Access and disability
The Planning Service is concerned to ensure that buildings and facilities in the Borough are fully accessible to people with disabilities.

 Access to buildings and spaces for people with disabilities
 Wandsworth Access Association
 Mayor's Access Awards
 Grants for access improvement projects
 Disabled Go - Access information for people with disabilities

Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Detailed information on this can be found on the Government website www.disability.gov.uk and on the Disability Rights Commission web site www.drc-gb.org. The Disability Rights Commission have produced a simple leaflet entitled "What you need to know about making changes to your premises" which describes the new duties introduced by the Act to apply from 1st October 2004.

The Council's Disablement Working Party
The Council's Disablement Working Party was set up in 1986. It is chaired by the Borough Planner with representatives all Council departments. Its role is to encourage, stimulate and monitor the work of all Council departments on disability matters, including access improvements to buildings and spaces and disability awareness training. It does not however deal with client service delivery matters aimed specifically at disabled people such as those carried out by the Social Services Department.

For further information on the work Council's Disablement Working Party telephone John Stone (phone 020 8871 6628) or e-mail jstone@wandsworth.gov.uk.

Wandsworth Access Association
The Wandsworth Access Association, which is a voluntary organisation run by people with disabilities to improve access for disabled people within the Borough and is supported by the Borough Planners Service.

The Association considers the needs of and facilities available for people with disabilities in Wandsworth. It advises the Council and other bodies on access problems and campaigns to improve transport for people with disabilities and for access to indoor and outdoor recreation and sports facilities.

New members are always welcome. Full membership is open to any disabled person living or working in Wandsworth. Associate membership is available to non disabled people who support the aims of the organisation. Further information, including a membership form, can be obtained from the Chair, Mr Martyn Ellacot (phone 020 8874 2007), or via their website at www.wandsworthaccess.org.uk.

Mayor's Access Awards
This award scheme has been running since 1995. It gives recognition to developments which have given special consideration to the needs of people with disabilities. Its aim is to encourage organisations and companies to think about the needs of disabled people when building new premises or refurbishing or altering existing ones. The awards are co-ordinated by the Planning Service in conjunction with the Wandsworth Access Association. Nominations are invited in January each year for schemes completed in the previous calendar year. Following a full assessment of all nominations the awards are presented.

 The Mayor's awards for access 2004 - Report of the assessment panel

Further information about this scheme can be obtained from John Webb, Conservation, Design and Development Group (phone 020 8871 6645).

Grants for access improvement projects
The Council is committed to improving access for people with disabilities into buildings and facilities. There is a significant need for access improvements to existing buildings and facilities used by the public and operated by the voluntary sector. There is often a lack of funds to carry out access improvements to these buildings. Therefore in 1998 the Planning Service set up the Access Improvement Grant scheme to provide financial assistance to schemes by the voluntary sector which will benefit people with any form of disability.

• Who can get a grant?
  Grants are available for the premises of voluntary non-profit making organisations owned on a freehold or with a minimum of 5 years left on a lease.
• What sort of improvements are eligible?
  Improvements, which benefit people with any form of disability, are eligible. These could include: new access ramps, alterations to doors, the provision of a fully accessible toilet, installation of a lift, the provision of an induction loop, works to improve colour contrasts to benefit people who are visually impaired.
  All works must fully comply with Part M of the Building Regulations.
• How much will the grant be?
  Normally the grant will be 50% of the eligible costs up to a maximum of £25,000. Eligible costs are for the actual access improvement works and do not cover routine maintenance, conversion, alteration or modernisation which may be going on at the same time.
• More information
  Further information and advice about the grants, and an application form, can be obtained from John Webb, Conservation, Design and Development Group (phone 020 8871 6645).

You can download the latest guidelines for access improvement projects and the grants available together with an application form for Access Improvement Grants. The documents are available below in Adobe's pdf format.

 Grants for access improvement projects - guidelines (20 kb)
 Access improvement grant - application form (100 kb)

Disabled Go
Disabled Go is a great new service for Wandsworth residents. It opens the door on over a 1,000 of the borough's best shops, restaurants and leisure facilities - and promotes those that offer the best access for people with disabilities.

Visit Disabled Go for more information