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Champion for Older People in Bridgend County Borough
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Councillor Lyn Morgan
Cabinet Member for Well being – Older Peoples Champion
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Political Party:
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Labour
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Telephone:
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01656 721123
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E-mail:
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Cllr.Lyn.Morgan@bridgend.gov.uk
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With providing Strategy implementation funding to all Local Authorities in Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government stated that they expected each authority to select an Older Persons Champion in their executive cabinet so that they can play an effective role in influencing and pursuing issues on behalf of older people at a council wide approach.
Bridgend has its very own Older Person’s Champion – Cllr Lyn Morgan – cabinet member for Social Services and Housing. Cllr Lyn Morgan believes that Champions are people with desire to improve older peoples services and are willing to working in partnership to stand up for the interests of older people in Bridgend County Borough.
The appointment of Cllr Morgan as the champion in Bridgend should ensure that the profile and ‘voice’ of older people is raised and that issues that matters to older people remain on the agenda of all local decision makers.
Cllr Cllr Marlene Thomas has been appointed as Vice Champion. Together, both Councillors will strive to promote the views expressed by older people in Bridgend County Borough.
An older persons champion is a person with desire to improve older people’s services. Cllr Lyn Morgan is striving to push this forward and he believes that a joined up approach with service providers as well as older people is critical to success.
The Older Person’s Champion has close alliance with the Strategy Implementation Officer for Older People and together they act as the driving force to ensuring the success of the local Older persons action plan, attached to the Welsh Assembly Government Strategy for Older People in Wales.
A central role of the champion is the engagement with older people to establish a clear understanding of views, needs and preferences. Recognition that older people are not a homogeneous group and respect for the diversity of older peoples backgrounds, experiences, lifestyles and beliefs is a crucial in gaining the trust and confidence of older people and making an effective representation on their behalf.
The key areas of responsibility include
- To promote a consideration of the need of older people in all aspects of the work of the Local Authority
- To promote a consideration of the needs of older people within partner organisations operating in the Borough which could positively influence the life opportunities if older people
- To promote positive image of older people in the community, making full use of media opportunities
- To challenge ageism in all its manifestations and promote the dignity and rights of older people
- To promote the implementation of Bridgend Older Persons Strategy, working in conjunction with the Strategy Implementation Officer
- To engage prominent people in key organizations in developing and implementing the Older Persons Joint Strategy Planning Teams Action Plan
- To develop mechanisms to engage with older people both to share information and to gain understanding of issues of importance to them
- To participate in relevant planning groups.
- To address public meetings on the them of positive images of ageing when requested
- To contribute to conferences or other events promoting the well being of older people
- To present regular reports to Cabinet, Partnership board, and Joint Strategy Planning Team.
The champion is there to influence, at local level, decision making, support the implementation of the local Older Persons Strategy, improve service delivery, combat age discrimination and change attitudes.
Cllr Morgan believes the over 50’s should be at the heart of every partnership to improve lives of older people. He also believes that older people are part of the solution – not the problem - as building upon their experiences are critical for the future. | 
