CONDEMNATION came thick and fast to the proposals to close so many homes.

Some argued none should close, others argued fewer should close.

The county council says closing homes and selling them off is the only way to pay for repair work that is needed to bring the remainder up to new Government minimum standards.

Walls need to be knocked down and bedrooms need to be extended -- and that's before improvements are made to kitchens, bathrooms, roofs and lifts.

Coun Anne Scaife, a Hyndburn councillor, believes fewer homes should close. She said: "I agree people should have the choice of staying in their own homes or going into care.

"But to make so many closures is horrendous because people will lose their homes.

"Surely it could be phased over time."

Frank Hessey runs the Lancashire Care Home Association. He said: "There just aren't the private beds to take all these people. "The county has got its facts wrong.

"They pay us less than they do their own staff and it is becoming harder and harder to make a profit.

"More and more homes are closing in the private sector for the same reason as the county ones - because of the new care standards."

Sue Stainton, care worker at Healey View in Chorley, said: "When elderly people are moved suddenly from their homes there are more frequent deaths. These are the most vulnerable people in society who have paid their council tax and national insurance all their lives and they are just being trodden on."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "We MPs have made clear they were very unhappy at the decision and the way it had been handled.

"There were some points made by the county council representatives which need to be considered.

"We accept that there are problems in terms of new government standards but we all want to improve standards for elderly people in care. More and more elderly people want to live at home.

"But the MPs made clear they wanted the county council to go back home and reconsider the proposals."

UNISON estimates 1,000 jobs will be lost, and those who keep them will have to go the private sector where pay is lower.

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