Why I am voting for Will Quince?
I am like a dog with a bone, and when my teeth are into something it is impossible for me to let it go.
The outcome of this story was me speaking at Westminster with Penny Moudrant — The Minister of State for Disabled People, Work and Health.
So, what happened to get to this point?
It seems like a long time ago that I wrote a blog about taking my son into Colchester. Then trying to deal with the indignity of trying to attend to his sanitary needs.
https://colonelcamulos.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/no-dignity/
The blog went viral, and put me in touch with lots of people who suffer the same issues with regards to dignity for children with disabilities. All who have the same appetite to fight back. Like I do for my Son.
So, I decided to look at the subject and studied the law to see who was responsible and what layer of government is accountable.
I researched and came across something interesting, and read that Section 87 of the 1936 Public Health Act stated that the local authority had to provide sanitary conditions of public conveniences.
It surprised me to learn that powers of public conveniences had been devolved by Essex County Council to Colchester Borough Council nearly 50 years earlier. Also, that there was a portfolio holder who was accountable for all Public Toilets in Colchester.
The councillor who was responsible was Tim Young.
Naturally, I challenged him about this, as I sought a commitment from him to address this issue and to assist with an installation of a changing places facility in Colchester Town Centre.
At this stage, I presented Tim Young with an open goal. The compassionate thing would have been to meet with me and discuss what we could do to move things forward.
The abridged version was that it was rejected outright. It also came at the same time of arbitrary Art funding all across Colchester. It made me angry.
It was at this time that I spoke with my local Councillors Beverly Davies and Sue Lissimore. The latter is also my County Councillor.
Beverly Davies was kind enough to attempt to negotiate with Tim Young to assist with a changing places facility for children with severe disabilities. However, he was adamant in his flat-out rejection.
I next spoke with Sue Lissimore my County Councillor who met with me and we discussed the need. I felt very confident that we could get something resolved at County level. However, any installation would need approving from Colchester Borough Council.
The response from Tim Young on social media was shocking and many people was appalled by his behaviour, and was contacted by many local figures, also Will Quince MP who invited me to discuss the issue further.
We discussed and we left it at a point where Sue Lissimore was going to report back on the outcome.
More research and found out that Council Planning Committees can enforce the building of a changing place in any public facility as a condition of approval. I then checked if they had been trained on this code, they had.
British Standard 8300:2009 Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people’ recommends that Changing Places toilets should be provided in larger public buildings and complexes.
Also, I checked how many public spaces this was enforced. The answer was zero.
The multi-million Pound department store Fenwick then opened in Colchester without a changing place facility.
Finally, there was some good news and Essex County Council agreed to fund a Changing Place facility. However, as powers for public conveniences had previously been devolved to Colchester Borough Council they would have to maintain it, this required a budget and further approval.
The approval was granted by Council Leader Paul Smith.
The changing places facility is due to be installed into the library in the town centre. However, the works need to be fully scoped.
This brings us up to date.
So in March this year, a group of us from Colchester had the opportunity to visit Westminster for a tour with Will Quince. I requested an opportunity via my MP’s office for a meeting with Penny Moudrant as I wanted to raise the issue of changing places, as had seen in the press that she was a huge supporter.
To cut a long story short we met a few hours before the tour started and we discussed everything around the issue and my concern around the planning authorities not doing enough to enforce installations.
The next steps are very exiting, even putting together an early day motion, but kind of a moot point until the election is decided. However, working closely with the Government and commercial partners it is plain to see the difference we can make.
I am voting for Will Quince because as my MP he gave me an opportunity to speak to the very heart of the government and potentially change the lives of 10,000’s of children and adults with disabilities.
My first responsibility is that of a father, I am my sons voice and protector and I know that Will Quince has the compassion and desire to help anyone who has a cause and wants to make a difference.
This is my experience.
