FOI Request - Disabled Residents and Travel to Elgin
Request 101003740115
I am requesting the following information regarding the impact of Moray Council’s policies on disabled residents who are required to travel to Elgin for council-related appointments:
1. The number of disabled residents required to travel to Elgin for appointments in the past five years.
2. The number of disabled individuals who requested reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 to have appointments held locally or remotely, and how many of these requests were granted or denied.
3. A copy of any council policies on accessibility and reasonable adjustments for disabled residents.
4. Any Equality Impact Assessments conducted regarding the requirement for disabled residents to travel to Elgin for appointments.
5. The number of requests for alternative arrangements (e.g., home visits, remote meetings) that have been approved or denied in the past five years, and the criteria used to make these decisions.
6. Details of any financial or logistical support available to disabled residents who must travel to Elgin for council-related appointments, including the number of people who have received such assistance in the past five years.
Response 03-04-2025
1. Not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act
2. Not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act
3. Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 can vary significantly across services and depending on the individual’s needs. Any adjustments should be determined by each service depending on what they deliver.
Moray Council has an Integrated Impact Assessment and guidance which is used internally to identify if there are any impacts on protected characteristic groups (including disability). This is used for any new (or revision to any existing) service, strategy, policy, plan, project, budget proposal affecting members of the public. Any negative impacts on any of the groups should be identified with mitigations identified to reduce or eliminate the impact and any inequality or disadvantage.
The Housing Service have the following policies and procedures which supports requests for reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010; this information is published and available on the Moray Council website. This information is therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise accessible. For ease of reference please find a link to the web pages here:
Moray Council Homelessness Policy: http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file45711.pdf
Moray Council Allocations Policy: http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file154032.pdf
Moray Council Housing Support Policy – referral process and support matrix assessment: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_75232.html
Moray Council Housing Functional Assessment: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_42973.html
The internal Housing portal for staff includes Shelter Scotland’s:
• Reasonable Adjustments and the Equality Act 2010
• Homelessness and the Equality Act 2010
• Allocations and the Equality Act 2010
Homelessness and the PSED Briefing Note – 2023
Housing Options Procedures - S.5 Arranging a Housing Options interview, S.9.1.3 Make a homeless application and S.11 Referrral to other services and departments all state the following:
The Duty Advisor will establish if the customer can come into the Elgin Annexe for an interview. In exceptional circumstances, where this is not possible due to financial constraints, work patterns, mobility or disability issues, an interview may be arranged at any Council Access Point, the customer’s home or by telephone where necessary (for instance, the customer may be in hospital or prison)
Moray Council Homelessness Policy: http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file45711.pdf
S. 4 sets out Legal and Regulatory Framework which includes the following:
S. 4.1 Housing Support Duty to Homeless Households - guidance for local authorities https://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-support-duty-homeless-households-guidance-local-authorities/pages/3/
Sections 4.5 - 4.10 include reference to Equality Act 2010 and giving due regard in relation to PSED to eliminate any discrimination on grounds of disability.
S. 9 Provision of Support to Vulnerable People
Staff from the Housing and Property Service will work with a range of other services and agencies to
ensure that vulnerable households receive appropriate support to:
• help them to avoid becoming homeless;
• support them through any period of homelessness; or
• assist them to resettle and avoid homelessness recurring in the future.
Moray Council Homelessness Procedures
Introduction covers Equality Act 2010, due regard to PSED and eliminating discrimination.
S. 2.1 Arranging homeless Interview - Access the Housing Needs diary and arrange a mutually convenient date and time for a homelessness interview with the applicant and confirm the appointment. Where a physical interview is not possible, for example due to financial constraints, work patterns, mobility or disability issues, an interview may be arranged at the applicant’s home, by phone or using Near Me where necessary.
S. 4.8 Functional Assessment Form – for applicants to advise of all illnesses, disabilities and / or vulnerabilities.
Moray Council’s Allocations Policy: http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file154032.pdf
S. 5 Equality and Diversity – sets out commitment to give due regard to PSED to eliminate discrimination.
Moray Council’s Equality and Diversity Policy http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file90810.pdf has a supporting Appendix ‘Disability Equality in Employment’ which sets out the Council’s commitment to providing reasonable adjustments for employees.
Moray Council Customer Charter webpage: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_98954.html
Moray Council Living with a Disability guidance webpage:http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_77504.html
4. Not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act
5. Not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act
6. Not recorded. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act