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Still waiting for answer
• MANY pensioners are trapped in a recession not of their making. What really doesn’t help, as a recent survey by Help the Aged shows, is that nationally pensioners are going without £5billion of benefits they are entitled to every year.
Help the Aged’s conclusion was that this was the result of all the gobblygook and convoluted process the elderly have to go through to get benefits they are entitled to. Rather like Islington Council and the quango called Islington Strategic Partnership (ISP).
I have raised with Islington Council and ISP what I thought was a simple question: “What benefits have the pensioners received as a result of the rather substantial finances received from both the government and the council through Islington Strategic Partnership and local area agreements.”
ISP’s first response was a load of convoluted gobblygook, which it admitted was not as clear as it should have been. Maybe James Kempton, a teacher and someone recently praised by his party’s leader as a major player in education, should give serious thought to educating his officers in the use of basic, understandable English, particularly given that he is not only council leader but also chairs ISP.
The second response was not much better. I was told that, although quite a large sum of money had been set aside for work in some of the poorest areas, including the salaries of what is referred to as area co-ordinators, ISP has decided the focus should be on ensuring better co-ordination rather than on projects. This suggests it is not about improving services but more about justifying the hiring of fairly-well-paid area co-ordinators.
None of which actually addressed my question as to how the needs of older people are being addressed by ISP. It now appears to be passing the buck by saying it is really up to each of the neighbourhoods to decide and agree where there are particular issues for older people.
Apparently, this will be a priority for the neighbourhood partners to address. Quite who these so-called partners are and how they make decisions isn’t very transparent and open. Rather like ISP itself.
JOHN WORKER
Secretary, Islington Pensioners Forum
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