To hear from the Vice Chairman of the Group.

Edward Piekut said that the Older Persons’ Advisory Forum (OPAF) had a proposal to create an older person working group in RBWM. A similar group had been present in Reading Borough Council since 2011. The working group would help to:

·         Meet the demographic challenge of an ageing population.

·         Make the borough ‘age friendly’.

·         Build on the success of the Reading Borough Council working group.

·         Create a channel for a wide range of stakeholders.

·         Provide information and idea to improve life in RBWM.

·         Refresh the Older Persons’ Advisory Forum

The framework for this proposal could be initiated by a resolution of RBWM Cabinet Members and officers. This would be supported by the Older Persons’ Advisory Forum and would form part of the RBWM Together initiative. The working group at Reading had a defined terms of reference, these had been attached as part of the agenda pack. Edward Piekut said that the working group in RBWM would initially be Zoom meetings of a wide range of stakeholders, with controlled agendas and meeting frequencies which were similar to the working group in Reading. Issues would be directed by older people, the stakeholder invitations would start with the 139 people currently on the Older Persons’ Advisory Forum distribution list. It was planned that the group would be a community led partnership and would be co-chaired by an OPAF member and a Councillor. An appointed RBWM officer would also be part of the group. If the proposal was to go ahead, the first meeting was planned to take place in September 2022.

The Chairman thanked Edward Piekut for being invited to a number of OPAF meetings recently where the proposals had been discussed.

Councillor G Jones said that he had been involved with OPAF for a couple of years, it had been set up to improve the lives of older people. There was a danger that older people were ‘forgotten’, he had attended meetings of the working group in Reading and it was an impressive set up. The OPAF wanted to copy what Reading had been doing, Councillor G Jones encouraged the Health & Wellbeing Board to get on board with the idea and support it.

Kevin McDaniel, Executive Director of People, said that there were a number of other groups across the borough that already did a similar role to what had been proposed by OPAF, with the working group acting as an ‘umbrella’, which brought all of these groups together. He asked how the agenda could be focused so that it was not ominous on those putting it together. Kevin McDaniel was in principle supportive of the proposals.

Edward Piekut explained that meetings were kept to two hours and there was a maximum of four items included on each agenda. RBWM Together could be used to ensure that a wide range of people were involved in meetings of the working group.

Councillor Coppinger had also been a representative on OPAF in the past. The council needed to reach all residents of all ages, a number of older people were active and would be involved with a potential working group, Councillor Coppinger wanted to ensure that those who were less involved would still be considered and that it was inclusive for everyone.

Councillor Bond asked at what age somebody became an ‘older person’. He said that the working group would help people to plan for the rest of their lives and ensure that they were supported before they needed it most.

Edward Piekut said that OPAF was open to all those over the age of 50. OPAF would be able to partner with organisations like Magpies in the Community and Age UK to reach as many older people as possible.

The Chairman said that the proposal was a positive thing to take forward, the next meeting was an important one. He suggested that a pre-briefing was arranged between himself, Kevin McDaniel or another appropriate officer, and Edward Piekut to discuss some of the points which had been raised.

ACTION – Councillor Carroll to contact Edward Piekut to arrange a meeting, along with an appropriate officer from RBWM.