Published: Wednesday, 1st July, 2009 2:44pm

Council refutes claims it is failing disabled people

by Hamish Hutchinson

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A NATIONAL organisation representing disabled people claims Clackmannanshire Council has grossly underestimated the number of people in the county with a disability.

And Inclusion Scotland claims the local authority is failing to provide enough accessible housing which meets the needs of disabled people.

But the council"s regeneration portfolio holder, Councillor Sam Ovens, has rubbished Inclusion Scotland"s claim that around 10,000 people living in the county are disabled - more than double the council"s estimate of 4800.

Inclusion Scotland, which compiled its report using information gathered under Freedom of Information, says the council provided a poor estimation of the number of disabled people living in the county.

It also says that Clackmannanshire was the only council which could not provide information on how many adapted properties they have available.

And it states that the council admitted there were no disabled people involved in the first stages of setting its Local Housing Strategy and that only one disabled person was involved in the later stages.

However, the council was praised for identifying the housing needs of disabled people, with estimates for 2007/08 showing there were 198 people waiting for adapted housing.

Inclusion Scotland also noted that a housing association was currently constructing 15 wheelchair accessible homes in the county, and praised the council"s policy of not removing adaptations from homes, although one adaption was removed in 2006 at a cost of £1042.

Dr Ann Wilson, convener of Inclusion Scotland said, 'There is a real shortfall of accessible homes.

'A partnership between local and national government and housing providers is urgently needed to meet disabled people"s needs. 

'We need to ensure that disabled people have homes that they can actually live in.'

Rev. Ovens, however, refuted much of Inclusion Scotland"s findings.

He told the Advertiser, 'To say that 20 per cent of the county"s population - meaning 10,000 people - have a physical disability which would require adapted housing is erroneous.

'The council"s estimate of 4800 is reliable, accurate and trusted.'

Rev. Ovens said that a particular housing needs assessment was carried out as part of the Local Housing Strategy and this included a huge amount of consultation with tenants including hundreds of older people and people with disabilities.

He continued, 'Part of this consultation included an open forum meeting which was attended by tenants, including one tenant with a disability.

'The council is currently working on creating a database listing all adapted properties, as details of many of the adaptations carried out years ago are on paper files.'