AN extra £1m will have to be found during the next three years to support a council plan to improve dementia care in Derby.

Derby City Council's budget outlines how it intends to spend nearly £1.5m expanding dementia care services between now and 2013.

That is on top of the £4.4m it has agreed to draw from its capital budget for two specialist dementia care homes.

Its extra care strategy would include providing support for carers who look after relatives with dementia; improve respite care, home care, intermediate care for those coming out of hospital; and pay contributions towards those who are eligible but receive their care in the private sector.

For the period from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011, the £400,000 needed to provide those services is covered through grants awarded to the council and by efficiency measures.

But for the following two financial years the cost is not covered, meaning the council has to find £596,000 in 2011-12 and a further £500,000 in 2012-13.

Councillor Ruth Skelton, cabinet member for adult services, said she was confident the gaps could be filled.

"We will identify the money," she said.

"Dementia care is one of the biggest projects we have been working on and this strategy is very important to making sure we provide the right care."

Ms Skelton added that the improvements in dementia care were needed because the elderly population was growing in Derby.

Projections suggest that by 2015 the estimated number of people with dementia in the city will rise to 3,181. It is currently 2,850.

In addition to spending money on providing services, the authority has already outlined plans to use funds out of its capital budget to create two specialist dementia homes in the city.

A report, agreed by the council's cabinet in October, suggested Arboretum House, Perth House and Warwick House as potential sites.

The authority plans to spend £500,000 from its capital budget in 2010-11 on the buildings and a further £3.9m in 2011-12.

The rising elderly population has also prompted the council to focus on another two key areas when planning its budget for the next three years. These involve support for people who provide care for friends and relatives and improved services for people with learning disabilities.

Ms Skelton said: "We are still identifying people who provide care to relatives and neighbours to ensure they get the support they need.

"In terms of learning disabilities, we are seeing more adults now needing our support as they grow up and come through to us from children's services.

"Also, better healthcare means people with learning disabilities are now living longer, so we have more demand on our services."

The council currently provides services to 720 adults with learning disabilities but expects that to grow by around 30 people per year over three years.

The Liberal Democrats' draft budget outlined plans to spend £500,000 on better support for carers from April 1 this year to March 31, 2011 and £500,000 on adults with learning disabilities.