Seniors’ president questions need for new Age Friendly company

PRESIDENT of Melksham Seniors, Brian Warwick, has said that he is ‘concerned’ about the creation of a new community interest company (CIC) Age Friendly Melksham CIC, which has taken place during lockdown.

The president of Melksham Seniors says that the CIC was set up without any consultation with Melksham Seniors and its members – the group who were behind the work that resulted in Melksham becoming the first rural community in England to become a member of the Age Friendly Communities in 2018.

And he has criticised the move being made during the Covid-19 lockdown without any ‘public acclaim or authority’ and has questioned why a separate ‘Age Friendly structure’ needs to be created.

News of the new CIC, which appointed local councillor Jon Hubbard  as its chair, came last month, with the announcement that it had been formed to help develop and grow the work that supports Melksham’s Age Friendly status.

Brian Warwick said, “What we could not understand was why cllr Hubbard took it upon himself without any consultation with the Melksham Seniors or the Melksham public, other than with just a few colleagues of the need to launch a separate so called “Age Friendly” structure.   Particularly, at the very time when he must have been aware the majority of the senior benefactors would be disenfranchised from participating in any discussions as they were in lockdown,  

“Seniors and community groups could not be effectively involved during lockdown and we are not aware of any constructive efforts that was made to consult widely with them during the lockdown, though we do accept the fact that nearly 40% of Seniors do not have access to wifi and devices.  That problem is an ongoing issue that must be resolved.

“Melksham Seniors would welcome opportunities after the lockdown to discuss Melksham’s Age Friendly approach with the Town Council and Parish, and of course other interested community groups, by seeking a more constructive and transparent way forward, jointly working in a friendly and a more informative  all ages wide community partnership, as per the aims of the World Health Organisation and Ageing Better.

“In the meantime, the Melksham Seniors would respectfully request Cllr Hubbard to drop the pretence of being the official Chair of “Age Friendly Melksham”, for he has no public mandate for such a claim,  other than being a director of a private company created during a lockdown without any public acclaim or authority.”

See letters page 26.