NEWPORT businessman Trevor Palmer is leading the way to ensure facilities for disabled people will be second to none at a flagship arts centre.

The Wales Millennium Centre, due to open in November, has appointed a disability advisory group to consult on important issues such as access. Mr Palmer, who has multiple sclerosis, is managing director of Global Leather in Enterprise Way, and is heading the group of six - but says "we are all doers".

He is also is a director of Disability Wales which promotes the rights, inclusion, equality and support of all disabled people in Wales.

"My aim is to make WMC the most welcoming and accessible arts centre for disabled visitors and staff in the world," said Mr Palmer.

"I consider it an honour to be asked to create a Disability Advisory Group at this stage of the WMC's development - it demonstrates the forward-thinking attitudes of the senior management."

They meet with the WMC executive team each month to discuss different issues and recently toured the building to test disabled access facilities already in place.

Roger Spence, project director for Wales Millennium Centre, said: "From the outset we have been committed to using best practice to ensure that this building is accessible for disabled people, and easy to move around. "The work of the Disability Advisory Group in terms of the building is to test the measures we have put in place, and where necessary make further recommendations.

"They are also able to provide us with valuable advice on signage issues, policy and assist us in exploring the most effective ways to promote the centre and its activities to those with all disabilities."

New legislation amending the Disability Discrimin-ation Act 1995 comes into force in October this year and affects all new buildings and public access buildings undergoing modernisation.

WMC is confident that all the measures are in place to make the centre fully accessible.