THE case of Colin Bennett we report today on pages one and seven is extremely sad. But it is one which highlights the extraordinary problems of people like him who depend on special personal care.

This personal care to somebody like Colin, whose body is deteriorating every day at only 32 years old, provides what are really life's basics – help with eating, dressing, washing and going to the toilet. There is no real quality of life here.

Colin is a brave man. Wheelchair bound and living up to the daily challenges of staying alive helped by his family. Even his 70-year-old mother has been helping to look after him but her health has been affected.

His case came before Cardiff Civil Justice Centre on Friday, where he won his case for better care to go to a judicial review.

Colin has been a resident at Hertha House in St Michael's Square, Gloucester, which is being closed by Gloucestershire County Council because of budget cuts.

He and his family are in dispute with the county council saying that he needs more than the eight hours of care a day he receives. They also say the new accommodation he has been offered on closure of the home does not cater for his needs.

The Judge himself, Recorder of Cardiff Nicholas Cooke, said it had not been an easy decision to grant the judicial review. He added: "The county council have an argument but I am not sure they're right."

While not taking sides with the county council, we do have a great deal of sympathy with them. The costs to the council taxpayer of cases like Colin's are becoming more difficult to afford month by month.

Better hospital treatment and medication mean that there are more people like Colin living longer. That is great news for people with life-limiting disabilities and disease and their loving families, but the care bill is rising rapidly. It is almost unaffordable.

Within ten years, if there are not government changes in the way this type of care is funded, our county council will be facing a financial drought as far as funding personal care at increasingly high levels – up to 24 hours a day for many people.

What is the solution? More money is the obvious one but that will not happen unless this government really does deliver on its health and welfare reforms.

Living longer is great for our families and communities. But here in Gloucestershire, where an increasing number of people wish to retire and spend their last days, it is a ticking time bomb, for the personal care required for all groups of people with disabilities and those suffering from age-related illness will be unaffordable.

It is easy to lay the blame at the door of Shire Hall but what more can they do without root and branch care funding reform?