TORFAEN council will increase its provision of care for vulnerable people at home amid increasing pressures.

Currently as much as 90 per cent of domiciliary care in the borough is provided by external agencies, but councillors agreed in principle to increase “in-house” provision to 14 per cent at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting heard that three providers in the borough have stopped trading in the last year while demand for services continues to increase.

Gill Pratlett, head of adult services at the council, said another provider has also notified the authority it will stop trading from December 14.

This leaves the authority needing to find another 200 hours of domiciliary care per week to support 16 people.

“We do not have enough capacity in the market to support people as the numbers grow and the complexities grow,” Ms Pratlett told the meeting.

Under the proposal a care team to support a small number of people with the most complex and challenging needs will be introduced.

Dementia care for people at home will be increased to two teams, covering the north and south of the borough.

The council currently supports 30 people with dementia but there is more demand for the service.

Twenty-two people are currently waiting for care – or different types of care – within the borough, including seven who are waiting in hospital.

The service is also expecting several carers to leave for Christmas jobs, the meeting heard.

Ms Pratlett added: “Because the majority of carers in the external sectors are on zero-hour contract that happens throughout the year.

“They go to seasonal work and then drift back.”

A council report says the increase in provision will be implemented over a period of time to aid recruitment but will not be operational until the 2020/21 financial year.

Speaking in support, Cllr Anthony Hunt, leader of the council, said the policy was based both on “practicality and principal.”

He added: “What does that say about us as a society about what we value more, that we will pay people more to work in a fast food outlet or a clothes shop than we would to care for someone who is in a vulnerable position.”

And Cllr David Yeowell said it would be both “morally unjust” and more expensive to do nothing, rather than increase the in-house provision.

Additional costs for the extra provision are expected to be met by a reduction in long term placements for complex cases and people with dementia.

The proposal will now be developed for the council’s scrutiny committee before being brought back to cabinet for final approval.