Congleton Town Council has re-asserted its goal to make the town more accessible for all, including those with disabilities and health conditions.

A recent Community Committee meeting voted to proceed with several measures to make Congleton more accessible, following a report from its Equal Access Advisory Group. 

The group meets monthly and includes residents with a wide range of lived experience of disability, both neurological and physical, including wheelchair and mobility scooter users, people with chronic pain conditions, those with neurodiversity and visual impairments, as well as parents of children with cerebral palsy and representatives of Friends for Leisure, Ruby's, and Dementia Friends. 

The group's chair, Dr Lawson, explained: "We started with a survey of the people of Congleton to find out what the main accessibility issues were for our disabled residents. The results were shocking but not surprising to us, with almost 90 per cent of people saying they had some accessibility problems in our town centre and its shops and only 10% rating town centre events as 'very accessible'.  

"Problems with transport, including pavement obstructions, buses, parking spaces, potholes and dropped kerbs were common. One of the most concerning findings was that three-quarters of disabled people had experienced issues with the attitudes of others. Although most people are kind, respondents told us they had also encountered people who were both rude and aggressive. 

The group conducted a survey of disabled people in Congleton (Congleton Town Council).

"This affects a significant portion of our community, with 26% of people having an impairment that impacts daily life, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.   

"Some of the people answering our survey told us that they don't go shopping or join in with town events because the challenges are too great. This will increase social isolation and exacerbate the barriers that disabled people face. Our group would like to see real change so that everyone can join in with life in Congleton." 

Congleton Pride, the Food and Drink Festival and Congleton Jazz & Blues Festival implemented measures such as wider corridors, quiet areas, signposting of accessibility measures at venues and more information for disabled people. Dr Lawson commented: "I have been really impressed at Congleton Town Council's commitment to accessibility and the event organisers' dedication to continuing to develop these measures for future events."  

Jackie MacArthur, Deputy Chief Officer and Marketing and Communities Manage reflected on the progress to date: "The Equal Access Advisory Group has really helped us see how we can improve accessibility in Congleton, and we are very grateful for their support and hard work in helping us put this Action Plan Together. 

"Of course, the Town Council is not responsible for things like public transport, highways, pavements or dropped kerbs, but we can encourage Cheshire East to make decisions with equal access front of mind.   

"In addition, we have already implemented some 'quick wins' of our own. We have started a series of disability training and awareness sessions for Councillors and Officers. Our Council Communications, such as the Bear Necessities newsletter and the signage and documents in the Town Hall, have been improved to be more accessible for visually impaired individuals, and we are looking at how we can improve our street furniture to remove trip hazards and blockages for mobility aid users. 

"Our Christmas Lights Switch-On Working Group has made a number of changes to its event plans, based on the Group's recommendations. There will be a new area for wheelchairs (and buggies), on Santa's route, with a big screen to watch the action. Quiet zones, signposting and improved accessibility information will also be provided.  

"The team and I are really excited about how we can make everything we do more inclusive and welcome feedback from the public as we move forward." 

A recent Community Committee meeting voted to proceed with several measures to make Congleton more accessible (Nub News).

The Community Committee unanimously supported the Group's proposals to produce a Disability Guide to Congleton, to create a Disability Welcome scheme for shops and businesses, and to mount a Public Awareness campaign. The Committee further agreed that the priorities in the Equal Access Action Plan should form part of the Council's new Business Plan.  

Town Mayor, Cllr Kay Wesley, commented: "Many thanks to Deborah, the Equal Access Advisory Group and all the residents who have provided input to this so far. It has been an incredible and slightly overwhelming journey, as there is so much that needs to be done, but I'm delighted we now have a plan and the green light for some important steps to take, thanks to the support of my colleagues on the Community Committee. 

"The theme of my Mayoralty is 'inclusion', and it is unacceptable to me that some of our residents avoid the town centre and our wonderful events because they are simply not accessible enough. It is a challenge, because our buildings and streets are old and were not designed with accessibility in mind, but it is possible to make improvements, and if it encourages more people to come to town, this will be good for businesses, too. 

"Like a lot of people, I have enjoyed watching the Paralympic games and been amazed at the incredible achievements of our GB athletes. They have shown that, with equal access, disabled people can participate and contribute as much as anyone else.  

"Let's make it our mission to ensure that no-one is excluded in Congleton and our town, its shops, venues, spaces and events are truly accessible to all."