Issue - items at meetings - Update on Older People and Community Safety

Report of the Director Environment

28.1    The Commissioner for Community Safety presented the report on monitoring the scrutiny review of older people and community safety. A range of work was in progress on community safety for all groups.

28.2    A key finding had been that older people are less likely to be victims as they get older and so more work was needed on older people’s perceptions of how safe they feel.

28.3    Good progress in line with the scrutiny recommendations had been made especially within the intelligent commissioning pilots, concerning the impact of alcohol drugs and domestic violence for older people as well as the rest of the population.

28.4    Following the scrutiny review, the Community Safety Strategy 2011- 2012 to be published in April 2011, is to take into account more particular needs of older people. Some other recommendations were being implemented by colleagues.

28.5    Councillor Morgan welcomed to the meeting Mr Jim Baker, Chief Executive of Age Concern Brighton Hove and Portslade who had originally brought attention to the matter.

28.6         Mr Baker said work had been excellent thus far. Age Concern was in receipt of an infrastructure grant from the Council and the charity would like to do more to help the Council to achieve its priorities. He commented on a number of aspects of the report:

• Council officers were limited as regards consultation with the many older people who live in private sector care homes.

• Education in schools is an important area (in addition to the intergenerational initiatives) but this was not included in the scrutiny report recommendations.

• More can be done to use technology and to ‘design out’ crime. A graphic booklet could include some ideas for older people.

• Local cafes could be good locations for consultations with older people

28.7    Members asked about progress against other recommendations such as social spaces for older people. The Commissioner undertook to make another progress report to the Committee.

28.8    RESOLVED that the Committee receive a further progress report.