Latest news with #WillForster
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Blue Badge warning for temporary health condition
Anyone with a temporary health condition could be entitled to a Blue Badge, according to the Department for Transport People with a physical disability, long-term health condition affecting their ability to walk safely, or hidden illnesses such as dementia, autism or Parkinson's, may be eligible for a Blue Badge. This badge allows them to park closer to their destinations and offers free parking in disabled bays, along with other possible exemptions from parking restrictions. However, those suffering from temporary health conditions could also be entitled to parking concessions. This follows an appeal by Liberal Democrat MP, Will Forster, to the Department for Transport to assess the "potential merits of introducing a temporary Blue Badge scheme". In a written response on Thursday, Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood, said: 'The Blue Badge scheme is primarily about helping people with a long-term disability that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use. Anyone may be entitled to a badge if they meet the eligibility criteria.' She further added: "The Department for Transport has previously issued local authorities with advice on how they could use existing powers to provide locally determined parking concessions within their areas. For example, some local authorities grant parking concessions to assist their elderly residents. The same powers could be used to help those with temporary disabilities.", reports the Daily Record. The full guide on 'people with severe temporary impairments: advice to local authorities' can be viewed on here. Currently, there are over 3.2 million Blue Badge holders in the UK, including 271,966 residing in Scotland. In many cases, individuals automatically qualify for the £20 parking permit. This includes those receiving the higher level of the mobility rate for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), Child Disability Payment (CDP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Applications for a Blue Badge can be submitted online, but the guidance suggests that individuals with a mental condition should contact their local council directly. The guidance specifies: "If you have a mental condition that means you lack awareness about the danger of traffic, you cannot apply online. You should phone your local council's Blue Badge team for a paper application form." It also offers the advice that individuals who don't immediately qualify may need to undergo a mobility assessment and meet with a health professional. And whilst there's no fixed timescale for processing new or renewed Blue Badge applications, it typically takes about 12 weeks. Upon processing, delivery generally occurs within 10 working days. Local councils manage the Blue Badge application procedure and determine the fee; they can also inform you about how long processing might take. Do I qualify for a Blue Badge? You automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if you are aged 3 or over and at least one of the following applies: you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) you receive a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) because you can't walk more than 50 metres (a score of 8 points or more under the 'moving around' activity of the mobility component) you are registered blind (severely sight impaired) you receive a War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement you have received a lump sum benefit within tariff levels 1 to 8 of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking you receive the mobility component of PIP and have obtained 10 points specifically for descriptor E under the 'planning and following journeys' activity, on the grounds that you are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress What you need to apply for a Blue Badge You will need to provide: proof of identity proof of address a recent head and shoulders digital photo your national insurance number (if you have one) contact details (phone number, email and postal address) To prove your identity, you can provide a copy of either: birth or adoption certificate passport driving licence marriage or civil partnership certificate divorce or dissolution certificate To prove your address, you can provide a copy of either: a recent council tax bill a recent letter from a government department such as Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) driving licence a recent letter from a school (if you are under 16) Where can I utilise my Blue Badge? Your Blue Badge permits you to park for free in certain restricted areas, including: At on-street parking meters In pay and display bays In disabled parking spaces On single and double yellow lines, provided there are no loading restrictions Using your badge outside the UK You can use your UK Blue Badge when travelling in some EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. This guidance provides a list of countries with links to pages that contain: information about parking for disabled people in the country disabled parking notices that you can print off and display with your Blue Badge Article continues below You do not have to do display a local parking notice, but it may help. You should note that: local parking rules may apply in different parts of a country some countries may have changed their rules since the pages we link to were published What happens if my blue badge is rejected? Your local council should inform you why you're not eligible. You can request them to reconsider their decision if you believe they haven't considered some crucial information.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Woking Lib Dem MP Will Forster to stand down from council roles
The newly elected MP for Woking in Surrey has stepped down from his roles as borough and county councillor to "stand up for the community in Parliament".Will Forster MP has resigned from his role as Woking Borough councillor for Hoe Valley and Surrey County Council member for Woking South, with two by-elections for the vacant seats taking place in July, reports the Local Democracy Reporting long travel times between his Woking constituency, Parliament and county hall in Reigate led him to conclude residents would be better served by new said he was "incredibly proud" of his decade and a half in the council chambers but that the time had come to call it a day. Mr Forster said: "It has been the honour and privilege to serve my community as a Surrey county councillor for the past 16 years and as a Woking borough councillor for the last 14 years."Now, as Woking's first and new Liberal Democrat MP, I am continuing standing up for our community – both locally and in Parliament."However, this means I must step down as a councillor."The by-elections will take place on 10 wins will only have a short time in the position as the two councils are expected to be merged into a new mega authority within two years as part of the government's devolution plans.
BBC News
28-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Woking SEND child left without schooling for a year, MP says
The government has agreed to discuss the case of a child with special educational needs who has not been to school for a case of the unnamed child with complex needs and severe mental health issues was raised in Commons by Woking MP Will Forster on Liberal Democrat MP asked education minister Stephen Morgan: "The child's deteriorating mental health needs are not being met because they've not being given a school that fits their CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) assessment."Has the minister made an assessment of how their department might best avoid situations like these that leave children without the service they need?" Morgan said the government would deliver on its commitment on mental health to make sure help reaches every child."I am very happy to meet with him [Forster] to discuss this specific case that he raises," Morgan October 2024, figures showed more than 1,800 children in Surrey with additional educational needs were out of school for about a third of the last academic year.
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Woking MP calls for court to reopen amid backlog of cases
The government is being urged to reopen a Surrey court complex to help deal with the backlog of cases in the Liberal Democrat MP Will Forster said in the House of Commons on Thursday that there were 1,500 cases waiting for their date in Crown Court in Surrey alone, including 166 sexual offences against women and girls."Prosecutors have been telling victims that they have between two and five years' wait to get their day in court, and I think that's appalling," he Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said additional sitting days had been funded and that it was committed to delivering longer-term reform. The closure of Woking's court building was announced in 2010, with the MoJ at the time stating it had a responsibility to ensure there was "an effective and efficient court service to deliver justice".Solicitor General Lucy Rigby responded to Forster in the Commons, stating more than 260 court buildings had been closed by the previous government, which had "clearly led to considerable court backlog".She added that additional crown court sitting days and increasing magistrates' court sentencing powers had been introduced to deal with court delays were also contributed to by the pandemic, the BBC previously Conservative Party has been approached for MoJ spokesperson said: "This government inherited a record and rising courts backlog – that's why we've asked Sir Brian Leveson to propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims."We've already funded an additional 2,500 sitting days, raising court capacity to the highest in almost ten years and are committed to working with our partners to deliver longer-term reform."
