Friday 25 February 2011

ELDERLY AND DISABLED HIT BY CLOSURE

The Walpole Bay lift in Cliftonville is to close as part of the Tory council’s cuts to local resident services announced at Thursday evenings TDC Budget council meeting.

Cliftonville West ward councillors Linda Aldred, Doug Clark and Clive Hart argue that the lift provides access to the lower beach level promenade for many elderly & disabled residents living in the hundreds of new flats in & around Eastern Esplanade, and for visitors to the remaining local Cliftonville hotels.

Cllr Linda Aldred said "The lift provided disabled access to the lower beach level prom and it will be missed by many residents and visitors, especially those in wheel chairs".

Cllr Doug Clark said "The beach has lost its Blue Flag status & the Conservative administration at TDC appears to be abandoning any hope for Cliftonville to re-establish itself as a seaside resort in the future".

Cllr Clive Hart said "I find it incredible that a Conservative administration at TDC proposes painting a building like the lighthouse in Margate that quite clearly does not need painting at all, but then can't find the money to maintain a very useful existing TDC facility".

PICTURES ATTACHED - 1) THE CLOSED LIFT 2) ACCESS TO LOWER PROM.

Published by Cllrs Aldred, Clark & Hart. 44 Norrthdown Road, Cliftonville, CT9 2RW.

9 comments:

  1. I thought councils have a legal obligation to provide disabled access these days?

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  2. Only to where they have a need to go. Think you will find there is no disabled access to others of Thanet's beaches.

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  3. Yes there is. They built concrete slopes on Margate main sands for disabled access, & there's a lift (still) working at Viking Bay I believe.

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  4. Define "where they have a need to go" anon.

    A couple of years back I (along with others) tried to persuade TDC to make Botany Bay an official naturist beach, & I was told that they couldn't actually officially designate the beach as anything without installing disabled access. So I'm curious what exactly is the law requiring (or not requiring) disabled access.

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  5. I think, but I claim no expertise, that access must be provided to public places where it reasonably can be. As Peter points out there is no such access to Botany Bay, nor I am sure, to Kingsgate Bay. Similarly, at Clarendon House in Ramsgate there is only disabled access on the ground but not upper floors of the old building although their much more modern science labs had it installed from the outset.

    More concerning about Botany Bay as a naturist beach would be the fact that it is used frequently by science and geography teachers for out door lessons for their little charges. Would one really wants these children gawking at other peoples dangly bits. Not nice!

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  6. That's another issue anon 10:52; my point is that TDC used (at least in part) the "no disabled access" excuse & I want to know how legitimate that is.

    Of course Botany Bay IS used by naturists (as it has been for several decades now), & perfectly legally too. The only difference having it officially designated would make is that it would bring more tourism to the area, particularly from Europe, but I guess TDC know best......

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  7. Peter, to some extent I go with to each his own and I have no problem with naturists in private land, if that is what terms them on. In public places though I would have you all locked up for outraging public decency, so probably best we agree to differ. Oh, and you are wrong about perfectly legal. It is not but the authorities for some reason choose not to enforce the law on the issue.

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  8. It's perfectly legal to be naked in public ANYWHERE in England & Wales unless there's a specific by-law prohibiting it (which is very rare); the only illegal thing is to "deliberately cause offence" by being naked. The old "indecent exposure" law is obsolete. So, in practice I wouldn't advise anyone to strip off on Margate main sands or Viking Bay, but any reasonably secluded beach where there's not many people is fine. In fact I'll be on one or two of those beaches next week - I'll be fully clothed, but my models won't be. ; )

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  9. Not quite right on the law, Peter, for it is still down to judicial interpretation as to what constitutes public indecency and thereby gives rise to an offence. In brief, it is exposing parts of the body contrary to local custom of modesty and thereby offending.

    In part you are right about where such exposure happens but it is also down to local feelings on the issue and, should complainst be made, they would have to be investigated. Wouldn't suggest you try stripping off in a mosque.

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