Essex councillors resign over accessibility concerns
The councillor hasn't been able to use the lift for months
Two long serving councillors, including the former mayor of an Essex town, have accused the local council of failing to support people with disabilities and resigned amid a dispute over wheelchair access.
Former councillors Gerard and Beverley Oxford (Highwoods Independents, Highwoods) resigned on October 20, saying a broken lift has been preventing Mr Oxford attending Colchester Borough Council meetings in person since May.
A statement published on Mr Oxford’s Facebook page claimed the council had not moved meetings to accessible venues and is failing to support a person with protected characteristics.
The council said in a statement the lift has been certified as safe, but a residual fault is affecting one part of the building, and that official meetings of which Mr Oxford was a member were moved to the Old Library on the ground floor.
Mr Oxford, the former mayor of Colchester, a councillor for over 22 years and a wheelchair user, said at a meeting on October 19 he had not been able to use the lift on medical advice since May and will not be able to attend the presenting of the letters patent next month, during which Colchester is to be formally recognised as a city.
He said in the statement: “I have just resigned as a councillor with immediate effect due to the failure of CBC to support a person with protected characteristic under the equality act by not moving all meetings and ceremonial events to alternative accessible venues until the critical components are installed next year.
“I haven’t been able to attend in person, ask questions of the administration and hold them to account because of their failures and last night’s meeting was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
An earlier statement on Mr Oxford’s Facebook page said the lift was expected to be fixed in November, but was delayed until the new year as it still needed “critical parts”.
Council CEO Pamela Donnelly responded at last week’s meeting, saying the lift was safe and accessible except for a “minor” issue of accessing it from the first floor.
The council’s statement said meetings of which Mr Oxford was a member were moved to the Old Library on the ground floor, and that he was able to attend all other meetings virtually.
Council leader David King (Lib Dem, Mile End) said in the statement: “We are disappointed that these efforts were felt not to be enough, despite discussion in full council with Cllr Gerard Oxford present.
“We can confirm that we had already commissioned an independent assessment of the Town Hall, and its compliance with the Equalities Act has also been commissioned. We will take any learning we can from that review but know we have worked hard to meet our equalities commitments and reduce any inconvenience for members, visitors and staff. And we hope to fully repair the lift soon.
“Cllrs Gerard and Bev Oxford have served their residents and the wider council well, over many years. They leave a big gap and an example to those that will follow them. Like other councillors cross party, I thank them wholeheartedly for all their efforts over many years and wish them well for the future.”
The statement confirmed a by-election will take place following the resignations.