A CALL went out today for the parties involved in the care homes closure row to work together for the good of the county's elderly.

Coun Chris Cheetham, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for social services, made his plea as two legal challenges against the decision to close 32 homes were dropped.

A High Court legal challenge by residents of care homes and their relatives, on the grounds that human rights were being breached, ended yesterday when they agreed a deal with the county council.

The authority agreed to consider not moving residents if doctors said it would have a detrimental affect on health.

Another action, by Chorley Borough Council, on the grounds that there was not social services care to deal with residents moving back into the community from care homes, was also dropped.

Protests against the closure of 32 care homes was spearheaded by a Lancashire Evening Telegraph campaign.

Today Coun Cheetham said: "I am delighted that this long-running legal saga has finally been settled.

"We have made very considerable efforts to meet the natural concerns of residents and their families and also those of Chorley Council.

"We are strongly committed to the improvement of care for the elderly of Lancashire and believe that our new policies will be able to deliver this.

"We have tried to listen closely to the points that have been made to us since the start of last year and hope that we can now move forward in a constructive spirit for the benefit of the community as a whole."

Coun John Wilson, Leader of Chorley Council, added: "Chorley is concerned to protect the interests of residents in Chorley homes and also the wider interests of the community.

"We are pleased that the county council has now given assurances to ourselves and to elderly people generally throughout Lancashire both as to the treatment of the existing residents and the assessment of future applicants for care services.

"We hope that we will be able to build on this in partnership with the county council and others."

Yvonne Hossack, who represented the OAPs in court, said: "LCC has agreed that assessments of all residents will take place and that these will include medical input on the risks of transfer.

"Where there is such a risk LCC will consider postponing the transfer of a resident until that risk is minimised or managed.

"On advice of experts, moves will be avoided during cold weather or at times of staff shortages. Residents will move in groups, with staff, to the refurbished homes.

"LCC will shortly publish to all residents and relatives its plans for where the residents of each home will be moving to so that they will know at the earliest stage and begin to prepare for that move."