Thanks to Labour’s investments in the NHS, many people are living longer, healthier lives.  This is certainly true in Medway, where we have a growing active, involved older population.  However, I have serious concerns that older people are not being well served by Medway’s Tories, and are being left behind in the plans to regenerate the area.
At the last Council meeting, the vice Chair of MOPP (Medway Older Peoples Partnership), and Labour councillor Val Goulden questioned the Tories about what provisions were being made for older people. 
They were concerned on two fronts.  Firstly, that the Age Concern building in Chatham is being demolished, and there are no firms plans to replace it.  Secondly, that in the regeneration plans, there has been no specific consideration given to the needs of our older residents, and there are no plans for an Older Person’s Centre.   The Tories’ replies on these issues were as vague and non-committal as usual.
Medway desperately needs a dedicated centre for older people which houses a wide range of services, including advocacy and benefits advice as well as facilities for social activities.  This was previously included in the community plan for the area but was then dropped by the local Tories. The centre needs to be accessible and near public transport links to complement and support the valuable work done by the voluntary sector and local groups.
However, despite both local and national pressure, the Tories have done nothing.  We do not even have an up to date Older Person’s Plan for Medway to create a blueprint, so it is no surprise that older people are being left out.  The Tories prefer to cause chaos on Chatham’s roads, rather than planning to provide the services that Medway’s older residents really need.
The Labour Group fully supports the campaign for a dedicated centre, as do our MPs, which also has the backing of the WRVS nationally. 
We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to provide this much needed facility during the regeneration programme and, yet, as usual, the local Tories are spurning it.