Rise in elderly people prompts cash review in Moray

A rise in the number of elderly people living in Moray has forced the council to review funding allocations as the demand for services increases.

The health and social care services committee will decide on Wednesday how to allocate £250,000 additional funding for older people’s services to relieve pressure on the existing system.

The money was originally set aside in the council’s 2008 financial services review, which allocated £250,000 per year between 2008 and 2011 for older people’s services.

Members of the committee still need to agree on the recommendation to use the money now before it can go before full council for final approval however.

Committee chairman Lee Bell hopes agreement at Wednesday’s meeting will be a formality.

He said: “It was agreed at the budget setting a year ago that this money would be put in for the next three years because of the projected increase in the numbers of old people.”

The recommendation was made in light of the findings of a 2004 survey conducted by the council which showed the numbers of older people living in the area are projected to increase to 20,438 by 2019 and 22,088 by 2024.

The numbers of people aged over 80 are also expected to increase to 6,613 by 2024. It was these factors, coupled with the age profile of existing service users, which prompted concern.

Should the funding be approved, £140,000 will be used for home care services with the remaining £110,000 going towards housing development.

Mr Bell said: “The £250,000 will be used for a wide variety of things, home care for one and also residential care.”