Why does Council have a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan?
Our Council has approximately 26,000 residents and 390,000 visitors per day and is home to many places (hospitals, universities, government departments, cultural destinations) important to South Australia.
The City of Adelaide also owns and operates a network of parking stations, the Adelaide Central Market, North Adelaide Golf Course, three libraries and three community centres. The City of Adelaide has care and control of many public spaces and places including much of the 700-hectare Adelaide Park Lands that surround the city.
As a capital city council we want to make living in, working, studying, or visiting the city easy for everyone. Council recognises that it isn’t impairment but barriers that can limit people’s ability to fully participate in the life of the city. As such we have been planning to improve the experience of people with disability for over a decade.
The City of Adelaide has been publishing disability related plans and policies since the 1990s, with our first formal Disability Access and Inclusion Plan published in 2013.
Since 2019 our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan must align with the State Disability Inclusion Plan; along with other Councils and State Government departments. Having all State and local governments with aligned plans ensures coordinated action to support people with disability to go about their daily lives. Council plans cover areas that are the responsibility of local government, and they are each different to suit the needs of their local community.
What does a Disability Access and Inclusion Plan do?
A disability access and inclusion plan sets out the steps a council will take to remove barriers and improve the experience of people with disability. We update the plan every four years.
Our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan covers areas where City of Adelaide has direct impact on how people experience their surroundings on a regular basis. This includes:
Our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan sets out how City of Adelaide will support people with disability to volunteer and work for the council. It also covers how City of Adelaide can make its meetings, website and social media more accessible, and how people with disability can influence projects and decision-making.
Council reports annually to the State Government on actions we have taken to deliver our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan. We do this at the same time as all other councils and State Government departments and a combined report on progress is made to the Minister for Human Services.
How was our Disability Access and Inclusion Plan developed?
Our new Plan has also been developed with feedback from our staff and our Access and Inclusion Advisory Panel. The Access and Inclusion Advisory Panel aims to connect Council to people’s lived experience. The Panel meets quarterly to help shape the access and inclusion outcomes for key projects across the city.
Since our last Plan was written there have been new National and State Disability Plans launched, and an SA Autism Strategy is being developed.
The new Disability Access and Inclusion Plan takes into consideration what the other plans are trying to achieve with activities and goals that the City of Adelaide can directly impact.
