Disability Action Plan 2023-2027 - Introduction

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Under Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995) [1] as amended by Article 5 of the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006), Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is required, when carrying out its functions, to have due regard to the need to:

• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people; and
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life (‘the Disability Duties’).

1.2  Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s previous action measures ran for 3 years, unfortunately the delivery of the plan, particularly the customer facing areas, was drastically hindered by the Coronavirus pandemic. 

This Plan will be implemented over four years to both align with our Council term and address delays that resulted from the fall out of the pandemic. 

Over these 4 years Council aim to fully integrate our key strategic plans together with the planning cycles of our service areas.

1.3 The Council will commit the necessary resources to deliver the actions within this Disability Action Plan.

1.4  As part of its corporate planning process, the Council will build objectives, target setting and monitoring into relevant business plans.

1.5 The objectives will be reflected at all levels of strategic planning within the Council including individual staff objectives and annual plans.

Employees will be made aware of this Disability Action Plan and how their duties and responsibilities assist the Council to meet its obligations.

Progress on meeting the objectives will be monitored and reported to relevant section Managers and the Elected Members on an annual basis.

Individual performance on these issues will be monitored and reviewed through internal performance review arrangements.

[1] What the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 means by disability “A physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.” – Definition of Disability, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, 2007