AT least one of Bury's two threatened council old folks homes will be saved.

Campaigners will be celebrating when councillors make a final decision on Wednesday (July 9) on the future of Whittaker House in Radcliffe, which looks favourite to remain open, and Warthfield in Bury.

They will be asked to choose one of four options, none of which proposes the outright closure of both homes.

The options are:

The two homes to remain open as at present.

Sell both homes to the private sector, to be run as going concerns.

Develop alternative services for elderly people on site alongside residential care: perhaps a "village" concept of having residential care, day care and very sheltered housing side by side.

Transfer the four remaining residents of Warthfield to Whittaker House, and presumably then sell the empty building.

Social services bosses say that the case for keeping council-run homes has strengthened significantly recently. They say that owners of some private homes are no longer taking people referred to them by the council, in a row over fees which is now in the hands of solicitors.

The council admits it will have to take note of residents' and relatives' views: 183 of them, including staff and day car users, responded to an independent ballot.

Some 116 said their first choice was keeping both homes open, 54 went with the transfer of Warthfield residents, while selling to a private company received only one vote. The "village" option got only 12 first choices, but the highest (84) number of second preferences. In the meantime, five private companies have expressed interest in taking over the homes.

In his report to Wednesday's meeting, Councillor Mike Connolly, executive member for health and social services, says that private owners' demands for a 40 per cent fee hike has "greatly impacted" on the closure debate.

He adds: "Their demands, when coupled with an unwillingness to continue receiving elderly persons referrals, raises the issue of who has the best interests of the residents of Bury at heart. The case for retaining capacity in the public sector has significantly increased as a result of the private home owners' unilateral action."

Any decision will be in principle: residents' circumstances will have to be individually assessed to meet the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Members of the healthier and safer communities scrutiny commission were being asked last night (Thursday July 3) to tell the executive their preferred option.

Wednesday's vote will end a saga which has lasted for many months, since the council first announced it wanted to close four of its homes and provide more community care instead. Warthfield and Whittaker House won a High Court reprieve last year when the judge ruled that the consultation process was flawed. The other two homes, Beech Grove in Bury and Claremont in Prestwich, have already closed: the latter has recently been sold to a developer for £2.2 million.