Management Information Sheet

Schools Access Initiative Funding

Thank you to all those schools who returned the DDA questionnaire. We are using this MI sheet as a means of communicating our intentions following detailed analysis of the results.

Funding Priorities: Due to funding pressures we will now adopt the following approach for new cases. We will only contribute to cases where there is a clear pupil need, except where the survey indicated schools without an accessible toilet. Schools will pay the first £3,000 (Primary) /£10,000 (Secondary). Above these levels, costs will be shared 50/50.

1.	Accessible toilet: a number of schools have accessible toilets which don't meet current guidelines, however, they did at the time they were constructed. This means that we will not be taking further action unless there is a specific pupil need to do so. For those schools without any accessible toilet, we will be arranging to visit in the Spring term with a view to contributing towards the cost of making that improvement.
2.	Disabled parking: We would expect schools to ensure that there is a disabled parking space marked out on a hard surface and meet the cost of this. We are aware from the survey that some schools have no parking at all other than on the highway and we are in touch with Planning & Transportation to see whether it is possible to mark a disabled space on the highway. We will contact those schools separately in due course.
3.	Emergency Plan: a number of schools have stated that they do not have an emergency plan. An emergency evacuation plan is necessary if a disabled person's impairment means that they would be unable to evacuate in the same manner and speed as others.
4.	Access to Curriculum Areas. Because of the funding pressures described above, we are unable to produce a programme of works within this category. We will, however, consider a contribution where there is a clear pupil need, should funding permit.

John Atkins
Premises Officer
Planning & Buildings
Children's Services
Tel: 01603 222028