Disability Oversight Panel

The Disability Oversight Panel’s membership shall consist of the of the following Champion Leads appointed by the Leader of the Council each year after annual meeting of the Council and nominated to the working group by him or her

1.    Carers Champion and Older People’s Champion (Chair)

2.    Learning Disability and Hidden Disability Champion (Vice-Chair)

3.    Physical Disability Champion

4.    Mental Health Champion

5.    Deaf & Hard of Hearing Champion

6.    Blind & Visually Impaired Champion

The Panel will meet up to three times a year to:

·       Discuss key issues for different groups of disabled residents that the Equality Champions have identified through their individual roles following engagement and networking across Camden during the preceding year.

·       Hear directly from service users as to their experiences and any recommendations

·       Hear from appropriate experts including but not limited to the Centre for Independent Living

·       To support councillor Champions to be effective in their role

·       Identify issues and areas of exploration to pass to the Joint Chairs of Scrutiny meeting so that key issues for those groups can be considered for regular inclusion on the agendas of the Council's formal scrutiny committees and consideration of such issues forming the basis for relevant panel work by the committees.

·       Consider further individual liaison with the Chairs of the relevant Scrutiny Committee to ensure that disabled residents are involved in the scrutiny of relevant issues on the agendas to the Council’s scrutiny committees.

·       Consider whether other recommendations should be made to other parts of the Council, in particular concerning decision making which impacts disabled residents

·       Review progress and work undertaken during the year

Note that the Panel will seek to ensure that it provides oversight on all disabilities and not just those listed under the responsibility of the champions identified above