Agenda item

SUMMARY

Council has provided a range of services funded through the Australian Government’s Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) since 2015.  The Australian Government is in the process of reforming the overall national aged care system, implementing a range of system changes prior to fully replacing the CHSP with a new program in 2025. 

An internal review of the three programs that continue to be delivered by Council’s Healthy Ageing Unit has recently been completed.  These programs are Meals, Transport and Social Support Group and are predominantly funded by the Australian Government through the CHSP program, with the State Government funding a very small proportion of the overall Meals program.

It is no longer essential for Council to provide these services as other funded providers of Transport and Social Support Group operate in the municipality, and there is an opportunity to establish a sustainable delivered Meals service that would increase the benefits of the current Meals program.  These programs operate at a cost to Council and there is an opportunity for Council to re-invest and develop activities that other organisations do not provide that will support healthy ageing. 

It is recommended that Council inform the Australian Government that it will transition out of providing these three activities and that Council renegotiate with the State Government alternative use of funding currently received to increase social inclusion and connection. 

It is also recommended that Council support the ongoing investment of the current approved Council budget ($816,000) for Healthy Ageing in activities that will benefit a greater proportion of the older community. 

The possibility that Council will transition out of providing these services has been communicated to funders and current clients and the staff and volunteers involved in the provision of these programs have been consulted.

Jane Price, Director of Communities, read the following letter from Carole Corcoran.

Dear Jim,

I am writing in response to your letter dated 8 September 2023. I wish to have my objections read and recorded at the meeting being held on 24 October 2023 and for the Council to take note of, whilst they are considering the report about the services they wish to remove from the Yarra Valley.

Transport

I live in the Upper Yarra area of the Yarra Ranges Council and rely on the Council Transport to get to Medical appointments, in the future Social Activities such as travel to Wandin Senior Citizens for example, because I do not live along or near the bus service that travels along Warburton Highway it would be nearly impossible for me to access this service, besides the fact that I cannot get onto the bus because of having knee problems and not able to walk long distances, if I attempted to walk to the bus stop, I would need to walk down a steep gravel road to Warburton Highway and then along a very narrow grass verge (which would put me in danger of being hit by speeding cars as there is very little space to walk safely) to reach the bus stop nearest me. Many of the older citizens and ratepayers of this area do not have access to cars and like me and other people living in the outer areas are unable to get to or onto the bus service, which runs approximately hourly along the Warburton Highway.

Regarding the comment that service providers could undertake the supply of transport, many of our seniors are not members of My Aged Care, or if they are their Service Providers charge excessive amounts for this Service, I recently was charged $150.00 for a one-way trip to Mitcham Private Hospital for example. We are not able to access Taxis even if we book them, they will not travel further than Wood Yallock and just fail to turn up at all leaving us stranded. One of my friends who lives in Wood Yallock needed to get to St Vincents Hospital in East Melbourne and was able to get a taxi to pick her up and wait for her, the round-trip cost her $700.00.

I therefore am lodging my objection to the removal of the Transport that is already provided by the Council as it is a necessary service and needed for ratepayers in the Upper Yarra.

Meals on Wheels

I do not use this service, but some of our members do and this is definitely needed by both senior and disabled members of our community.

Social Support Group

Most of our Community live in isolated areas of the Yarra Ranges Councils on large properties and farms and the need for social support is very necessary in order to combat social isolation and loneliness, especially after the effect the storms of 2021 and the Covid-19 lockdowns had on all of us.

Unlike the metropolitan part of the Yarra Ranges, i.e. Lilydale, Chirnside Park etc., which has access to multiple types of public transport, i.e. regular Trains, Buses and Taxis that service these areas much more regularly than our hourly bus, we in the Yarra Valley are in need of greater support from the Council for these ratepayers and residents in the Yarra Valley area. I strongly object to the removal of this service.

I hope the Council will consider my letter and objections whilst making their decisions as well as realise that the residents in the Yarra Valley area of the Yarra Ranges need more support rather than removing the support we already have in place.

In accordance with Governance Rule 58, Vicki Williams spoke in objection to the recommendation included in the officer report.

The Mayor moved a motion to extend the Council Meeting until 10:30pm

Cr Child moved a motion alternate to that printed in the agenda.