SOCIAL services bosses say old folks' homes will stay closed despite a dramatic U-turn by the Government.

Ministers have scrapped rules which would have forced homes to meet minimum standards on room sizes and facilities.

Bury said it did not have money to bring its council-run homes up to those standards, and this was one of the reasons why councillors voted to shut four of them.

Protesters are now demanding that the council halt its plans to close Claremont in Prestwich and Warthfield in Bury. Residents are already being moved out of these homes, which are due to shut in the autumn. Beech Grove in Bury and Whittaker House in Radcliffe are lined up to close next summer.

Bury Pensioners Association has organised a demonstration tomorrow (Saturday July 27) from 11am in Kay Gardens in Bury.

The association's Jim Homewood says the pensioners are backing legal moves to stop the closures.

Political support has come from local Liberal Democrat councillors. "Finally it has been recognised that what matters most is the standard of care residents receive," said their spokesman Coun Vic D'Albert.

"Residents are happy where they are, and their families are happy with the care they receive. Bury Council must now grasp the nettle and reverse its decision to close these homes in the light of this U-turn."

The Lib Dems also complain that details of alternative services are vague and have not been costed.

"The Government has made it clear that homes need not close for environmental standard reasons," added Coun D'Albert. "Therefore we call on Bury Council to immediately halt the proposed closure scheme at least until the new financial year.

"In the meantime the Labour group should bring back detailed proposals fully costed for scrutiny by the relevant committee. The recent situation where we have seen many people deeply upset by these proposals is totally unacceptable."

The U-turn was announced by health secretary Alan Milburn. He said that the standards would become merely "good practice to which all care homes should aspire", but no good home would be forced to close for failing to meet them.

Mr Milburn also announced an extra £1 billion over the next four years for social services for old people.

Councillor Mike Connolly, Bury's executive member for health and social services, said the Government's change of mind would not change the closure decision.

"It's never been about the size of the rooms or en-suite facilities, it's about quality of care and choice," he said. "It doesn't affect the thinking behind our proposals.

"The whole thrust is to change the way we provide for elderly people in the borough. We need to move away from over-reliance on long-term provision of places in homes, and create a range of quality services."

Coun Connolly said this was underlined by the Government putting in extra money in direct grants to old people to buy the care they needed to remain in their own home.

He added: "I can understand the motives of residents and relatives who are affected by the closures, and they argue their case very coherently. But we need to move on."