Shape Our Future: Have Your Say on the Draft Equality and Disability Action Plans 2025-2029
Your voice is crucial! Ards and North Down Borough Council invites you to participate in a vital 12-week consultation on our proposed Equality Action Plan and Disability Action Plan for 2025-2029.
This is your opportunity to help us build a truly inclusive, equitable, and accessible future for everyone in our community.
At Ards and North Down Borough Council, we are deeply committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and has equal opportunities to thrive and participate fully in all aspects of our work and services. These new Action Plans outline key objectives and actions designed to identify and address inequalities, promote diversity, and ensure fairness and accessibility across everything we do. Our Disability Action Plan specifically addresses our responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Why is this consultation so important?
These aren’t just plans for our community; they are plans we want to build with our community. We believe that real, meaningful change happens when we listen to the lived experiences and diverse perspectives of those directly impacted. Your insights are invaluable in ensuring our plans are robust, effective, and truly reflective of the needs and aspirations of everyone in Ards and North Down.
Over the next 12 weeks, we want to hear from you on:
- What are the key equality, accessibility, and inclusion issues you believe we should prioritise?
- Do our proposed actions go far enough? Are there other initiatives we should consider to remove barriers?
- How can we ensure our plans are effectively implemented, and their impact is tangible and measurable?
- What are your experiences and perspectives on equality, accessibility, and inclusion within Ards and North Down Borough Council?
You can participate by:
- Reading the Draft Plans:
- Draft Equality Action Plan: to download Click this link
- Draft Easy read Equality Action Plan: to download Click this link
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- Draft Disability Action Plan: to download Click this link
- Draft Easy read Disability Action Plan: to download Click this link
- Completing Our Online Surveys:
- Disability Action Plan Survey: Click this link Citizen Space DAP
- Equality Action Plan Survey: Click this link Citizen Space EAP
Or Submitting Written Feedback:
Send your comments directly to:
- Email: equalityanddisability@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk
- Post: Compliance Officer, Equality, Ards and North Down Borough Council, City Hall, The Castle, Bangor, BT20 4BT
The consultation for both plans closes promptly at 4:00 PM on Thursday, 28th August 2025.
Your valuable contributions will directly inform the final versions of both our Disability Action Plan and Equality Action Plan, which will guide our efforts to promote equality of opportunity and an inclusive environment for all. It is anticipated that the final versions of both plans will be available on our website in September, following Council approval. Please pass this onto anyone who you feel would like to make a contribution.
