Hui to seek guidance on setting up aged forum

Greypower Rotorua present Rosemary MacKenzie

If Rotorua becomes an age-friendly city then everyone will benefit.

That is the one outcome Greypower Rotorua wants from the formation of a new forum for mature residents.

Rotorua Lakes Council is holding a hui on Monday, May 4, to seek guidance on how the forum should be selected and run. It follows two other meetings.

Greypower Rotorua present Rosemary MacKenzie said it was "a long time coming" but they were hopeful the city would follow others in New Zealand.

"Age-friendly cities sound rare but if you have got a city friendly to the elderly then it's friendly to the young and the disabled too," she said.

"Greypower has been nagging for this [forum] since it was abandoned before the 2013 election. It's been a long time coming. Those of us a little bit older don't have a lot of time left to wait. I'm looking forward to seeing our ideas being brought to the council."

The idea of the forum is to advise the council on the needs and aspirations of mature residents as the district progresses towards its long-term goals.

The forum will help the council understand current and future issues and challenges and ensure the needs of Rotorua's older people are catered for.

People portfolio leader Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said the council knew it didn't have all the answers and it would look to the forum to give sound advice and guidance on issues that mature people raise and want addressed.

"Council is creating opportunities for everyone in the community to be heard - it's about inclusiveness and everybody knowing that their views will be heard."

The portfolio will ensure all sectors of the Rotorua community are represented and taken into consideration across all council portfolios.

"It's not about the council doing everything. At times we'll just be the facilitators, supporting and bringing people together to achieve things that benefit the community," Mrs Raukawa-Tait said.

Mark Gould, who is leading efforts within the portfolio to engage with Rotorua's mature sector, said at meetings people had been "very keen to have their say".

"In another 10 years one in four locals will be over 65 so it's very important we talk to them and cater for their requirements and the mature sector of our community wants to be involved in making Rotorua a great place to live," he said.

For information, email carole.parker@rdc.govt.nz or call 07 351 8115.