SOCIAL services bosses will delay making a decision on two threatened old folks homes by three months.

Campaigners accuse them of putting off the controversial decision until after the local elections, a charge they deny.

The future of Warthfield in Bury and Whittaker House in Radcliffe was due to be determined at next Wednesday's (March 19) executive. But councillors will be urged to wait until June 21 before making up their minds.

It is the latest chapter in a year-long saga during which campaigners have already won a High Court judgement which quashed the original closure decision.

Mr Dave Ogden, of the campaign group CARE, said he was not surprised at the delaying move.

"They first announced the closures on May 23 last year, after the elections, and I think they're doing the same again," he said.

"Still, it gives us more time to investigate some matters we are concerned about. And we will continue the fight. There are hardly any vacancies in other homes, nor is the alternative of very sheltered housing in existence yet."

The delay has been supported by members of the healthier and safer communities scrutiny commission.

Councillor Brendan Hope, commission chairman, said May's elections were "absolutely not the reason" for the delay. "In the initial court judgement, we were criticised for not consulting properly or taking up other ideas," he said.

"The latest consultation has come up with a raft of different ideas on what we could do instead, and it is appropriate to investigate them fully and see if they work: it might be that one of those works better than closure."

Coun Hope added: "People can be cynical, but if we had rushed, they would have said that we'd got it out of the way before the elections."

Months of consultation with residents, relatives, staff and other groups have revealed almost universal condemnation of the closure plans.

The latest report shows that people suspect the council wants to close homes to get money by selling off the land. They also dispute the council's figures about population trends and vacancies in other homes, and say that closures will reduce choice, forcing people to move.

However, alternatives have been suggested. These include turning the homes into day centres, very sheltered housing schemes, or "catch-all" resource centres. Another idea is to close Warthfield and move the residents into Whittaker House.

CAMPAIGN group CARE is holding a public meeting on Saturday (March 15) for all those concerned about homes closures.

They expect a big turnout for the meeting, which starts at 10am at St Mary's Social Club in Pine Street, Radcliffe.