Row Over Elderly Care Information

Three community councils in Sutherland claim Highland Council has thwarted attempts to maintain care for the elderly services in their area.

They said there has been a lack of financial detail from the council about the Assynt Centre in Lochinver.

Kinlochbervie, Assynt and Scourie community councils campaigned against the closure of one respite care and two residential beds in the centre.

A council spokesman said the groups had misrepresented their discussions

The community councils said with clear financial information it would allow them to propose more efficient ways of running the centre.

A proposal from the council to pay local people to take elderly people into their own homes – described by local councillor Francis Keith as a grab a granny scheme – has found no takers.

The community councils have said the only option left is to take the elderly to other care facilities up to 100 miles away.