Further to the Press leader comment about care for older people (We need to change care for our elderly, August 19), I wanted to reassure readers that the council is committed to supporting the most vulnerable people in York, whatever their age.

By 2020, almost a quarter of the city’s population will be aged over 65. Our aim is to ensure residents are able to live healthy and independent lives for as long as possible, providing them with a wide choice of care and support options when they need them. This means a fundamental shift in the way we care for older people, moving away from “traditional” care delivered in large care homes, to more individualised support.

Our Older People’s Accommodation project will ensure we can provide 21st century care, making the best use of our existing sheltered care provision by making it more accessible, as well as building new facilities. It will also ensure that our care provision is “fit for the future”, providing support for the growing number of people living with dementia.

But meeting the accommodation needs of the city’s older people is just one challenge. There are many more. These include the need to recruit more care workers to care for our ageing population, alongside reducing national budgets.

However, we are fortunate to have a highly dedicated care work force and many partner organisations in the city. We will continue to work with them, and with older people themselves, to make York one of the best places in the country to grow older.

Cllr Carol Runciman, Executive member for adult social care and health, City of York Council, West Offices, York

 

WHAT comes first, public or profit? An old lady in her 80s travels every day to visit her very ill husband in York Hospital, a distressing time for anyone. This trip has now been made harder because her bus terminates in Piccadilly with no No 6 from Stonebow. She now has to walk to the theatre, a long way for many people. Did the planners not know that not all buses go to Rougier Street or the station or indeed anywhere near Selby – Wheldrake and other villages have now been cut off from the hospital?

This is not how to run public transport for those who rely on it.

D Walker, Coupland Road, Selby

 

I have read many letters in The Press regarding the changes to First York bus services. I have complained directly to First Group and have received an acknowledgement that the services 4 and 6 are below an acceptable level but that changes cannot be made until October. Then in The Press (August 20) I learn that First York are proposing to increase their fares from August 30. Which other company could blatantly say, “We are charging more for a poorer service”? My response is no. First York, please get your services working properly and then seek a price increase.

Neil Raw, Oriel Grove, Clifton Without, York

 

I WRITE with serious concern re the news from the local bus service that the No 6 bus is no longer going to the hospital, resulting in the elderly now having to change onto the No 4 bus.

Are they not aware they are seriously endangering many elderly folks’ lives?

Surely as we all know the traffic in that area of the city is very, very busy and very dangerous.

I suspect the person who decided on this changeover is young and fit.

Name and address supplied

 

Oh dear, not another student housing scheme (Student flats plan for Layerthorpe, August 19). One more site given over to accommodate people who are not permanent residents but here temporarily on a course of study. And consequently often not here for large chunks of the year, outside term time.

I don’t blame Horwell Brothers one bit for pursuing the most lucrative redevelopment of their coal yard in Mansfield Street. They have every right to look after their own interests.

I blame stupid planning policies that allow massive student blocks to be built without affordable obligations; but demand from those creating 15 or more ordinary houses or flats, that 20 per cent of them must be signed over at a financial loss to a housing association.

It should be the other way round.

Those prepared to build homes for sale or rent to local people should be encouraged to do so by having the blackmail demand of social housing removed altogether; while those who want to block our skyline with student mega-city should pick up a penalty for taking potential housing land away from York residents.

Matthew Laverack, Architect of this parish, Lord Mayors Walk, York