Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Leanne Brady, Lynda Guy, Sarah Mead and Peter Wilkins.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Community Select Committee held on Tuesday 11 November 2025.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Community Select Committee meeting held on 11 November 2025 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

As per the Community Select Committee’s Work Programme for 2025-26, it was agreed that the Committee should consider a focused session on Older People, including the Council’s policies and procedures on:

• Age Friendly Community
• Dementia Friendly Community
• Digital exclusion
• How older people access Council services

To address the above issues, Members will receive an officer presentation on the way older people are supported in Stevenage.

The Chair has invited the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Older People, Cllr Myla Arceno, to discuss with Members her strategy to support older people. See the link to the Council motion and other Council policies linked to older people and dementia friendly Stevenage “establishing a lasting and sustainable commitment to Age Friendly Communities and Dementia-Friendly action in Stevenage”

Independent Living Schemes

Making Stevenage a Dementia Friendly Community

Home Adaptations

Housing for Older People Strategy

The Committee received a presentation from Officers on the Council’s work in relation to older people, following the Council motion agreed in October 2025. This was to establish a lasting and suitable commitment to age-friendly communities and dementia-friendly action in Stevenage.

The Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Older People welcomed the focused session and emphasised that the motion aimed to develop new initiatives, and to highlight existing work being delivered by officers and partners.

The Committee noted that significant work had been undertaken in relation to a Dementia Friendly status. This included collaboration with the Council’s Licensing team to support dementia awareness training for taxi drivers, delivered in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society.

Officers presented key demographic and health data to the Committee and highlighted increased dementia diagnosis.

Falls amongst those aged 80 years and over were highlighted as a major cause of hospital admissions. It was noted that dementia diagnosis rates in Stevenage were higher than both Hertfordshire and national averages. These factors underlined the need for strengthened prevention, support and inclusive design.

The Committee was informed that Stevenage achieved Age-Friendly Community status in 2024, and had since supported the Hertfordshire Age-Friendly application alongside Hertfordshire County Council and Age UK. 

It was noted that the Age-Friendly Communities survey had been completed, and officers highlighted the findings which included the positive access to green spaces and community facilities. Areas of improvement included access to public toilets, safety and perceptions of rest areas. Officers noted that perceptions were an important factor and did not always align with physical audits, such as the availability of benches across the town.

The Committee were provided with an update on the dementia-friendly work. This included the development of a dementia services booklet to help residents and carers navigate support following diagnosis.

Officers also discussed community engagement activities such as International Day of Older People on 1 October each year. This year the event included an intergenerational focus and partnership working with school and voluntary organisations. It was noted that plans were shared to expand future events into a week long programme of coordinated activities across Stevenage.

An overview of sport and leisure provision for older people was presented, including strength and balance classes, the health walks programme and community-based activities delivered through the Council’s leisure contract. These were highlighted as supporting mobility, independence and social connection.

It was noted that while short-mat bowls would be available in the new Leisure Hub, there were no current plans for a dedicated indoor bowls facility, and ongoing engagement with local bowls clubs was continuing.

During questions, concerns were raised by Members regarding access to swimming and aqua-based exercise classes. It was noted there were digital booking barriers, limited session availability and capacity constraints. Officers acknowledged these concerns and advised that they would be taken away for further consideration with relevant officers and partners.

It was noted that while some issues fell outside the Council’s direct control, the Age-Friendly Hertfordshire Partnership would provide an opportunity to influence wider transport  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent

There was no Urgent Part I Business.

To consider the following motions:

1. That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2. That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

It was RESOLVED:

1.    That, under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 to 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by SI 2006 No. 88.

2.    That having considered the reasons for the following item being in Part II, it be determined that maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent

There was no Urgent Part II Business.