Pembrokehsire County Council says a December court
judgement ordering it to pay higher fees to around 30 private care
homes will cost it an extra £1.5m this year.

The High
Court told Pembrokeshire council to review its fees after four homes
said they were not paid enough to meet their costs.

The council is raising its payment from £390 a week per resident to £448.

The
High Court told the council in December to review the fees it paid
after four homes were successful in obtaining a judicial review.

Pembrokeshire
council said the increase would now be back dated to the start of the
financial year and applied to all the privately-run care and
residential homes in the county.

It will also make an
additional one-off payment to reflect the loss of interest which could
have been earned if the new fee had been paid since April.

Council leader, John Davies, said: "This new fee means an additional cost to the council of almost £1.5 million."

For more on this story see: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-12345482