Department for Work and Pensions appoints disability network chairs to
The Department for Work and Pensions has announced the appointment of nine Regional Stakeholder Network chairs, to move forward work to break down the barriers disabled people and their families face in everyday life.
The appointees will lead 9 new Regional Stakeholder Networks tasked with amplifying the voices of disabled people and disability organisations in regions across England, reporting back to government on a range of issues including transport, housing and employment.
Sue Bott, head of Policy and Research as Disability Rights UK says that:
We welcome the government initiative in setting up this network and we wish the regional chairs success in their roles. It remains our concern that people in the network will only be paid expenses and not paid for their expertise thus limiting the number of disabled people who can participate. We also caution the government against relying on the network as its only means of engaging with disabled people. We remind the government of their obligations under article 4.3 of the UNCRPD which states:
"In the development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the present Convention, and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations."
The appointed chairs are:
- East of England: Naomi Marek OBE, CEO, Sky Badger
- Greater London: Ruth Owen OBE, CEO, Whizz-Kidz
- North East: Michael Potts, Board Member, Veterans Advisory and Pension Committee
- North West: Lynne Turnbull, CEO, Cheshire Centre for Independent Living
- South East: Barry Ginley, Director, Tamstone Consulting Ltd
- South West: Samantha Everard, CEO, Support and Mentoring Enabling Entrepreneurship (SAMEE)
- West and East Midlands: Louise Mckiernan, CEO, Birmingham Disability Resource Centre
- Yorkshire and the Humber: Liz Leach Murphy, Founder/Managing Director, Imagineer CIC