Dudley Council 'forgets to turn on light' for disabled visitors

The council house recently went through a revamp which included upgraded access for disabled visitors.

Those attending council meetings can now use a disabled access lift to enter the council chambers.

But Councillor Elaine Taylor says she was left in tears after using the lift and emerging into total darkness.

Councillor Taylor, who has to use walking sticks, said: “I have raised this at least four times now in emails as well as in the Council House. Why are disabled people not welcome in council buildings?

“Why are we forced to make decisions about whether it is safe for us to continue to attend meetings so we can represent the people who elected us? I was in absolute tears after trying to attend my last meeting, it was like something from the Krypton Factor.

“At one point the makeshift ramp moved and I became unstable and nearly fell over in the dark and I don’t know how long it would have been before I was found. It’s something of a nightmare.”

In total Dudley Council will spend over £4 million on the revamp of the Council House. It was hoped that the upgrades would provide new opportunities for disabled visitors to attend council meetings.

In response, Balvinder Heran, deputy chief executive at Dudley Council, said: “The Council House is undergoing major building work and we have tried to accommodate elected members and meetings as much as possible.

“Clearly, the significant disruption is having an impact on accessibility. We have therefore decided to cancel all meetings on the upper floors of the building until the work is complete, and instead hold them in more suitable areas of the complex or online.

“We apologise to anyone who has been inconvenienced by this work and assure people the new arrangements will mean everyone has safe access to important council meetings.”