These are draft minutes and are subject to confirmation by the Committee at its next meeting.

The confirmed minutes will replace this draft version on the website.

Meeting Name	Access Advisory Committee
Date	6 February 2024	Time 5:33pm
Venue	MS Teams
Attendees	Committee Members · Ross Chaplin (Deputy Chair) · Jayne Boardman · Timothy Hart · Mark Kunach · Emily Mahendran · Tony Walker Council Staff · Tanya Owen - Community Capacity Building Lead (Convenor) · David Moutou - Group Manager, Social and Community Services · Rodrigo Gutierrez - Service Manager, Community Capacity Building · Beth Collins - Team Leader, Community Care · Ash Kanitkar - Community Capacity Building Project Officer · Hamish Murray – Project Officer, Universal Design & Access · Mark Crispin – Senior Project Officer Transport, Strategic Land Use Planning · Michael Jollon – Transport Planning Manager, Strategic Land Use Planning · Augusta Supple – Project Team Lead, Strategy · Ben Stocker – ICT Service Desk Officer
Apologies / Leave of Absence	· Scott Green (Chair) · Susan Thompson · Charlene Boardley
Secretariat	Melissa McIsaac
HPRM Reference	F2022/01409

No.	Item
1	MS Teams recording notification The Convenor advised the Committee that the meeting was being recorded.
2	Acknowledgement of Country The City of Parramatta Council acknowledges the Burramattagal Clan of The Dharug, the traditional owners of land of Parramatta and pays its respects to the elders past, present and emerging.
3	Introductions In the Chair’s absence, the Convenor welcomed attendees to the meeting, and asked attendees to introduce themselves.
4	Apologies The Committee received apologies from Scott Green and Susan Thompson.
5	Disclosure of Interests There were no disclosures of interests made for this Committee Meeting.
6	Confirmation of Minutes The Minutes of the previous Access Advisory Committee meeting, held on 5 December 2023, were resolved by Boardman and Kunach and CARRIED.
7	Election of Chair / Deputy Chair 2024
Description	The Committee were informed that the Chair and Deputy Chair roles were due for re-election, and that the Convenor had contacted Committee Members via email to seek nominations. The Convenor advised that Committee Members voted for Scott Green to continue as Chair, and for Ross Chaplin to fill the vacant Deputy Chair position.
Outcome	· The Committee noted the outcomes of the Chair and Deputy Chair election. · Ross Chaplin was invited to Chair the meeting, in the Chairperson’s absence.
8	Guest Speaker: Active Transport Projects
Description	The Committee received a presentation from Mark Crispin, Senior Project Officer – Transport, regarding active transport projects to be reported to Council on 26 February to seek endorsement for public exhibition. The Committee noted that a full package of detailed drawings will be available with the upcoming Council Meeting Reports, and members will have the opportunity to provide feedback through the public exhibition process. The Committee considered the following project briefings: 1. Haslams Creek Bridge and Connections: Access and safety improvement works to the Bennelong Parkway Bridge portion of the Homebush Bay Circuit in Wentworth Point, including greater separation between cyclist and pedestrian users. 2. Pedestrian and Cyclist Connection, Wilderline to Duck River: Council has received written permission from Transport for NSW to explore Wilderline along former T6 track, to improve connections and active transport amenity. 3. Toongabbie to Westmead Pedestrian and Cyclist Corridor Study: 6.5km corridor to improve connections from Blacktown to Parramatta, including around Pendle Hill Station, and adding an overbridge for the Cumberland Highway. The Committee were invited to provide initial feedback on the projects prior to public exhibition. Mark Kunach left the meeting at 5:53pm, rejoining at 5:56pm. Emily Mahendran left the meeting at 5:58pm, rejoining at 6:08pm.
Outcome	The Committee provided the following feedback on the projects: 1. Haslams Creek Bridge and Connections: · Supported measures to improve safety through using barriers to separate pedestrian and cycle lanes where feasible, and use of high-contrast paint markings. · Raised importance of prompting cyclists to slow down in congested areas and at pedestrian crossings. Council officers clarified that physical prompts, such as raised crossing sections and different colour markings, will be favoured in the design over signage. · Raised the risk presented by e-scooter and power assisted device users on footpaths, which the Committee had previously identified is difficult to prevent without continuous ranger supervision. 2. Pedestrian and Cyclist Connection Wilderline to Duck River: · Raised concern about the budget impact of potential contamination of the former industrial area, which Council Officers clarified is expected and has been accounted for. The project design will include building up the infrastructure rather than excavation into ground. 3. Toongabbie to Westmead: Pedestrian and Cyclist Corridor Study: · Raised considerations about busy and complex navigation of McCoy Park entry area, including the recommendation to further consider how people are currently using the area, investigate one-way traffic opportunities and cycleway separation. · Recommended to retain angled accessible parking at Pendle Hill, as more effective for access than proposal to change to parallel parking spots. · Raised potential for local resident concern about vegetation losses through path creation. · Enquired about the project timeline and stage priorities, to which Council Officers clarified is anticipated to be a 8-10 year staged project, with the Parramatta Park connection as the priority section, then the Toongabbie Station underpass, and then building back from Westmead, pending consultation feedback. · Recommended clear signage or line markings to warn of the start and end of bike lanes and pedestrian crossings, especially for people with vision impairment, to mitigate collision risks. · Tony Walker will provide a detailed feedback submission for further consideration following the meeting. · The Committee were invited to submit any further feedback to the Convenor, Tanya Owen, to collate and provide to Council’s Transport Planning team. Mark Crispin and Michael Jollon retired from the meeting at 6:19pm, at the conclusion of Item 8.
9	Guest Speaker: Cultural Strategy Update
Description	The Committee received an update from Augusta Supple, Team Lead Cultural Strategy, regarding the development of Council’s Cultural Strategy. The Committee were advised that Council is in the process of setting the Cultural Strategy’s 20 key actions, through consultation with Council management and internal stakeholders, which address the Strategy’s 5 main themes.
Outcome	· The Committee were requested to submit any feedback regarding suggested actions or issues for consideration, particularly relevant to access and pathways to participation by people with disability, to Augusta Supple by COB 9 February. · Council Officers will circulate the complete list of draft actions to the Committee once they are confirmed. Augusta Supple retired from the meeting at 6:23pm, at the conclusion of Item 9.
10	Business arising from previous Minutes
Description	Lake Parramatta Update Hamish Murray, Project Officer - Universal Design & Access, provided an update on further engagement with the Lake Parramatta Upgrade project team: · The Committee’s design suggestions from the 5 December meeting have generally been taken on board. · Council’s lifesaver staff for Lake Parramatta have further supported installing hand rails to prevent falls towards the water, and recommended a more-level swimming area. · Hand rails on both sides of paths (rather than central hand rail) will likely be incorporated, to be confirmed in the revised plans. Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) Update The Committee were advised that Council had released the short film to help illustrate the DIAP outcomes framework. Council Officers are working on a DIAP actions progress report, with the aim to present at the next meeting. A high-level progress report will also be provided on Council’s website. The Committee further noted that Council has been working with ASPECT Autism Spectrum Australia, to create more disability-friendly services across key sites. Council has undertaken an environmental assessment for autism with ASPECT of Parramatta Aquatic Centre, to identify considerations for improving sensory accessibility, including developing an image map to assist people with autism in particular to manage their visit to the site. Council has also started the process to be designated as Sunflower Friendly at certain sites, through meeting the Sunflower Program’s standards. DIAP Photo Project The Committee were informed that Council has completed photo shoots for 3 sites, with the aim to complete the next round by April.
Outcome	Lake Parramatta Update · The Committee further enquired about whether there would be an option for wheelchair access across the sand, but Council Officers clarified this is not in the project plan due to site constraints from steep topography. · The Committee further raised about the importance of ensuring that visual contrast is provided for the edges of the sandstone steps, which appear to blend in. · Tanya Owen agreed to advise Pino Todarello to consider wheelchair accessibility to the second lower viewing deck for potential future project plans, as this element is outside of the current project scope. The Committee recommended to consider broader Lake Parramatta site accessibility as part of its routine accessibility audit program. DIAP and DIAP Photo Project Updates The Committee noted the provided updates.
11	Update from Active Transport Advisory Committee
Description	The Committee noted that Charlene Boardley was not in attendance, and the update from the Active Transport Advisory Committee would be deferred for a future meeting.
12	Confirmation of 2024 Meetings and Council Election
Description	The Convenor announced that three meetings have been scheduled for the remainder of the Council term, being 6 February, 2 April, and 4 June. The Committee were advised that all committees are dissolved for the local government election, and that the Convenor will remain in contact with existing members to keep informed of the reinstatement process.
Outcome	The Committee noted the provided updates.
	Note: The Convenor invited attendees to raise any other matters of general business, as follows: · The Committee discussed its scope of business, with a focus on identifying systemic accessibility issues for Council to consider and providing feedback on relevant project plans. · Tony Walker raised concerns about risks associated with vegetation overgrowth onto public pathways limiting accessibility, and following the meeting will submit examples to Tanya Owen to forward to relevant staff for investigation, if there is a pattern regarding failures in maintenance. · The Committee were encouraged to submit Services Requests to Council where site specific maintenance concerns impacting accessibility are identified. Emily Mahendran retired from the meeting at 6:42pm, during discussion of general business.
13	Next Meeting Date: 2 April 2024

Meeting Closed:  6:49pm