A BOROUGH councillor who founded an access forum for disabled people in west Cheshire has told the Conservative Party conference of his equal opportunities work.

Cllr Charles Fifield, Cheshire West and Chester Council member for Weaver and Cuddington since 2011, spoke at the annual party conference in Birmingham on Wednesday, October 3 – around 45 minutes before Prime Minister Theresa May.

Cllr Fifield has FSH muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes muscle fibres to change over time, weakening muscles.

He told fellow Conservative members: “As a borough councillor I have always tried to advance the causes of my fellow disabled people.

“I was proud to help establish and initially chair the council’s Disabled Access Forum to ensure voices are heard at an early stage in design and development schemes to make them more accessible. More accessible design is easier to include at an easier stage. Sometimes the simplest things can make a huge difference.

“I am a Conservative because I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to work hard for a better life for themselves, their family and community. Disabled people should have the same opportunities as everyone else.”

Cllr Fifield ran for as a Conservative parliamentary candidate for Bootle in the last general election, gaining 6,000 votes and the highest Tory share since 1992.

At the conference last week, he also spoke at the Conservative Disability Group’s fringe event, asking ‘How do we make society more inclusive for people with hidden disabilities?’