South Lanarkshire councillors have capped the cost for the widely-used community alarm system.
Yesterday at the Executive Committee, plans to raise the weekly charge paid by community alarm users from £1.70 to £4.10 were proposed to councillors.
But the Labour group opposed the £2.40 weekly increase and Councillor Margaret Walker (Cambuslang West) proposed to raise it by 50 pence to £2.20.
The proposal was approved by members on the executive committee.
Council Leader Joe Fagan (East Kilbride Central North) said: “Like the council and all parts of the public sector, health and social care are having to contend with underfunding and consequent financial pressures. The IJB has to plug a significant budget gap and we totally sympathise with the position they find themselves in.
“However, the community alarm system is a key part of care at home and harm prevention. The alarms help people live at home as long as possible. They also help relieve the pressure and stress on carers.
“That is why we agreed to limit the increase to 50p and keep the charge as the lowest among similar councils. We appreciate this means the IJB will need to find other ways to balance their budget, but we are absolutely sure this is the right and most compassionate approach at this time.”
The increase was to help cover increasing costs of providing the service and to bring it in line with costs in other parts of Scotland.
Councillors were asked to consider the £2.40 increase as part of plans to fill a £15.3 million budget gap for 2023-24 that the South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) is facing.
The IJB oversees health and social care across South Lanarkshire.
Councillors also agreed to ask the IJB to consider redesigning the community alarm alert service to challenge future charge increases and provide a service in line with the rest of Scotland.
The Community Alarm System is currently used by 5400 residents across South Lanarkshire.
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