The fabric committee of All Saints Church Oakham wrote to Oakham Town Council request £20,000
so the church can provide disabled access to comply with the following acts.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995,
The Disability (Employment Regulations 1996) and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has been introduced to prevent discrimination again disabled people. By October 2004 providers of goods and services must have taken all reasonable steps to remove physical barriers form their premises that cause an obstruction to disabled people gaining entry into the building and using it. This is legislation covered under civil law and is not controlled by the Local Authority.
I was pleased the Town Council members accept Cllr Charles Haworth voted to politley reject the request.
The church although an important building in our town does not belong to us, it belong to the Church Commissioner and as I have said before they should do more to upkeep their own property.
A Town Council can not by law support any political group or religious group and must spend money for the benefit of the whole community.
Sadly the church of England is a minority church here in Oakham and I am sure if the Town Council had given £20,000 to the church the Catholic Church, Methodist, Baptist and the other very well attended churches would not have been happy.
I am not knocking the church for trying but a little research will provide details of grants for this purpose.
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