A leading local campaigner has come out in support of a 95-year-old Edzell man’s comments over what he described as the “outrageous increase” in the cost of the community alarm system.
Ron Scrimgeour, chairman of the Angus Mental Health Association and treasurer of Age Concern Angus, was speaking after James Paterson accused the local authority of a “betrayal of trust” following a 75% increase in the weekly cost.
Community alarm users have now begun to receive bills incorporating the price hike agreed by councillors at February’s budget meeting, taking the weekly charge from £2 to £3.50.
The rise follows a 100% increase in the weekly charge in last year’s budget.
“I would support entirely the comments made by Mr Paterson regarding the outrageous increase in the cost of the community alarm system adopted by Angus Council at the February budget,” said Mr Scrimgeour.
“This is a tax on the elderly and a tax on the infirm.
“Part of the whole philosophy behind healthcare for our increasingly elderly population is to allow them to stay at home and support them in their familiar environment.
“This frees up hospital bed space and reduces the need for expensive nursing home provision. Sadly, the elderly and the infirm are subsidising this philosophy.
“Many housebound people have been hit with a double whammy over the past two budgets from Angus Council. Meals on wheels have risen disproportionately as well as the community alarm.
“Angus Council promised to monitor the rises in cost to the elderly of both these services in the 2010 budget.
“Can we ask what form the monitoring took and what the results were? It must be doubly galling for Mr Paterson, a resident of Edzell, to see his local library closed as a result of budget cuts.
“The library in the rural areas is a community hub, a place to meet and socialise with almost no cost.Priorities”Equally, it is difficult to accept Angus Council’s continual poverty pleading when the £10 million swimming pool in Montrose is going ahead and they are paying an already-rich lady golf professional a five-figure sum to promote yet another golf tournament in the south of the county.
“The argument that the increase is justified because it brings Angus Council charges in line with other local authorities is no argument at all.
“We do not know the range and depth of facilities to the elderly and the housebound so any comparison on cost alone is meaningless and insulting.”
The rise is projected to bring in over £900,000 of extra income for the council but, at a cost of £4.40 per user each week, the service remains heavily subsidised.
In the face of the severe economic climate, however, many pensioners fear they will no longer be able to afford the vital service and have told the council they are considering giving it up.
The council has given an assurance that it would not pull the plug on any resident assessed as requiring the community alarm.
It said it has increased the charge for the community alarm service to bring it more in line with charges applied elsewhere in Scotland.
The community alarm service is provided to 3121 people in Angus.
The council has stressed that services continue to be provided on the basis of need and no service would be withdrawn because of cost where it has been assessed as being required by an individual.