business - 2026-06-07

Davidson resident’s footpath fight puts Council disability claims under scrutiny

Source: www.northernbeachesadvocate.com.au

Northern Beaches Council’s claims of improved accessibility have come under renewed scrutiny after a Davidson resident said she is still being denied a basic footpath despite years of requests. The issue matters beyond one household because the route along Borgnis Street and Ashworth Avenue connects residents to Glenrose Village and the Lionel Watts precinct, and is also used by families with prams and other pedestrians.

Northern Beaches Council’s claims of improved accessibility have come under renewed scrutiny after a Davidson resident said she is still being denied a basic footpath despite years of requests. The issue matters beyond one household because the route along Borgnis Street and Ashworth Avenue connects residents to Glenrose Village and the Lionel Watts precinct, and is also used by families with prams and other pedestrians. At its meeting on Tuesday, 19 May, council accepted a report on actions completed under its 2022-2026 Disability Inclusion Action Plan while considering adoption of a new four-year plan for 2026-2030. Among the achievements listed were “strengthened inclusive consultation in capital works by embedding engagement with people with a disability” and “improved pedestrian access and movement by delivering and upgrading footpaths”. For Dr Katherine Gill, those claims do not match the reality of daily travel in her part of Davidson. Dr Gill, a research scientist and occupational therapist, lives with a Functional Neurological Disorder and uses a powered wheelchair. She has been asking for a footpath since at least 2018, when council told her its budget was limited for...