Senior platform set for revival

Senior citizens forum

Discussions on mapping a way forward for Waipā’s seniors will dominate a forum organised by Cambridge Grey Power and Waipā district councillors.

Roger Gordon at a recent council meeting.

Cr Roger Gordon, said Grey Power and local councillors want to find the best way for seniors to express their views to council.

A senior council established several years ago, with three or four meetings a year held alternately in Cambridge and Te Awamutu, was designed to facilitate communication between seniors and elected council officials, he said.

Cambridge News 31 October 2024

However, feedback from those indicated that some seniors believe their voice has been ignored and that council’s focus is on meeting the needs of younger residents.

Gordon also said it was thought that because of differences between Cambridge and Te Awamutu, any future forum for seniors might be more effective if it is localised to each town.

“There is a real wish for some kind of forum to be re-established,” he said, adding that it could include considerations around the general disability sector.

“The forum will also consider the Waipā District Council’s ‘Age Friendly Policy’ and ‘Age Friendly Implementation Plan’ documents written in 2016. These have informed interaction between council and our seniors.”

It will include presentations from Cambridge Grey Power past president Val Massey and Te Awamutu Grey Power president, Michael Cullen. There will also be a Waipā Age-Friendly Policy open forum and a Q&A session.

Senior Citizens forum.  Photo: SHVETS pexels.com

More Recent News

Parades ‘kill retail sales’

Waipā District Council is being urged to engage in deeper community consultation before agreeing to closing roads for Christmas parades. The council last week approved several road closures to enable Christmas parades for Saturday, December…

Raffle is on the house

Some lucky little person could soon be the recipient of a three-storey doll’s house made by blokes at the Cambridge Menzshed and furnished by Cambridge Resthaven resident Alison Hucke. The miniature home is being raffled…

Sticking with the treaty

Cambridge High School Board presiding member Jim Goodrich says the school will continue to honour the Treaty of Waitangi despite the Government’s plans to axe obligations to give effect to the treaty. Education minister Erica…

Mayor’s morning ritual

Mike and Nic Pettit wake at 4.50am and climb to the top of Maungakawa hill every morning. “It’s a great time for us to get our own time,” Mike Pettit said. “You get up there…