Agenda item - Secretary's Update

OPC SECRETARIAL REPORT - MARCH 2017

Budget & OPC responses - The final budget Council meeting was held on the 23rd February where a joint amendment was carried which put a limited amount of funding back into a range of areas including Easylink run by Community Transport. Since the release of the budget papers in December the OPC have drafted briefs for Councillors and the press and lobbied Councillors about the cuts to services affecting older people & raised concerns about the youth service cuts. A separate update has been drafted and circulated at the meeting concerning activities of OPC.

Health & Well Being Board - Meeting scheduled for the 21st March has been cancelled.

Age Friendly City Steering Group - The next meeting is on the 30th March and will be discussing sensory impairment and preventable sight loss in older people. OPC has written to the Chair suggesting that a future meeting considers Dementia& Access. A range of information has been circulated concerning - Age UK’s Index of Well Being in Later Life (www.ageuk.org.uk) , Combatting Loneliness - a guide for Local Authorities by LGA & Age UK, No Smoking Day with some info on Council web site www.brighton-hove.gov.uk.

Age Friendly City Forum - an open group that discusses all matters relating to theAge Friendly City which meets at Age UK. Next meeting on Monday 22nd May at 2.00 to 3.30. Last meeting did discuss OPC situation & information circulated to participants.

City Wide Connect - The next hub meetings will be on the 22nd March for East at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church, 29th March for North/Central at Brighton Unitarian Church, New Road and 5th April for West hub at Ralli Hall Community Centre, Denmark Villas Hove. See also updated website

www.itslocalactually.org.uk and www.connectandshare.sharetribe.com

to view resources and new ways to obtain information for isolated older people. valuation of Hubs produced by Possibility People with assessment of impact see www.possabilitypeople.org.uk/how-we-can-help/resources .

Dementia Action Alliance - OPC members attended event on 9th March at

Brighthelm which had good support from a range of organisations & people with dementia. Speakers & films and well run event with many participants signing up to be dementia friends. OPC will be pressing for Brighton & Hove to be a more dementia friendly city. Unfortunately Alzheimers society not able to continue with Dementia cafes due to loss of grant funding. However, Maycroft Manor Patcham & Patching Lodge Eastern Road have Dementia Cafes.

Safeguarding - OPC had a presentation by Graham Bartlett Chair of Adult

Safeguarding at February meeting. Safeguarding is an increasing area with over a thousand safeguarding enquiries in last year. He welcomed OPC involvement in the Participation & Engagement Group that is about to be established and this hasbeen followed up.

OPC Officers Meeting - held on Wednesday 8th March and discussed a range of issues including Budget cuts, Future of OPC, AFC,Active Ageing & TUC seminar on Pensions.

Active Ageing Fund - Seeking meeting with Active for Life Manager to discuss the low take up of older people on Pension Credit as only 12 hold Leisure Card. Also seeking update on bids for Active Ageing Fund. A meeting will be set up and they are getting dates for April.

Policy Resources & Growth Committee - copy of the minutes of 9th February and responses to range of OPC public & supplementary questions received and circulated.

Local Action Team (LAT) - attended London Road LAT on 7th March where

concerned residents raised drug dealing in residential street. Lack of Police

presence at LAT meetings & Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) impact locally.

Community Works - OPC had exchange of information about lobbying re the

budget & BHCCs proposals re the future of the OPC. Recent correspondence from them offering assistance in the forthcoming period.

INVITATIONS TO OPC

Pilot Study on Sleep - Brighton Medical School looking for participants for study on sleep and how good quality sleep could help prevent dementia. Looking for 60 participants (20 without dementia). Contact Dr Sara Baluch on 01273 872691 for further information.

South East Region TUC - Invitation to Pensions seminar on Friday 17th March at the TUC Great Russell Street at 10.30 with range of speakers.

Sick Festival - In Brighton from 20th to 25th March with a range of arts & cultural events some at Brighton Medical School.Box office 01273-678822.

Fraud & Elder Exploitation - panel and Police & Crime Commissioner, Katy

Bourne & BBC at Jubilee Library on Thursday 23rd March at 18.00 to 20.30.

Brighton National Pensioners Convention - Notification of Brighton Housing Action Group meeting on Friday 17th March at Brighthelm 2-4pm on Housing Crisis in Brighton

Mayors Office - Masquerade Dinner at The Royal Pavilion on Friday 28th April in support of local charities. Cost £80 per person. Contact Martin on 01273832963 for a ticket.

Co-op Bank - offering free advice clinics for social and community groups re Tax, Care & Toy Boys. Contact Charissa Malpass on 01142300265X274 or

charissa.malpass@coop.co.uk

Changes to Bus Routes - planned for April for Council funded services on Routes 77,78 & 79 and Compass Routes 37,56 and 56E. Any comments to 01273-292480 or transport.planning@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Which - are highlighting that the Competition and Markets Authority are

undertaking a review of the care home sector. They are seeking information about experiences with care homes. Reply to info@mail.which.co.uk

NEWSLETTERS

Age Action Alliance - includes information re Bristol Older Peoples Forum whichhas funding under threat despite flourishing outfit employing staff & with newsletter. Also workshops on Falls & Fraility in London with Age UK. NHS Public Health England have relaunched national campaign on Strokes.

National Pensioners Convention - Circulated briefs on Social Care Funding which includes Age UK estimate of 1.2 million people in England not getting the care needed - a rise of 48% since 2010. Also Campaign Bulletin regarding extra 30,000 deaths in 2015 which has been linked to cuts in care. Budget briefing and minute of a note of National NPC with Shadow Secretary of State for Pensions circulated.

Finally, briefing on Local Housing Allowances & concerns that this may impact on older people.

Community Works - Monthly Newsletter with detailed of members session, BHCC budget briefing and details of range of activities and resources for Vol Sector.

CQC - Report on “The state of care in NHS acute hospitals”. See ccc.org.uk. Our local hospitals recorded as deteriorated. Also CQC report on significant concern about Companies providing on-line drugs.

Strike A Light - Arts & Heritage newsletter covering a range of workshops in March and a project at the Jewish Care charity with a grant from The Homity Trust to record with the residents about their lives in Brighton & Hove. Also , a course on Making a Life History book for those with early stage dementia.

NICE - Mike B circulated “ A quick guide for people who arrange their own home care” which contains advice and guidance. See www.nice.org.uk for details.

Speakers Corner - Debate on line - A Good Life - Is Faith a Help or Hinderance - between British Humanist Society & Theos - a religion & society think than. See www.speakerscornertrust.org

Penny Morley

Secretary OPC