Flintshire Disability Forum

Minutes of the 1st Annual General Meeting of Flintshire Disability Forum held on Tuesday 29th June 1999 at Flint Pavilion Leisure Centre.

Present:

1. Welcome:

Steve Wood, Chairman of the Disability Association/Cymdeithas Anabledd, who would be acting as the meeting’s chair, welcomed members to the meeting. The Chair informed members of the fire evacuation procedures and details of the meeting’s agenda. He informed members that following local government re-organisation, unitary authorities had been keen to work in partnership with locally based organisations. The Flintshire Disability Forum therefore represented an important development, for the local authority had already demonstrated a commitment to working with the Forum and it was hoped that a locally established organisations would be in the best position to represent the views and needs of disabled people in Flintshire.

2. Apologies for absence:

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

3. Forum Development Worker’s Report

Alex Warr presented the following report to members:

‘The development of a forum began with an invitation from the Disability Association in September 1998 to discuss the possibility of establishing a disability forum for Flintshire. A steering group was established, consisting of local people with disabilities and a number of voluntary organisations - Carers Project, Deaf Access Wales, Disaware, Disability Association/Cymdeithas Anabledd, Flintshire Disability Action, Flintshire Local Voluntary Council and Vision Support. Through joint working a consultation meeting was arranged for the 24th November here at the Flint Pavilion, to further discuss the merits of establishing a forum. Many of you here today attended that meeting, which by all accounts, was a great success and significantly, there was unanimous agreement that a forum should be established. Seven months later, we have all come together to attend the Forum’s first Annual General Meeting, which I believe is a step which should be celebrated. A number of factors have contributed to the Forum’s development and success to date though.

The Steering Group agreed that for a forum to be successfully established, initial funding was essential to facilitate and publicise the newly-created forum. The Disability Association/Cymdeithas Anabledd had received one year’s funding from Comic Relief and the Lloyds/TSB Foundation to help facilitate a disability forum for people with physical and/or sensory impairments in Flintshire.

This funding would enable two paid workers: a development worker and administration worker to advise and support the forum, which as you know are myself and Anne Warr, plus funding for the cost of meeting facilities, the cost of producing/distributing information and other associated running costs. This funding for supporting the Forum is due to end this September.

Since the Forum’s inaugural meeting in November, the Forum has met on Tuesday’s mornings, on a monthly basis, here at the Flint Pavilion. Meetings during this time have largely focussed on laying the Forum’s foundations; e.g. determining the forum’s membership and aims and objectives. The results of these discussion are present today through the proposed adoption of the Forum’s constitution as an agenda item. It was agreed at the forum’s inaugural meeting that it would be beneficial to spend the period in which the Comic Relief and Lloyds/ TSB Foundation grants was supporting the forum at a comfortable pace, as the funding provided the luxury of time. Importantly, members have therefore had the opportunity to get to know each other and have developed a good, effective relationship. Also meetings have been regularly attended by people with physical and/or sensory impairments, ensuring that the forum is representative of the views and needs of local people with a wide-range of disabilities.

I personally believe that this has been partly due to the forum’s commitment to ‘access’ in the fullest sense. All meetings have been held in fully accessible venue, information is always available in all accessible formats and any support which members require has been provided (for example sign-language interpreters), which together have ‘truly’ enabled and empowered our members to attend and participate fully in meetings.

In addition to concentrating upon the forum’s foundations, the proactive participation of members in the consultation process has already been sought. An invitation was extended to members to join a core group, to develop a Flintshire County Council Physical and Sensory Impairment Strategy. This is an extremely positive venture, for it enables disabled people to directly contribute to and develop council policy.

I believe that it has already been recognised by the local authority, that the forum can provide an extremely valuable contribution to their consultation and review process. The Forum has been successful in obtaining grant funding of £4,000 from Flintshire County Council Social Services to develop its activities, plus the use of an office in Ty’r Binwydden (formerly Llys Alun Resources Centre) in Mold.

Importantly though, it is envisaged that the forum will not only respond to requests for consultation, but will be proactive in recommending good practice, raising awareness of disability and providing members views on a variety of issues which affect disabled people.

I also believe that the Forum will become proactive is disseminating and sharing information. Members have already received information upon the Benefits Integrity Project and the Disability Discrimination Act. I am certain that we will see this aspect of the Forum’s role develop.

The responsibility of determining the forum’s direction lies to a greater extend, with the forum’s members now. Certainly I will continue to provide the level of support which I have been doing for the short term, but it is important for the members to now have a greater input. I feel confident to say this is due to the tremendous support which the forum has received from its members. I feel that this response by local people with disabilities has clearly demonstrated the need for a representative and responsive disability forum for Flintshire.

Again I implore members to continue the level of support for the Flintshire Disability Forum that they have demonstrated during the last seven months: your continued enthusiasm and involvement is crucial if the forum is to become an established body which can achieve its desired objectives’.

4. Election of Honorary Officers:

The meeting’s Chair informed members that nominations could also be received for the officer positions and ordinary positions upon the committee, at today’s meeting, in addition, to those which had already been received prior to the meeting.

Chairman:

The meeting’s Chair informed members that only one nomination had been received for the position of Chairman prior to the meeting, from Brian Harrison. No nominations were received at the meeting. Members therefore unanimously elected Brian Harrison as the Forum’s first Chairman.

Vice-Chair:

One nomination had been received prior to the meeting, from Marie Barratt. No nominations were received at the meeting. Members therefore unanimously elected Marie Barratt as Vice-Chair.

Secretary:

One nomination had been received prior to the meeting from David Barratt. No nominations were received at the meeting. Members therefore unanimously elected David Barratt as Secretary.

Treasurer:

No nominations had been received prior to the meeting. Marian Harrison nominated herself for the position of Treasurer at the meeting. This was unanimously accepted by members.

5. Election Committee Members: Six Vacant Positions

The Chair informed members that following the election of officers, six nominations had now been received prior to the meeting, for the six vacant positions. Nominations had been received from Ann Earlam, Eddie Furber, Tom Galloway, Joan Murphy, Elaine Sherry and Michael Williams.

The Chair enquired whether there were any other nominations at the meeting. No further nominations were received.

The Chair presented the candidate information which had been received prior to the meeting. He then asked members to accept each candidate’s nomination, which members unanimously accepted.

6. Adoption of Forum’s Constitution

The Chair asked members to consider the adoption of a constitution, which had been drafted following discussion at forum meetings. The constitution had been issued in standard print, large print, audio tape and Braille.

For information the Chair reminded members of its contents, by providing a summary of the constitution’s aims and objectives and membership criteria.

The Chair asked members to vote upon the acceptance of the constitution. Members unanimously accepted this proposal. The newly elected committee signed the constitution accordingly.

7. Vote of Thanks

The Chair delivered the vote of thanks. He expressed his gratitude to the members of the Forum’s Steering Group, whose support and efforts had resulted in the creation of the Forum. He also thanked Rose and Judy the interpreters and Nia, Geraldine and Joanne the support workers. He announced that Joanne had recently been awarded a 2:1 BA (Hons) Youth and Community Education degree and members gave a round of applause.

He acknowledged the contribution and support given by Flintshire Disability Action. He also thanked the Disability Association’s Administration Officer, Anne Warr, the Community Development Worker, Alex Warr and the Association’s team of volunteers.

8. Any Other Business

Kieran Duff of Flintshire Local Voluntary Council announced a number of forthcoming events which FLVC were facilitating, for information.

Alex Warr asked members to consider arrangements for the next ordinary meeting and the committee meeting. Members agreed that the next ordinary meeting should be 10:30am, Tuesday 27th July at the Flint Pavilion. Committee members agreed that further discussion would be needed to determine the date of the first committee meetings.

Alex informed members that the first meeting of the Flintshire County Council PSI Strategy Group had been scheduled for the 14th June, but had been cancelled due to bereavement. The three Forum representatives reported that they had not received official notification of the scheduled meeting, but had been informed that it had been cancelled. Alex agreed that she would contact Peter Kane at the Chief Executive Department to ensure that adequate notice of meetings was given. Tom John of Social Services and a member of the core group, confirmed that arrangements had been made for the reimbursement of travel expenses.

9. Guest Speaker: Julia McFadden, Benefits Agency

Julia McFadden presented an extremely interesting talk upon the role and work of the Benefits Agency and of a number of new initiatives.

Alex Warr thanked Julia McFadden for her contribution to the meeting. She invited members to join her for a buffet lunch and closed the meeting.

Meeting closed at 12:30pm