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

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

solihullratepayers@hotmail.co.uk 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 : wmpconvention@gmx.com Sandwell: Tony Carlson:07527127321

mailto:solihullratepayers@hotmail.co.ukmailto:wmpconvention@gmx.com

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.

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.

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

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.

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: wmpconvention@gmx.com

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