City of Canning Commissioner Linton Reynolds.
Camera IconCity of Canning Commissioner Linton Reynolds. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Mayor fights back on aged care

Natalie Nazzari, Canning TimesCanning Gazette

Mr Aubrey was responding to comments featured in the Canning Times and what he claims was misinformation circulating in the community over the past few months.

Last week, City of Canning Commissioner Linton Reynolds said he understood aged care was not a core business for Melville and was concerned what might happen to aged- care services if parts of Canning merged with Melville.

The latest Local Government Advisory Board proposal recommended Canning suburbs west of Vahland Avenue ” including Rossmoyne, Shelley, Willetton and Riverton ” become part of an expanded City of Melville council.

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This would include the Herald Avenue Senior Citizens Centre and Canning Lodge, a 42-bed hostel.

Mr Aubrey said suggestions that state and federal funding ” which passed strict allocation criteria ” would be lost were ‘completely unreasonable’.

‘We are alarmed and disappointed at the misleading information that is being circulated, causing unnecessary worry for people ” some of whom are the most vulnerable in our community,’ he said.

‘To suggest that anyone who may be affected by the reform process will end up worse off under another local government undermines the goodwill and hard work we do as local councils.’

Mr Aubrey said the City of Melville had a strong focus on aged-care and had invested its resources into wider strategic planning and support partnerships including the Council of the Ageing WA.

Mr Reynolds said the City of Canning did not tell residents and other recipients of its care services they might lose services.

‘The city has just honestly and openly explained the process of the change in local governments and the future provisions of care services,’ Mr Reynolds said.

He said the City of Melville was an organisation that was aged-friendly and had overarching policies to support this.

‘The City of Canning however, delivers these services and the delivery of services is a substantially different than supporting others to deliver services,’ Mr Reynolds said.

‘It requires a unique style of management, organisational culture and the ability to provide innovative care delivery options, along with a service model that fits with the strategic direction of all funding bodies.’

He said if Canning was no longer able to provide its aged care services because of boundary changes, it would be a lengthy process to arrange a new provider to take over.

‘This does not guarantee continuity of care. It may see a major change in staffing and quite likely, a new service model implemented,’ Mr Reynolds said.

‘This is the disruption the City of Canning means when it says services may be jeopardised,’ he said.

‘Any changes to the operations of existing and current services along with changes in staffing, provider or service model, would be of great concern and worry for any older person in the community.’