A report from the Cabinet Office Social Exclusion Task Force shows that rural ageing will happen fastest in Torridge.

The study of how fast rural elderly populations will increase over the next 20 years was published to highlight the need to develop services for older people, and to identify innovations in public services that address the exclusion experienced by older people in rural areas.

Rural areas are ageing at a faster rate than urban areas and this growth is particularly pronounced among the oldest old (those aged 85 years and over).

One of the areas ageing the fastest is Torridge. Lead member for Health, Cllr Adam Symons said: "The percentage of elderly in Torridge is increasing faster than almost anywhere in the South West. The key drivers of rural ageing are internal migration and rising life expectancy.

"The most rural districts have received a significant net inflow of older people and out-migration of younger people. Life expectancy, as well as healthy years and disability free years at age 65 are all higher in rural areas than urban.

"We really need to gear up our services to deal with this. Our Northern Devon Sustainable Comm­unities Strategy identifies the need to promote health and personal well-being for all so that people are as healthy as possible. This is going to become increasingly impo­r­tant as the proportion of elderly people increases."

"We will be working with our strategic partners, the PCT and Devon County Council to make sure that the complex care teams that cover the area provide an integrated service model around health and social care for elderly people."