Improvements to tackle equality barriers in Bridgend County Borough
Poster information
Posted on: Friday 12 April 2019
A new report has been published to highlight the ways in which Bridgend County Borough Council is tackling equality barriers to help ensure that all local residents have a chance to fulfil their potential.
The council’s ‘Strategic Equality Plan Annual Report’ describes the progress made during the last couple of years and sets out seven key objectives to focus on by 2020 which cover issues relating to transportation, leisure, arts and culture.
Among the transport improvements made recently are the introduction of highway network pedestrian aids at 92 junctions. A Welsh Government grant of over £85,000 has also been secured towards Bridgend Community Transport, which provides affordable, accessible community transport solutions for local residents and community groups wishing to travel locally, regionally or nationally.
The council is also committed to working with partners to help to promote fair and equal access to participation in sport and recreation services, as well as in the arts and culture services. During 2017/18 the council developed a ‘move more often’ physical activity programme for older adults and continued the success of the ‘Olympage Games’, which is designed to get older people more active.
The local authority has also worked in partnership with Awen to tackle loneliness and isolation by developing initiatives including a variety of men’s sheds across the county borough. The council has also worked with Awen and Halo to support dementia friendly swimming sessions at Bridgend Life Centre. The national free swim programme for over 60’s also attracted 77,000 participants whilst the access to leisure scheme has supported over 160,000 visits.
New accessible ‘Changing Places’ facilities which include changing beds and hoist facilities have also been developed in partnership with Invacare UK and are based at Bryngarw Country Park, Pencoed Library and Bridgend Life Centre.
As an authority our aim is to understand and tackle the equality barriers that people face in their daily lives.
We want to ensure that equality is a part of everything we do and the services we deliver so I am really proud that we are progressing in achieving our objectives.
Councillor Dhanisha Patel, Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations
The council’s strategic equality plan annual report can be found on the ‘Equality and Diversity’ page at the council's website. For further information on the plan or to receive it in an alternative format please contact talktous@bridgend.gov.uk or call 01656 643643.