LANCASHIRE County Council's much criticised plans to close 35 of their 48 care homes, including 19 in East Lancshire, are bound to put extra pressure on the private sector.

It seems inevitable that, if the plans go through, some people who are unable to cope in their own homes will either end up blocking much-needed hospital beds or have to be found places in the private sector.

Without support in the community and with far fewer county council care home places, the authority estimates it will have to support 6,500 pensioners in the private care sector.

That private sector complains it is having to spend money to meet new regulations without any recompense from a council which has pegged the amount it pays them to support its clients.

The county says it cannot afford to implement similar regulations in its own homes without selling off more than half of them to finance the improvements to the remainder.

Now the private sector, in the form of the Coalition for Care led by the Lancashire Care Association, threatens to turn away cases referred by the county council from December 1 unless they receive an extra £75 per week for each person on the £270 per week they receive now.

The county has hit back angrily, said it would cost them an extra £25 million and accused private home owners of using the elderly as a "bargaining tool" with local authorities and the government.

At the end of the day, private care home owners are running businesses that have to survive financially. Such individuals cannot reasonably be expected to subsidise changes in public policy.

It is the county council that wants to change the system and our market economy means that private home owners are in a strong bargaining position if their services are vital.

Rather than bleat about the private sector, this is yet another reason why the council should withdraw its home closure plans without further delay.