EAST Lothian’s last remaining council care home is increasing its weekly fee by 39 per cent, after it was claimed that current payments were not covering the cost of running the home.

A meeting of East Lothian Council this week was told that the new fees would be charged at Crookston Care Home in Tranent from the end of next month after annual inflationary rises in the charges did not "keep pace" with the rising costs of running the home.

Presenting officer Laura Kerr told the meeting that Scottish Government guidance stated that fees should cover the full cost of running a home and currently they were not.

She also pointed out that the closures of three additional facilities in East Lothian – Eskgreen in Musselburgh, The Abbey in North Berwick and Belhaven Nursing Home in Dunbar – meant that Crookston was now the only remaining council care home.

READ MORE: MSP ‘saddened’ as council closes Eskgreen care home over costs

She said:  “Crookston is now the only local authority-run care home that we have and we now need to bring the charging for the home in line with legislation.

“To bring the charge in line with the full cost will mean a 39 per cent increase this year, bringing the charge up to £1,557. The increase will only affect the self-funding residents in the home.”

The previous charge for self-funding residents, of which there are 11 in the 60-bed capacity home, was £1,117 last year.

The meeting was told that local authority-funded residents would continue to be means-tested over any fees.

A report to councillors said that the cost of running the home was just under £4.9 million this year, which equated to £1,557 a week cost per bed.

It said that letters would be issued to all self-funding residents impacted by the change.

The report said: “The correspondence will inform residents of the reason for the change and provide 30 days’ notice of any rate increase.

"Additionally, [East Lothian Health and Social Care] Partnership will prioritise the financial re-assessment of the 11 self-funding residents affected to ensure that they still qualify to meet the full cost of their care.

“To enable sufficient notice to be given, a timescale for implementation of September 30, 2024, is proposed.”

Crookston Care Home opened 10 years ago and offers single bedrooms with their own ensuite facilities.

East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership closed Eskgreen last year, with residents moving into Crookston, which had an empty floor.

This week, the council put The Abbey on the market for offers over £1.2m after it was also closed. Belhaven Nursing Home has also closed.

READ MORE: Discussions planned for future of former The Abbey care home

In all three cases, health bosses said that bringing the older buildings up to care and safety standards for residents was too costly.

Councillors noted the report.