DARLINGTON Borough Council has sought to reassure elderly residents using its extra care services that cost-cutting will not affect the quality of care.

The council’s cabinet has voted to find a new provider for its extra care service which provides domestic support for elderly residents in sheltered accommodation at Dalkeith House, Oban Court, Rosemary Court and Mayflower Court.

A report presented to the cabinet in April stated that the current delivery model of in-house care is not flexible enough to be financially sustainable in the long term and a tender is being circulated next week to find a new provider.

One Northern Echo reader who does not wish to be named for fear of it affecting his elderly mother’s care, has written to councillors and Jenny Chapman MP expressing concern that the service is being compromised in the interests of saving money.

He stated: “I feel that this is privatisation of the council’s extra care schemes in Darlington to save money by the council.

“Everyone knows that to privatise something it will all be about cutting costs to make profit for the company who purchases the business.

“It will not be about maintaining the excellent standards and service; the elderly people of Darlington deserve better than being sold down the river by uncaring bureaucrats at Darlington Council.”

A council spokeswoman said that the continued care and support for those receiving the extra care service is of the utmost concern for the authority.

She added: “We are continually reviewing our services to ensure they are provided in the most cost-effective way.

“With this in mind, we will be circulating a tender next week to find a new provider; this may mean that from October 1, 2013, the domestic and domiciliary support provided within the extra care schemes may be delivered by a different care provider.

“Any changes will be managed with as much care and least disruption as possible.”

In the last decade Darlington’s elderly population has increased by 42 per cent to 18,439 and the costs of the extra care service to the council is forecast as more than £1.2m in its 2013/14 budget.