DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY OLDER PEOPLE’S CONSULTATIVE GROUP
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday2 November 2010 in Woodbank, 30 Edinburgh Road, Dumfries
PRESENTAndrew Johnston, NHS D&G (Chair)
Councillor Lorna McGowan, Dumfries and Galloway Council (Vice-Chair)
Ian Walker, Accessible Transport Forum
Morag Halliday (substitute for Paula Cochrane), Age Scotland
Ruth Richardson, D&G Seniors Forum
Frank Smith, D&G Seniors Forum
Ron Spencer, D&G Seniors Forum
Ralph Coleman (substitute for John White) D&G Seniors Forum
Roberta Copland, Lockerbie & District Retired and Independent Ladies Club
Barbara Crebbins, Lockerbie & District Retired andIndependent Ladies Club
Bill Hitchens, Loreburn Retirement Group
Jif Hyde, The Food Train
Edith McDonald, University of the Third Age
Ann Gault, WRVS
APOLOGIESPaula Cochrane, Age Scotland
Ailsa Black, Alzheimer Scotland
John White, D&G Seniors Forum
John Scott, Langholm Day Centre
Ella Dickson, Loreburn Retirement Group
George Willacy, NHS D&G
Alan Sidaway, Unite Retired Members Association
John Robertson, User and Carer Involvement
IN ATTENDANCE
Ann Stephenson, Corporate Commissioning Manager - Older People, (Correspondence Secretary / Minutes), DGC
Angela McGeoch, Commissioning Officer, DGC
Sarah Beck (note taker) DGC
- Chairperson’s Opening Remarks and Welcome
The Chair extended a very warm welcome to all those attending to this, the third Annual General Meeting of OPCG. He said that he didn’t really have a lot to add to his formal Chairperson’s report which was included within the previously circulated Annual Report but he said it had once again been a busy and productive year for OPCG.
2.Apologies
Ella Dickson had had to send her apologies due to illness and members agreed to write to Ella to wish her a speedy recovery. Other apologies were noted. The Chair said that George Willacy was very sorry to be missing his first meeting in his new role but a meeting of NHS D&G had had to take priority.
- Approval of minutes from previous AGM – 10 November 2009
On the motion of Frank Smith, seconded by Ann Gault the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting held on 10 November 2009 were formally approved.
- Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
- Presentation of OPCG 2nd Annual Report
The Chair invited Ann Stephenson to take members through the Annual Report which covered the period 1 October 2009 – 30 September 2010.
Ann briefly took members through the report focussing particularly on the main agenda items considered during the year and what had been achieved.
The Chair then invited comments from members.
Frank Smith said he had concerns about the opening paragraph of the report which described the main objectives of OPCG. ie to “ascertain, co-ordinate and reflect the views of older people….” and to be “the main focus for consultation ….”. He said he felt that the wording in the report represented a “top-down” approach and did not reflect the role of OPCG which was to also initiate items for discussion.
Ann advised that the wording of the paragraph had been taken directly from the OPCG Constitution.
The Chair said that whilst OPCG had originally been set up as a purely consultative group this could change and that now it has been running for over two years, it might be an opportunity to look again at the role of OPCG both now and in the future although this would clearly need agreement with both the NHS and Council.
Other members disagreed that the wording stifled OPCG considering issues other than those where views were being sought by the Council and NHS. Edith McDonald gave the example of an item on the ordinary agenda which was to follow the AGM concerning bus services which she said had come about following concerns expressed by some of her own members.
- Confirmation of Group Membership 2010/2011
Ann confirmed the list of organisations in membership as at the end of September 2010 which were listed in the Annual Report. She said that although there was a “healthy” number of organisations involved with OPCG it would be good to recruit even more and asked members to help encourage other organisations they were in contact with to apply for membership.
- Confirmation of new Chair and Vice-Chair 2010/2011
According to the requirements of the OPCG constitution, the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair alternate on an annual basis between an elected member of Dumfries and Galloway Council and a non-Executive member of NHS Dumfries and Galloway. The Chair, Andrew Johnston said he was sorry to be standing down altogether from OPCG due to pressures from having a number of other committee obligations. He said it had been an “immense privilege” to be involved with OPCG from the beginning and that he was pleased that George Willacy would be taking on the role of Vice-Chair on behalf of the NHS.
He said he was also pleased to be leaving OPCG in the safe hands of Lorna McGowan who would be taking on the role of Chair for the second time.
- Vote of thanks
On behalf of all members of OPCG, Ann passed on her thanks to Andrew for all his contributions to OPCG over his time in office and said she wanted to personally thank him for his support during the past year.
There being no further business, the Chair then closed the meeting.
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