THE home care budget for Monmouthshire is heading for an overspend of almost £425,000 - but elderly people will not suffer.

Cllr Verona Nelmes, the county council's cabinet member for social services said: "It's a very serious situation and is causing staff considerable stress. We are in real difficulties, but so are neighbouring authorities like Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and the Vale of Glamorgan.

"We met health minister Jane Hutt on Thursday to discuss the Welsh Wanless Report and raised the issue of the deficit in our budgets.

"Although we have had a steady increase in our funding it has never met the need and we have people wanting complex care packages who assert their right to be independent.

"We have a duty to keep within the budget but we have a greater duty to the most vulnerable people in Monmouthshire.

"We will now look at every conceivable way of resolving the situation, and our commitment to service users remains as strong as ever."

The head of community care in the county Moyna Wilkinson said: "The council is heading for an overspend in its community care budget, and it is a well-known fact that this is a volatile budget that can change from month to month.

"At last week's cabinet meeting councillors decided to ask officers to carry out detailed work on how to manage the budgetary pressures and, at the same time, ensure people will still get the care they need.

"We know it is not just a problem for Monmouth-shire and each year we get more demand for our services, without the increase in our budget."