Council rejects calls to re-establish disability forum

Calls to re-establish a forum focused on the experiences of disabled people and create ‘disability champions’ within the council have been turned down, after being branded as “woke bureaucracy” by the Reform UK administration.

Nadia Lincoln Local Democracy Reporter | Thursday 16th July 2026 6:13pm

A Liberal Democrat motion, which went to West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) full council meeting on Monday (July 13), asked the authority to bring back the Disabled People’s Forum to ensure that there is representation on important council policy and decisions.

Proposing the motion to the chamber, Cllr Farzana Aldridge (Lib Dem) said: “The reality is that disabled residents are often consulted after decisions have been made, rather than involved in shaping those decisions from the outset. This motion seeks to change those kind of scenarios.

“When disabled people are involved in shaping services, we often avoid costly mistakes, improve outcomes and create services that work better for everyone.

“Disability inclusion should never be a party political issue. It is about fairness, dignity, equality and respect.”

However, the cabinet member for HR and regulatory services, Cllr Andrew Last, said there was no evidence that the council needed additional structures beyond what was already set out in its diversity, equality and inclusion framework.

He said: “Nobody in this chamber disputes the challenges faced by many disabled residents.

“We support fair treatment for everyone, but we do not believe that every challenge requires the creation of new champions, new governance structures and new committees or policies.”

Other councillors raised concerns about recent examples where the impact on disabled residents had been overlooked, including the access into the council’s new One Stop Shop at One Angel Square not being wide enough for people using a mobility scooter, and wheelchair users not being able to access council car parking payment meters after Blue Badge Holders were briefly told that they must pay for parking earlier this year.

Labour councillor Keith Holland-Delamere told the meeting that if a disability champion was in place, some of the problems might have been realised and dealt with at an earlier stage.

“The problem is we’re not doing some of what we say we’re doing,” he said.

“You can scrap it all you like, the problem is it will end up costing you down the line because someone will take you to court because you haven’t done the proper research about what is needed.

“Lived experience is important. It’s not just about ideology, it’s about practicality.”

According to WNC’s website, the forum gives residents with disabilities the chance to have a dialogue with the council, give feedback on issues of concern, and help improve the quality of life for disabled people.

The forum is listed as meeting around five times a year at the Guildhall in Northampton, however the last recorded meeting took place in October 2023.

Leader of WNC, Cllr Mark Arnull, said that his party opposed the motion “in the strongest possible terms”, calling it a “DEI merry-go-round”.

“Disabled residents need practical help, faster adaptations, accessible transport, timely assessments, properly funded care,” he said.

“Once again, the Liberal Democrats are proving themselves the party of box-ticking bureaucracy, endless committees rather than a party of real-world solutions.

“What this motion seeks is another forum, more champions, more woke bureaucracy. Over the coming year, we will seek to look at everything that we do to make sure that our public sector equality duty is upheld, but that’s it.”

A recorded vote on the motion was called. It was ultimately refused, receiving 30 votes against, 21 for and five abstentions.

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