Media Release
13 June 2006

Housing for the Elderly in safe hands under draft Council plan

Ensuring Manukau elderly residents can continue to live independently is still a priority on Manukau City Council’s agenda.

Despite discussions last week over a proposed sale of Housing for the Elderly homes to Housing New Zealand for a nominal one dollar, the Council has indicated its continued commitment to Housing for Elderly in the City as part of the Long Term Council Community Plan process.

Councillor Neil Morrison proposed the sale during the Council Plan Committee meeting on Wednesday 7 June and gained enough votes from fellow councillors to carry the proposal, which would then have gone forward to full Council for the final decision.

However, the proposal has since been rescinded. Instead, as proposed in the draft Plan, Council is set to award funding for the refurbishment or redevelopment of the majority of the Housing for the Elderly units by 2012.

Ian Maxwell, Director Community, says:

“Council remains committed to its Housing for the Elderly programme. During the past few months we have worked closely with tenants and staff to develop a proposal to update and improve 15 of our 17 complexes, which were built in the 1960s and 70s and are not up to today’s standards. We anticipate that the proposal will be supported by Council and awarded funding in this year’s Long Term Council Community Plan.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media