East Ayrshire Council to renew partnership with AccessAble
East Ayrshire Council is planning to renew its contract with Accessible, a unique online UK Accessibility Checker which produces access guides for places people want to go, both as local residents and visitors.
AccessAble is the only professional UK Accessibility Checker, used by over 100,000 people every month. The organisation was established in 2000 by people with disabilities and works on a not-for-profit model to change people’s lives by tackling social isolation and promoting independence.
Its Access Guides contain information relevant to people with a wide range of requirements, from mobility to sensory, and learning difficulty to mental health. They are also relevant for older people and people with anxiety.
East Ayrshire Council has been working with AccessAble since 2008 and there are currently 213 Detailed Access Guides, 65 Summary Access Guides and four High Street Guides based in Kilmarnock and Cumnock. These are all published on AccessAble’s free app, as well as on a dedicated website for East Ayrshire.
Renewing the contract will mean that a dedicated project manager from AccessAble can focus on engaging with and gaining feedback from disabled people and their carers, as well as maintaining and developing information about East Ayrshire venues and businesses. The project manager would also work with the Council to promote the Access Guides to residents and visitors through potential new channels such as the Council’s own website, and work with local businesses to support them to maximise their offer to disabled customers.
Councillor Neal Ingram, Cabinet Spokesperson for Equalities and Inclusion, said: “Having accessible places across East Ayrshire which disabled people and their carers feel confident to visit is an important priority for the Council, so I am very pleased that Cabinet has agreed to enter a three-year renewal contract with AccessAble.
“Both the Council and AccessAble see accessibility information as key to ensuring that disabled people and their families do not face inequality; it’s vital that they should be offered choice and independence when deciding where they wish to shop, visit or spend leisure time.
“During 2024, the Council’s Detailed Access Guides were used by 11,916 individual people, which shows that they are being well used, and I now look forward to seeing these guides being improved and expanded to offer even more choice and control for individuals, carers and families.
“Working with local businesses will also help us to inclusively promote our local businesses and town centres to maximise footfall and ensure people are aware of our fantastic local assets.”
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