year message - west midlands pensioners convention...
TRANSCRIPT
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THIS IS THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE WEST MIDLAND PENSIONERS CONVENTION
IN THIS ISSUE
Contact
Information
A New Year Message
Housing, Health and Older
People
West Midlands Combined
Authority
Around the Branches
What’s On
Pensioners Charter
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ABOUT US OUR ORGANISATION
The West Midlands We have local and Trade Pensioners Convention is the Union Branches across our Regional Organisation of the Region. Each Branch is National Pensioners entitled to send delegates to Convention. the Regional Council which meets on the second
Our main objective is to Thursday of each month,
promote the welfare and at the offices of Birmingham
interests of pensioners,both UNISON, 19th Floor,
now and in the future; Maclaren Building from 11a.m.
securing dignity,respect and
financial security for all in We also welcome
retirement. applications for membership
We have a number of very from non party political
active committees,including a organisations of pensioners
Transport Group which holds and retired people from
regular quarterly meetings across our Region.
with Transport For The Pensioners can also become
Midlands ( formerly CENTRO). individual memebers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION LOCAL BRANCHES
About our local branches,Trade Walsall : Andrea Stanton :01922448331
Union Retired members Wolverhampton
sections and affiliated Halesowen :Tony Whitehouse:07715314608
organisations CONTACT: Stourbridge: Bob Mithchell: 07984547713
Membership Secretary, Trevor Coventry : Audrey Ross : 02477679055
Eames on 0121 733 8081 or : North Staffs: Owen Sloss : 07582115742
email Birmingham
[email protected] Kingstanding : Ken Smith: 0121 624 6981
East Birmingham: Stan Simpson:0121 7830734 B’ham/South Central: Yvonne Washbourne :
For General enquiries about the 07814529626
West Midlands Pensioners Northfield: Mike Whiting:0121 477 5324
Convention: Solihull: Syd Ashby: 0121 705 6448
Call: 0784547713 Sutton Coldfield: Phil Larkin 0121 353 9180
email : [email protected] Sandwell: Tony Carlson:07527127321
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A NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE WEST MIDLANDS PENSIONERS CONVENTION
I am very proud of the campaigning work of the West Midlands Pensioners Convention during
the past twelve months, whether it be Transport, Social Care, defending our National Health
Service, exposing the scandal of Excess Winter Deaths, opposing changes to the Attendance
Allowance, defending our local Community Pharmacies and promoting the National
Pensioners Convention Dignity Code.
It is clear that in 2017 there will be continued attacks on pensioners by Government ministers,
their friends in the media and even Labour M.P.’s like Frank Fields who tells us that we, the
Older Generation, are getting too much from the State, that we are benefiting at the sacrifice
of the Younger Generation. And we are now being told that the country can no longer afford
the Pensions Triple Lock: - a Triple Lock that will give pensioners with a full National Insurance
record an increase in April of £3.00 a week; with millions of women on lower pensions only
getting £1.80 a week.
Last year the government, announced one of the biggest shift of resources within the Welfare
State for twenty-five years, when it launched a consultation on their intention to give local
authorities the responsibility for administering and funding the Attendance Allowance which
is currently paid to 1.5 million over 65’s in the UK.
Throughout last year we used every opportunity to win support for the Dignity Code and
promoting Dignity in Care remains one of our most important priorities. Sadly, Social Care
continues to be in crisis right across our Region with ever more closures of Care Homes and
thousands of our senior citizens being denied the essential support they need . In 2016 there
were * 67,000 pensioners affected by the Bedroom Tax*24,000 Excess Winter Deaths*
2 million pensioners living in substandard homes*an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 older
people subjected to abuse and neglect.
For all these reasons, we need a Strong, Campaigning and Politically Independent Pensioners
Convention in 2017. Dorothy Lamb: Regional Chair: West Midlands Pensioners Convention.
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OUT OF FOCUS
Housing, Health and Older People
The impact of housing disrepair on the health and wellbeing of people in later life needs to be
brought back into focus by policymakers and the Government. Whilst the housing crisis faced
by younger people is well recognised(though not yet adequately addressed)the declining state
of our existing housing stock remains hidden from view in the national policy debate. Housing
disrepair disproportionately affects older people.
There are 5.6million older (65+) households in England and 96% of older households live in
mainstream accommodation. Most older people (77% 4.3m) are owner occupiers reflecting
the shift in tenure seen the 20th century. In 1918,23% of all households were owner-occupied.
Nowadays 76% of the over 55s live in owner occupied property. Whilst owner occupation may
have been seen as a sign of wealth in the past, this is not the case now. Many owner-occupied
homes have fallen into disrepair, with owners that cannot afford to keep them repaired.
Disrepair is also a major feature of privately rented accommodation. Most recent data show
that 21% of over 65’s live in ‘non-decent’homes and 67% of pensioners in poverty (1.1million
people) are owner-occupiers.
Housing disrepair can have a major impact on health. For older people the two biggest issues
are risk of falls and cold. Effective falls prevention intervention includes balance and strength
exercisers factor screening, and, our concern here, assessing home hazards and getting them
fixed. The opportunity to assess home hazards prior to hospital discharge is often lost as
housing conditions are not always considered fully at this point. We can see the impact of cold
homes in the figures for excess winter deaths and increased rates of illness associated with
drops in temperature. Cold homes can result from fuel poverty. In 2013,10% of households in
England were in fuel poverty. Fuel poverty can be tackled by taking action on energy prices;
household income and home energy efficiency.
So, housing disrepair impacts on individual older people’s lives through deterioration in health.
The knock on from this is felt in the health and care system. A recently published study has
estimated the cost to the NHS of poor housing (across all age groups) to be £1.4 billion every
year. Intervention to improve the condition of the nation’s housing stock would reduce this
cost. Similarly, ensuring that housing is properly considered at the point of hospital discharge
would go a long way in prevention of readmission and its attendant cost.
The issue of housing disrepair and support for low-income home owners needs to be brought
back into focus with campaigning priorities: - * tackling pensioners poverty * reversing the
cuts in care and repair schemes*maintaining and enhancing the Disabled Facilities
Grant*ensuring that housing conditions and options are fully integrated into hospital
discharge arrangements. T
This article was written by Valerie Little ,who is a registered Public Health Specialist and served
as Director of Public Health in Dudley from 2002-2014.
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WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) now controls our Regions Transport System WHAT IS THE WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY On June 10th, last year the West Midlands Combined Authority was launched as part of the Government strategy to devolve powers to the Regions of England, with additional funding promised from central government; in the West Midlands, the anticipation is that there will be £8billion of extra funding and investments over the next few years. WHO IS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY
There are seven constituent authorities:- Birmingham,Coventry,Dudley,Sandwell,Walsall,Wolverhampton,Solihull.
There are five non-constituent authorities: - Cannock Chase, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Redditch, Tamworth, Telford, Wrekin.
Three Enterprise Partnerships are also part of the Authority: - Black Country, Coventry and Warwick, Greater Birmingham. N.B. Others may well seek to apply to join .
THE MAYOR OF THE WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY As part of the devolution deal the Government requires the West Midlands Combined Authority to be lead by an elected Regional Mayor. Although many see the imposition of an elected Regional Mayor as being controversial, on May 4th this year there will be an election to decide who will be the first Regional Mayor. The elected Regional Mayor will have significant powers over such area as the Regions Police (with the abolition of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Transport (with the establishment of the Transport for West Midlands -TfWM) ,economic infrastructure and development and although there are no plans at this stage, possibly the integration of Health and Social Care. There is also the potential for the Regional Mayor to have the power to add additional charges to council tax bills. Whatever your views on the rights and wrongs of having an elected Regional Mayor- On May 4th the first Regional Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority will be elected And will have significant powers, affecting the lives of people right across our Region
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AROUND THE BRANCHES
North Staffordshire
The North Staffordshire Pensioners
Convention began the new year
with a public meeting on “ Excess
Winter Deaths ”. With local
speakers from Beat the Cold,
Citizens Advice Bureau , Stoke on
Trent UNISON Branch and our own
Regional Secretary, Bob Mitchell.
The Public Meeting- Forum Theatre, Potteries Museum
Established in 1991, the North
Staffordshire Pensioners
Convention now have their own
office and full time Co-ordinator.
With over 350 members and 20
Affiliates, they have built up a
reputation as a powerful,
independent champion of older
people’s rights. Bob Mitchell and officers of the WMPC at the NSPC Office.
Sandwell Pensioners Convention
On Monday January 16th members of our newly formed Sandwell Branch of the Pensioners Convention, along with Regional Officers of the WMPC, staffed our campaign stall at West Bromwich Central Library’s “Blue Monday” event.
It was a great privilege to share the day with other
Sandwell based groups, including: - Sandwell
University of the Third Age, Healthy Sandwell, Age
UK Sandwell, Healthwatch and Sandwell Age Well.
What a wonderful example West Bromwich Central
Library is on how our Public Libraries can play an important role in the cultural and social
lives of our communities. Congratulations to all Staff at West Bromwich Central Library.
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WHAT’S ON
WEST MIDLANDS
PENSIONERS CONVENTION
ARE PLEASED TO INVITE YOU TO
MEET THE CANDIDATES FOR OUR FIRST
MAYOR OF THE
WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY
AT
WEST BROMWICH CENTRAL
LIBRARY
HIGH STREET,WEST BROMWICH
B70 8DZ
TUESDAY 21st FEBRUARY
11AM-1PM
THIS HUSTINGS EVENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
QUESTION THE CANDIDATES SEEKING OUR
SUPPORT AND OUR VOTES
Confirmed Speakers are:
ANDY STREET-CONSERVATIVE
BEVERLEY NIELSEN-LIBERAL DEMOCRAT
JAMES BURN-GREEN PARTY
PETER DURNELL-UKIP
SION SIMON-LABOUR PARTY
CHAIRED BY:
PETER MADELEY- EXPRESS AND STAR
FOR MORE INFORMATION: CONTACT
WMPC :-07984547713
E mail: [email protected]
A LAST REMINDER
BRANCHES AND AFFILIATES
All nominations for Officers and the Executive
of the WMPC, along with any motions, need to
be sent to David Williams, 150 Westwood
Road, Sutton Coldfield B73 6UH
BY: Tuesday 28th February 2017.
KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC
To find out more about the crisis in our
Health service, what is NHS England’s
Sustainability and Transformation Plan (
STP) what are the implications for our
Regions hospitals and the challenges
facing our General Practioners.
Please Come Along
To the Next meeting of the West Midlands
Pensioners Convention
Thursday 9th March 11a.m till 1.00 p.m.
Birmingham UNISON, 19th Floor,
Maclaren Building, B4 7LN