THE needs of older people living in Wyre Forest are to come under the microscope as part of a plan to improve their quality of life.

Councillors on the Wyre Forest District Council executive committee heard that the district's population is ageing at a faster rate than the national average.

That, together with the fact that improving services for older people has been pin-pointed as a national priority by central Government, has prompted the council to take action on behalf of older people.

An Older Person's Champion has already been appointed. Now ways of improving older people's services are to be explored in depth.

A report before councillors said that for this to happen it was necessary to gain "a comprehensive understanding of the needs of older people in Wyre Forest."

In order to do this, services and how they meet older people's needs are to become the subject of a scrutiny exercise.

It has also been agreed that the council becomes a member of Better Government for Older People, at a cost of £500.

This would help the council to become better informed on national policy and best practice, the report said.

Welcoming the moves, Councillor Liz Davies, Older Person's Champion, said: "This is a national priority and it should be.

"I know many older people are active and enjoy lives to the full but many are also very vulnerable, either due to their financial situation or their health."

A request from Councillor Jill Fairbrother-Millis that the needs of unpaid carers also be included in the scrutiny exercise was agreed.