and its chairperson Deputy Mayor Brendan Kelly.

The workshop resulted in a number of generic qualities of an ‘accessible city’ being developed as well as understanding being reached on how Bunbury currently sits in relation to these and hence what opportunities for improvement exist. Key stakeholders were also identified.

This report provides an overview of the workshop as well as recommending potential actions going forward.

Where does this workshop sit in relation to the City’s Disability Access and Inclusion Plan?

For Bunbury to claim the mantle of the most accessible regional city in Western Australia, the whole community must work towards this title, not just the Bunbury City Council.

Rather than replicating the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan; a City-focussed document; the data uncovered in the workshop painted a picture of what the community of Bunbury needs to take ownership of in order for a truly accessible and inclusive community to flourish. Accordingly, time was taken to identify key stakeholders who have interests and responsibilities in realising this aim.

The data collected in the workshop sits alongside the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan as a map of the Bunbury community; it’s highlights as well as it’s areas for improvement; which provides opportunity and reasoning for community stakeholders to realise their responsibilities in the pursuit of the most accessible regional city prize.

Attendance

17 people attended the workshop from the following organisations; Activ, Advocacy Southwest, Art Partners, Disability Services Commission, Enable Southwest; Morrissey Homestead; Association for the Blind of Western Australia; as well as the Bunbury City Council, its Community Access Committee, and the general community.

Data collected

Part One: what makes an accessible city?

Through a table-specific brainstorm process attendees devised the following selection criteria of the theoretical ‘most accessible regional city’ prize;

1) Access to public spaces; 2) Accessible public spaces; 3) Access technology;

4) Access and disability aware community; 5) Uniform guidelines; 6) Inclusion initiatives.

ievans

Typewritten Text

ATTACHMENT C

Ideally, should a competition be developed entrants would be required to provide examples against these six measures which demonstrate their accessibility.

Part Two: how does Bunbury currently sit in relation to this criteria?

Through a table-specific brainstorm process attendees listed examples against each criteria item in an effort to understand in what areas of disability access and inclusion Bunbury is currently doing well at. Attendees then listed opportunities for improvement and new opportunities through the same process to understand issue areas. The results are outlined in the table below;

Criteria One: Access to public spaces

Positive examples

• Wheelchair accessible buses • Walk-it Bunbury • Improvements underway for CBD roundabout upgrades • You’re Welcome website • Correctly installed tactile ground surface indicators • Access to medical centres • Community Home Care drivers • Beach wheelchairs

Opportunities for improvement/new opportunities

• More promotion of beach wheelchairs etc • More accessible paths and pedestrian crossings (better width, kerbing,

ramps, tactile ground surface indicators) • More continuity in paths (rather than having to cross roads) • Better access to shops • Better placed fishing platforms • Increased public transport availability • Better internal access (doorways, floor surfaces etc) • Better external access (doorways, steps etc) • Better placed and constructed ACROD parking spaces on private

developments • Increased understanding of taxi drivers

Criteria Two: Accessible public spaces

Positive examples

• Reasonable amount of ACROD bays • Accessible toilets in CBD • Accessible Bunbury: Business • Accessible Playground • Some events accessible • Fishing platform • Back Beach footpath • Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre upgrades • Mantra Hotel and other accessible accommodation • Lifts at Bunbury Regional Art Galleries

• South West Sports Centre (incl swimming hoist)


• Better designed and constructed ramps • United advocacy approach to private developments • More shade and seating (both an increase in number and increase in

accessibility)

Criteria Three: Access technology

Positive examples

• Zoomtext at City Library • You’re Welcome website • Microphone for Community Access Committee


• Use of technology to monitor ACROD bays • Accessibility and mobility maps • Talking pedestrian crossings • wiFi apps

Criteria Four: Access and disability aware community

Positive examples

• Active Council on access upgrades • Active Community Access Committee • Agencies promoting access


• Increased public education of access needs • Increased multicultural awareness • Increased public interaction for ideas creation • Increased signage • Strengthening of Accessible Bunbury: Business Award • More education for public transport and taxi drivers • More awareness raising within Council • Delivery of experiential disability learning exercises • Fixing of patchy attitudes • Better customer service • More friendly and welcoming community • Free lectures at Library on disability access and inclusion

Criteria Five: Uniform guidelines

Positive examples

• Improved access awareness of Council officers (specifically planning and engineering staff)

• Community Access Committee and it’s ability to advise Council on

accessibility


• Development of best practice culture in Council planning and engineering

• Consistent approach to works (construction) • Increased communication of access message • Research projects with ECU

Criteria Six: Inclusion initiatives

Positive examples

• Sail Into Life • Art Partners • College Row School hydro pool • headspace • Gopher Recharge Program • Local Area Coordinators (and their knowledge) • Community Access Committee • Accessible Bunbury: Business • Riding for the Disabled • South West Sports Centre pool hoist and swimming ramps • Programs at Stirling Street Arts Centre • Bunbury Regional Art Galleries programs (and lift access) • Pathways • Morrissey Homestead • ABC Open • Volunteer agencies


• Showing increased respect • Welcoming attitudes • Not taking things for granted • Taking more initiative

What does this data tell us?

Whilst depicting an interesting and detailed picture, this data also presents a number of overarching ideas about disability access and inclusion in Bunbury;

• Access to public spaces is adequate, however there are many opportunities for improvement;

• We have a number of accessible public spaces however there is scope for smaller-scale refinements within these as well as increased advocacy for access to private developments;

• There is scope to increase the utilisation and showcasing of access technology; • Our community could be markedly more access and disability aware;

• The understanding behind access guidelines and action to enforce these can be improved;

• Bunbury has a number of inclusive initiatives and programs.

Going further these statements and the data that led to their development highlight two main opportunities for the improvement of disability access and inclusion in Bunbury.

First, we need to improve our pedestrian infrastructure. This means our paths, pedestrian crossings, ramps, doorways and more. This includes both Council infrastructure but also that which is located on State government land as well as that constructed by private developers.

Second, we need to focus on building the awareness of our community at large. Whilst Bunbury has a number of inclusive initiatives and accessible public spaces, this is not translating into the increased awareness of our community as to why these exist.

Part Three: what stakeholders have a part to play in the realisation of these criteria?

Through a group brainstorm attendees devised the following list of stakeholders;

• Department of Transport • Department of Parks and Wildlife • Main Roads • Police • Disability Services Commission • Department of Health • Department of Education • Department of Housing • Department of Sport and Recreation • South West Development

Commission • Bunbury Chamber of Commerce and

Industries

• Bunbury Wellington Economic Alliance

• Business owners • Developers • Tourist operators • Media • Schools and universities • Service organisations • Health providers • Sporting clubs • Churches • Community groups • Public transport operators

Conclusion

How can we work to realise these opportunities?

It must be stated again here that the City of Bunbury has a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan which works to steadily improve access to Council facilities, events, services etc.

The workshop was about what Bunbury as a community should be looking at in developing its disability access and inclusion so that we could be in a position to claim the mantle of most accessible regional city in Western Australia.

In light of these points, the following two actions are proposed;

1) Letter to stakeholders: preparation of a letter to all identified stakeholders notifying them of the following; - the Community Access Committee and it’s Terms of Reference; - the workshop and its aims; - the responsibility of these stakeholders in contributing to the accessibility and

inclusivity of Bunbury; - the preparedness of the Committee and the Bunbury City Council to work

together with the community to increase Bunbury’s disability access and inclusion.

2) Letter to the Australian Government Department of Social Services and

Government of Western Australia Disability Services Commission: preparation of a letter to these two government bodies informing them; - of the workshop and it’s rationale; - of the workshop outcomes in terms of the need to focus on building community

awareness; - of the recommendation that in line with the large amount of funding made

available as part of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and it’s Sector Development component that a ‘Most Accessible City Award’ be developed, with the rationale being that similar to the Tidy Towns Award this prize would generate community ownership over disability access and inclusion and thus breed disability and access aware communities.

It is envisaged that these letters be sent from the Community Access Committee through its Chairperson. It is imagined that they will act as first steps in addressing the opportunities highlighted by the workshop through engendering community ownership and action on a local-level and also advocating to government decision-makers on ideas for industry improvement.

community access committee minutes 4 april 2014 agendas and...minutes of an ordinary meeting of the...

Documents