Item 12 - Appendix 2
West Dunbartonshire Council · 21 August 2024
Back to Housing & Communities Committee — 21 August 2024 and its agenda
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Assessment No 1042 Owner kirvine2 Resource Regeneration, Environment and Growth Service Housing and Employment FirstName Surname Job Title Head Officer Kathryn Irvine Senior Housing Development Officer Members Kathryn Irvine (Please note: the word 'policy' is used as shorthand for strategy policy function or financial decision) Policy Title Mobility Scooter Guidance The aim, objective, purpose and intended out come of policy To put in place guidance which staff can use when dealing with tenants who use and store mobility scooters in common areas in sheltered accommodation, or any communal area in general let accommodation. The Council wishes to allow for independent living but also has to consider the health and safety aspect for the entire building and all who live in it. The issue of mobility scooters being stored in communal entrances, hallways and bin stores was flagged as a fire safety issue by both WDC Fire Risk Officer and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). The Fire Scotland Act 2005 requires that fire risks in common areas should be assessed, and actions taken to reduce these risks, this guidance is therefore a response to this assessment. Mobility scooters have been identified as a risk indoors if they are stored on escape routes, if there was a fire there is a likelihood that escape routes would become impassable due to smoke and heat putting residents at significant risk. This guidance therefore sets out where mobility scooters can and can’t be stored. Service/Partners/Stakeholders/service users involved in the development and/or implementation of policy. Housing Development, Housing Operations & HSCP Does the proposals involve the procurement of any goods or services? Yes If yes please confirm that you have contacted our procurement services to discuss your requirements. No SCREENING You must indicate if there is any relevance to the four areas Duty to eliminate discrimination (E), advance equal opportunities (A) or foster good relations (F) Yes Relevance to Human Rights (HR) Yes Relevance to Health Impacts (H) Yes Relevance to Social Economic Impacts (SE) Yes Who will be affected by this policy? Tenants of Sheltered Accommodation and to a lesser extent tenants in communal buildings who use and wish to store mobility scooters indoors. Who will be/has been involved in the consultation process? The document is a guidance note only and not a full policy as yet so no wide consultation has been carried out however the paper was discussed with the Sheltered Housing Forum and Fire Safety Awareness days were held at Sheltered complexes together with Scottish Fire and Rescue where the document and reasons behind it were discussed. ITEM 12 - APPENDIX 2
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Please outline any particular need/barriers which equality groups may have in relation to this policy list evidence you are using to support this and whether there is any negative impact on particular groups. Specific group to consider Needs Evidence Impact Age Some older residents may have mobility issues for which they require assistance to remain mobile A number of sheltered residents do have mobility scooters Older residents are more likely to use mobility scooters If a tenant needs the scooter to be able to maintain independence this will not be impacted, we accept the use of prescibed mobility aids, the larger Class 3 mobility scooters are a lifestyle choice which are purchased and we cannot guarantee external storage and charging will always be possible for these. Disability Some tenants may have mobility issues for which a mobility aid allows them independence still There are approximately 5 Class 3 scooters in use across our 9 sheltered complexes, there are approximately the same number of Class 2 scooters/ electric wheelchairs Tenants can use Class 2 / Electric wheelchairs inside and outside, they can also use Class 3 outside, but options for storage and charging for these is very limited due to fire safety concearns. Gender Reassign Marriage & Civil Partnership Pregnancy & Maternity Race Religion and Belief Sex Sexual Orientation Human Rights The document does not impinge on anyones human rights, it simply asks for Class 3 scooters not be be purchased if there are no suitabale safe stoage options for them Some tnents will require mobility aids and they can use the aids as prescribed by HSCP, class 3 scooters are not prescribed Where possible we will work with tenants to provide an external charging and storage point for thier class 3 scooters, this may not be possible at all complexs however.
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Health The guidance recognises that mobility aids can increase a tenants independence when mobility is an issue. Sheltered complexes allow elderly tenants and tenants with mobility issues a means to life independently yet with some support available on site. The Council wishes to continue to help better the lives of residents allowing independent living while not putting the health and safety of other residnets in jepoardy from fire safety points. Social & Economic Impact Cross Cutting Many of these groups have a cross cutting effect with each other with regards to mobility issues but again with the guidance based on a fire safety basis no one group would be discriminated against. Staff need to have a good awareness of numbers of scooters in complexes and storage provision. Para.1 of sch.22 to the Equality Act 2010 in effect provides that any action taken to comply with health and safety legislation will not amount to discrimination because of the following protected characteristics: age, disability, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. The Council aims in the future to provide more purpose built storage options for the safe storing and charging of Class 3 scooters but until this is available we would not want complxes becoming overun with Class 3 scooters presenting major fire safety hazzards. Demand for the space to charge the scooters may exceed what is possible to supply, but we will know more on this as and when storage is available.
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Policy has a negative impact on an equality group,but is still to be implemented, please provide justification for this. While the guidance may affect some tenants who would like to purchase a Class 3 Mobility Scooter but have nowhere to store it, the safety aspect for the scooters not being stored and charged in communal areas remains paramount and must be the main focus. Class 2 scooters can be accommodated more easily and while still have the same safety issues with battery charging, they can be stored easier as they are smaller and some even fold up. We will share guidance with Sheltered Complexes and each tenant. If tenants need advice they approach wardens. In the guidance we have included text from trading standards with advice about the batteries. When the guidance is upgraded to a policy (when storage is available) we will then do a full consultation with all residents and groups etc. We will also do an article in the Housing News. Will the impact of the policy be monitored and reported on an ongoing bases? The guidance will be reviewed and updated to a policy when storage facilities are provided at some of our complexes for mobility scooters over the next year. Q7 What is you recommendation for this policy? Intoduce Please provide a meaningful summary of how you have reached the recommendation EIA 1042: The Council wishes to allow for independent living but also has to consider the health and safety aspect for the entire building and all who live in it, in this regard the impact will be positive. Older people and disabled people are more likely to be scooter users. Some scooter users may suffer some inconvenience.