A ROW erupted today as Liberal Democrats accused the ruling Labour group on Blackburn with Darwen Council of going back on their word by proposing to close two homes for the elderly.

Leading town hall Liberal Coun Paul Browne said Coun Malcolm Doherty had assured councillors at a meeting that no homes for the elderly in the borough would be closed.

Earlier this week social services chiefs proposed that the Laneside home in Shorrock Lane and Shadsworth House in Dunoon Drive should close in the spring.

Coun Browne said: "In the council chamber, Coun Doherty said 'Watch my lips, no homes for the elderly will be closed' and I remember him saying it.

"I think its an absolute disgrace that this should be done when residents and relatives supported the council when it was after unitary status. "Councillors have their own computers and mobile phones and the mayor has got a new car despite the fact the old one was perfectly good. They are just chucking money away and then they close these two homes."

Coun Doherty said: "I did say 'Watch my lips' to Coun Browne but that was in February and with regard to a different budget process than the one we are talking about now."

"As regards the mayor's car ,it had reached the stage where it would need regular heavy maintenance and the old car would fit no more than four people in it."

Meanwhile social services chiefs have admitted the Shadsworth House home was fitted with new carpets in the summer even though it is now proposed for closure.

Rumours that the Shadsworth House buildings were to be used as a summer school after the closure of the home have been denied by social services.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.