OPPOSITION councillors have called on civic chiefs to ensure their vision for the future of Winchester encompasses all residents.

Conservative members of Winchester City Council raised concerns over a lack of reference to elderly members of the community in the local authority's draft Council Plan 2020-25.

The document, which is now due to go out for public consultation, outlines the Liberal Democrat administration's key aims, ambitions and challenges over the next five years.

Cllr Frank Pearson (Conservative – Central Meon Valley) said the draft Council Plan made an "interesting package but it begs a number of questions".

"There is nothing in this document about elderly people and the care and needs that they may have in the future," said Cllr Pearson. "Although there is reference to mental health, physical wellbeing but not in relation to elderly people or is it just a vague statement."

Conservative opposition leader Cllr Caroline Horrill (Wonston & Micheldever) said: "Many of the items you raise are very laudable but it will be essential to work in partnership with many organisation to achieve those outcomes and aims. When this plan is developed and organisations in the consultation period will want to comment on this, how are we going to achieve some of those things when we are not always in control of others' priorities or others' budgets.

"The profile of our district is a very interesting challenge for us all. The age profile that we know is fundamentally changing.

"Our ageing population is a very significant change that we should be looking at in the five-year period you propose in this plan.

"We have a very hidden part of our population. Just because we are named best place to live doesn't mean to say that the life of all of our residents is wonderful and we need to take account of that."

As previously reported, the key areas highlighted in the draft Council Plan 2020-25 are climate change, housing, economy, healthy lifestyles and delivery of important public services.

Council leader Cllr Lucille Thompson told cabinet: "This plan is still in draft form and it will go out for consultation for the next five weeks and the timetable for doing this is set out in the report.

"Proper public engagement is something we have introduced since we took control in May. We now have public questions at meetings of full council, project open forums on our major projects and are in the process of recording and webcasting our meetings.

"When we began writing this new radical plan we wanted to ensure that our priorities were all about improving residents' lives and the services that we offer.

"This plan sets out the challenges we face and how we aim to meet those challenges."