Well, it was a fine enough day, though the traffic thundered past on Victoria Way as ever, when assorted interested parties gathered at the Lightbox for the launch of Cycle Woking.

Unfortunately through a diary muddle I arrived late for the talk and presentation about the scheme in the Ambassador Room. But the main points were covered at the previous Local Committee Meeting, reported below. and I was there for cutting of the ribbon on the towpath, along with a lot of other people - the picture above was taken by a friend after the main photos had been taken, and the antique and other bicycles had swept further along the towpath, leaving this section with its celebratory balloons looking rather lonely!

There is going to be (another) extra Local Committee Meeting on the 3rd of December to approve further developments of the plans. As usual, it will start with a half hour available for informal questions from the public at 6.00 pm, and for once I am in full agreement with the (Conservative) Chairman that it would be a great if we could make sure residents know about this, and that any who would like to ask questions or express a point of view come along.

‘A bit more important than pot-holes,’               … as I heard one of my fellow Councillors say, on the way out of a seminar given by an admirably passionate member of

None of us know when we may become vulnerable to abuse either through age, illness, or disability. The Who hoped to die before they got old, but their generation look set to live long into old age. Studies suggest that as many as half a million elderly people in this country are experiencing abuse. More than a quarter of people with learning disabilities say they have been physically assaulted. Yet even a poll of nurses showed that fewer than half of them would report adult abuse. Often people are in a position where they feel they do not want to rock the boat: that the care being given in better than nothing; that there is no alternative, so what’s the point in complaining?           

Violence and harassment are obviously wrong, but bruises can at least be seen and questioned. Abuse can also include medication and catheterisation used for convenience, and carried out by professionals. Middle-aged children have been known to financially abuse their parents ruthlessly as any rogue trader. Institutional abuse can happen in residential homes with restrictions and deprivations meaning people aren’t treated as individuals. Never allowing that a resident might not want sugar in their tea before sweetening everyone’s drink is a small example of the dehumanisation, that can take far more horrific forms,           

If you suspect abuse of an older person, general advice can be got from Elder Abuse Response on 080 8808 8141. To contact Surrey County Council’s Social Care Services, phone 08456 009 009 or, out of office hours, 01483 517898. In emergency, call 999.            

 Adults have the right to make decisions about their own lives, and sometimes they choose to stay in situations that appear abusive to other people. Even so, the essential message is: report it, don’t risk saying nothing.