Damning criticism of they way disabled people are treated in Oxford is exposed in a new report out today, writes Mark Templeton.

Oxford City Council faces a stinging attack by Radar, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation.

And it has been given a list of 35 recommendations to get its act together after an investigation into its services.

Radar says council officers know little about the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act. Its report blasts the council for:

ASSUMING all disabled people are wheelchair users;

LACKING evidence that staff have been trained to meet the needs of the disabled; and

FAILING to tell its employees about the Disability Discrimination Act. Radar says the council must undertake "a considerable amount of work" to meet the requirements of the Act and has laid down 35 recommendations to be carried out in the next six months.

It includes a training programme for staff, ensuring managers understand the new Act, and new projects, such as the refurbishment of Oxford Museum, to comply with the law.

Disabled campaigner Nigel Carter, whose disabled son David died at Easter two years ago, said: "Ignorance of the Disability Discrimination Act is typical of people's mental attitude in Oxfordshire that disabled people don't exist. They should have access to all buildings and be treated like normal people." Nigel, who runs the Abingdon branch of Phab Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied added: "Councillors think the disabled are few in number and so are not vote-catchers, so why bother doing anything for them?"

The Radar study says managers have little understanding of the needs of the disabled and adds: "At the same time there is a fixation with physical disabilities, rather than recognising that disabled people will have a range of impairments, some of which may be physical.

"Many staff want to learn more about what the Act requires. Unfortunately they have not been given the opportunity to learn about the Act in a way that addresses their job roles or responsibility.

"Some have been given leaflets but this does not go far enough."

Bosses also admitted they "lacked expertise" about disability issues and said the decision not to replace a disability access officer was an "unfortunate development".

One senior officer, not named in the report, said: "We need better specialist advice. If you have a burst pipe you send for a plumber, you're not expected to fix it yourself."

The study lists council buildings where disabled facilities are not up to scratch, including Blackbird Leys sports and community centre, Temple Cowley sports centre and the council's "one-stop shop" in Cowley Road.

Liberal Democrat councillor Jackie Gray said: "Again and again, not only in this report but also repeatedly by those who know better than us people with disabilities the need for skilled expertise and the lack of training are emphasised.

"We need to address all these issues once and for all."

The Oxford Mail recently highlighted how restaurants in the city were flouting the Act by failing to provide facilities for the disabled.

Radar is a national organisation campaigning for equal rights for the disabled, but has no powers to force authorities to act.