Falkirk Council has an annual prioritised programme for adapting its buildings in order to facilitate access for disabled persons to allow full use of our services.
Audit Scotland requires councils to measure the number of their buildings from which they provide services to the public and the proportion of these in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to disabled people. There are a number of exempt categories of buildings.
In March 2007 Falkirk Council had 134 buildings from which it provided a service under this definition, 75 of which, comprising 56%, met the required standard for access.
During 2006-07 six additional buildings were made accessible. In addition further accessibility improvements were carried out in high priority buildings which were already classed as accessible according to the indicator.
You can view a list of our service buildings and whether they are accessible here (PDF, 202KB)|.This assessment does not cover the suitability of access to the buildings for disabled staff.
The Act defines 'disability' as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial or long term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Unless specifically exempted, it always includes a provision for wheelchair users.
Buildings considered 'suitable for and accessible to disabled people' means that practices, polices or procedures make it possible and reasonably practical for disabled people to use a service and that auxiliary aids or services are provided enable or make it easier for disabled people to use a service. Suitable buildings will have been subjected to an accessibility audit or an equivalent assessment covering all aspects of the needs of the disabled person.
Access from the public road or car park area to the building entrance and egress from the building must both be sufficient for the needs of disabled people. Where toilet facilities are provided, facilities for disabled people will normally be required.
Falkirk Council has compiled details of accessible Council buildings (PDF, 31KB)| as well as a guide to accessible facilities in the Falkirk area (PDF, 202KB)|, both of which can be downloaded in PDF format from this page