Accessible loos to be installed
Senior councillors have backed plans to make several Sunderland leisure venues and attractions more accessible for people with disabilities.
Changing Places Toilets are designed to meet the needs of disabled children and adults with complex care needs who need carer support, appropriateequipment and more space.
According to a report prepared for Sunderland City Council’ s ruling cabinet, standard accessible toilets are“unsuitable” for this group as they lack specialist equipment, such as hoists and privacy screens, and space for carers.
Following a decision by city leaders this week, new Changing Places Toilets are set to be installed at “priority leisure venues” across the city.
This follows the city council’s recent award of £330,000 from the national Changing Places Fund towards the costs of installation at eight venues.
According to cabinet documents, the council is leading directly on installation sin four venues including: Elemore Park Garden and Visitor Centre; Roker Park; Herrington Country Park (Park Lodge); Washington Library and Customer Service Centre.
It is intended that these venues will have registered Changing Places Toilet sin place by March, 2024.
Further potential venues have also been identified by the city council’s leisure operator Sports and Leisure ManagementLim it ed(SLM) at community leisure centres including: Raich Carter Sports Centre; Washington Leisure Centre; Hetton Community Pool and Wellness Centre; Houghton Sports and Wellness Centre; Silksworth Community Pool Tennis and Wellness Centre; Sunderland Aquatic Centre.
The venues identified either require upgrades to existingfacilities or full installations to ensure their facilities meet Changing Places Toilet standards and can be registered.
Sports and Leisure Management Limited is surveying its existing facilities and seeking quotations which are expected to inform the number of leisure facilities that will benefit.
To enable SLM to proceed with the procurement of contractors, Sunderland City Council’s cabinet agreed to award £140,000 of the Changing Places Fund grant.
This would be finalised through a grant funding agreement with“appropriate terms and conditions”.
A report on the matter was presented to cabinet by Councillor Paul Stewart, cabinet secretary.
It noted that other leisure and sporting venues, visitor attractions and premises were considered as part of the Changing Places programme.
However the report said these were “discounted either because of the inability to meet programme timescales (installations to be completed by March, 2024) or they [were] unable to meet the minimum specifications required”.
It was also noted that new build venues such as City Hall or Culture House were “not eligible for support” under the funding programme.
The cabinet report also outlinedhow the Changing Places programme lined up with the council’s own priorities.
It read :“The Changing Places Toilet programme closely aligns with Sunderland’s City Plan, Healthy City Plan and Health Inequalities Strategy.
“The main objective [is] to make public venues more accessible to all residents including those with physical and learning disabilities”.