Gaining access to the seat of power

A Canterbury councillor’s successful application to access to work brings hope to other disabled would-be local elected members, reports Cathy Reay

A disabled councillor has helped bring about a “seismic shift” that will help other disabled people enter local politics.

Jo Calvert-Mindell (pictured), a Liberal Democrat, became so frustrated by attempts to secure an ergonomic chair from Canterbury City Council for use in council meetings that she asked for funding from the Access to Work scheme.

But government advisers told her local councillors were not eligible for Access to Work funding because they had no employment contract.

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness [Ros] Scott took up the matter on her behalf and asked the government to clarify the issue.

Lord McKenzie, the junior work and pensions minister, confirmed in the Lords that elected officials who only receive payment for expenses such as travel are treated as voluntary workers and are therefore not eligible for Access to Work funds.

But he added that councillors whose council allowances are classed as “taxable income” (which includes all those in Scotland) may be eligible for payments.

He said the government would review its guidance to Access to Work advisers to “ensure it is clear”.

Cllr Calvert-Mindell said afterwards: “This is a great step forward and will pave the way for anyone in the community who is minded to become a councillor without fear of their disability being a barrier.”

On the other hand, she still feels “humiliated” and “disempowered” by the way the council asked her to justify needing her chair.

In an email, the council had written: “They are expensive chairs, so a few lines from you about your need for a chair and how it will enable you to do your job will be helpful in making that decision.” (A council spokesman later said that the council “strongly refutes” any suggestion that it was reluctant to provide the chair.)

Cllr Calvert-Mindell says she also felt unable to ask for an assistant to drive her to meetings. “Why should the public who elected me be disadvantaged?”

In spite of that, Marie Pye, a disabled councillor with Waltham Forest council in London and a former head of policy at the Disability Rights Commission, said the change presented a “huge seismic shift”. “I don’t like asking my council for money for adjustments because I know budgets are tight, so most of the time I don’t ask. Hopefully, more disabled people will come forward as councillors as a result of this.”

Dr Michael Bruton, a wheelchair-user and former councillor for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, added: “It is great that someone has done something to clear this up.”