News / disability
Disability commission to end
The Bristol Disability Equality Commission will end its work at the end of December.
The conclusion to the commission’s work was announced by chair Alun Davies in a Full Council meeting on Tuesday, alongside the release of the council’s Disability Equity Action Plan 2025-2028.
Launched in 2021, the commission worked to identify the barriers faced by Disabled people in the city.
While separate from the council, it worked to inform public sector spheres about the importance of ensuring that Disabled people can be included and prioritised.
Bristol City Council lit up City Hall on Wednesday to honour Bristol’s Disabled communities – photo: Susie Long
In his announcement, Davies said: “The commission took the decision in Autumn this year to end its work at the end of December.
“We haven’t done this in any spirit of being fed up or angry: we believe that the situation has changed over the four years that we’ve existed.
“With the relaunch and revitalisation of the Bristol Disability Equality Forum, we now have a genuine voice and influence body which can carry on the work of the commission.”
Davies thanked the commission members for their involvement over the last four years, but emphasised that more work was needed to ensure Bristol was regarded as an accessible city.
Alun Davies is the chair of the Bristol Disability Equality Commission – photo: Alun Davies
He said: “I leave satisfied that I have played a small role in improving the lives of Disabled people both in this city and across the country.
“I leave disappointed in the fact that hundreds of Disabled people still face daily discrimination and prejudice either from individuals or from organisations.
“But, I leave optimistic that the way forwards has to be and can only be ‘nothing about us without us.’
“Disabled people have to be at the heart of decision-making, about their own lives and services and collective.
“If as a city council you do not achieve that, you will not achieve our aspiration of being the most accessible city by 2035, or being the city that Disabled people will be proud to live in.”
Main photo: Bristol Disability Equality Commission
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