Mark Whitehead 15 September 2017

Majority of procurement deals ignore accessibility requirements

More than half of outsourcing deals by councils fail to take the needs of people with disabiilities into account, according to a business pressure group.

This leaves many councils at risk of paying more to retrofit services or offices for accessibility, the Business Disability Forum warned.

It found that only one in four organisations in a study reviewed contracts with third-party suppliers to ensure that they delivered on requirements for inclusion and accessibility.

Less than two in five reported having discussions with suppliers about how they approach disability outside of formal processes.

The forum's chief executive officer Diane Lightfoot said: 'Local authorities continue to face shrinking budgets but they could be incurring a considerable additional expense through the way that they outsource services or parts of them.

'A significant proportion of the population in every local authority area in the country will have a disability or long-term health condition that could impact on their ability to access services.

'Ensuring that they can access services, then, can never be an afterthought: it has to be a central part of service design.’

For more on disabilities and cuts read our feature, ‘Disabilities in a time of austerity.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Lead Compliance Surveyor WMF2227e

Westmorland and Furness Council
£56,883 - £59,198
Cumbria is a great place to live and work with excellent schools, transport links and outdoor pursuits. Cumbria / Various
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Workstream Project Lead - Team Barrow - WMF223

Westmorland and Furness Council
£56,883 - £59,198
‘Team Barrow’ is a dynamic partnership between Westmorland & Furness Council, central Government and BAE Systems. Barrow in Furness, Cumbria
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Workstream Project Lead - Team Barrow - WMF223

Westmorland and Furness Council
£56,883 - £59,198
‘Team Barrow’ is a dynamic partnership between Westmorland & Furness Council, central Government and BAE Systems. Barrow in Furness, Cumbria
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Adult Learning Tutor - Spanish Languages Carlisle Sessional - WMF2233e

Westmorland and Furness Council
£32,061 - £32,597
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Carlisle Adult Learning team. Carlisle, Cumbria
Recuriter: Westmorland and Furness Council

Childcare Assistant

City Of Doncaster Council
Grade 5 £25,185 - £25,989 pro rata
Are you passionate about nurturing and inspiring young minds Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recuriter: City Of Doncaster Council
Linkedin Banner