The Local Accessibility Partnership has been formed to assist with the delivery and progression of the Accessibility Strategy (and also the Rural Access to Services Programme). The Strategy has been produced in conjunction with the Council's second Local Transport Plan, which sets out the programme of activities to improve transport and transport related issues from 2006 to 2011.
The Accessibility Strategy aims to improve access to services and facilities for the residents of the Borough. Most importantly, through the Strategy, it is aimed to improve people's access to :-
- Employment
- Education
- Health care
- Fresh food shopping
In order to deliver the Strategy and improve accessibility across the Borough in an effective way, key organisations were approached to become partners of the Local Accessibility Partnership, which includes Connexions, Jobcentre Plus, Planning, Social Care, Education, the Princess Royal Hospital, Arriva Midlands, the Senior Citizen's Forum, the Council for Voluntary Service and many other groups. The bringing together of such a diverse range of groups ensures that the issue of access to services is approached from a number of angles and viewpoints.
Although the Accessibility Strategy has been produced within the Transport Policy & Management team, it is intended that not all solutions to accessibility issues will be dealt with by implementing or improving transport. Solutions may include the provision of a home delivery service from a local shop, or the provision of a communal broadband computer in the local Community Centre to be able to order goods and services, or to make payments online. The solutions will be those which best suit the circumstances of the residents/people affected.
Local Accessibility Partnership structure
The Local Accessibility Partnership will report to Telford & Wrekin's Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), which brings together organisations from across the public, voluntary, community and private sectors. The LSP will also be able to downwardly communicate to the LAP.
A number of sub-groups are also associated with the LAP, increasing the capacity for upward and downward communication to take place (see the below structure for information)
Local Strategic Partnership
I I
Local Accessibility Partnership
I I
Sub-groups:-
Rural Transport User Group
T&W Bicycle User Group
T&W Walking Group
Wheels to Work Working Group
Bus User Group
Local Access Forum
The sub-groups will have the opportunity to feed into the LAP, whilst also providing the LAP with an effective method of disseminating information in an appropriate way. Most sub-groups meet on a quarterly basis. If you are interested in finding out more about any of the sub-groups, please go to the Local Accessibility Partnership sub-groups page for contact details.
Meetings of the Local Accessibility Partnership
The Local Accessibility Partnership meets every 6 months in April and October each year, and is an opportunity to assess how the delivery of the Accessibility Strategy and RASP is going. They are also a place for partners to get together and discuss ideas, new information, share knowledge and plan for the following 6 months.
Forthcoming meetings dates :-
13th May 2008, October/November 2008 (actual date tba)
Previous meeting dates:-
16th October 2007, 17th May 2007, 10th October 2006, 4th April 2006 (first meeting)
Due to the structure of the meetings which include presentations and workshops, minutes are not produced. Instead an e-newsletter is sent to all partners after the meeting with information and relevant attachments. Should anyone wish to have a copy of any one of these emails, please contact transport.policy@telford.gov.uk or telephone 01952 384608.
To find out who the partners on the Local Accessibility Partnership are click here.
For more information about the Local Accessibility Partnership including its partners, please follow the link to the pages on the Telford & Wrekin Council website
Terms of reference for the partnership can be viewed by clicking here.