Cobar Shire Council has allocated a further $500,000 to their 2023/2024 budget to allow for increased staffing costs at the Lilliane Brady Village retirement home.
Council made the allocation increase to their Quarter 1 Budget review at the October Ordinary Council Meeting.
Council’s Director of Corporate and Community Services Kylie Smith explained the adjustment was required due to increased staffing costs.
“One of the challenges that we are having is obviously attracting staff and the increased costs of using agency staff to make sure that we maintain our level of care,” Ms Smith told councillors.
“That’s something that we are working on at the moment.
“Obviously our costs of wages are also going up, just as they are right across the economy, so that’s hitting us in that Aged Care space.
“It’s certainly in there to make sure that we do maintain that level of care moving forward,” Ms Smith said.
“We’re reviewing all of our expenditure in the Village at this point in time, but with those inflationary pressures we’re running at about 17 or 18 per cent over our forecast and that’s quite considerable,” she said.
She said councillors will be provided with a further update.
Ms Smith said the LBV is currently operating at capacity.
Of the 44 bed licences they have, 39 are currently occupied, one recently became available and two further beds/rooms are currently undergoing refurbishment.
Ms Smith said there is currently only one person on the waiting list and that person will soon be able to move in.
It’s hoped the two rooms that are undergoing refurbishment will be available by the end of the month should the need arise to accommodate any more new residents.
