A SOCIAL Services boss today said a change in Government policy would not make any difference to plans to shut 32 care homes.

The private sector today welcomed the decision announced by Health Minister Jacqui Smith, but warned Lancashire County Council it still had a role to play in keeping the private sector going.

New guidelines were due to be imposed by the government over things like size of rooms, availability of single rooms, baths and lifts.

When Lancashire County Council proposed to axe the homes, the proposed government standards were given as one of the reasons, because it would cost more than £14million to bring homes up to standard.

But last summer, the government said it was reconsidering imposing the new rules after concerns were expressed that they would force many private homes to shut.

All new homes will still have to meet the new standards, but they will not be compulsory for homes built before April 2002.

Campaigners fighting to save Lancashire's care homes, including the private homes group Lancashire Care Association, said the council should rethink its plans.

But Coun Chris Cheetham, head of social services, said the council had pledged to comply with the higher standards last summer and added: "There are many other reasons for our proposals, primarily creating a wider choice of services for people.

"We are moving towards a service where we help people to stay in their own homes.

"The cost of meeting the new standards was never the real issue. Providing people with the care they want was. We are working with the private sector and rewarding quality homes."

Frank Hessey, chairman of the Lancashire Care Association, said: "The government announcement is good news for the private sector because many homes would have struggled to meet the improvement deadlines.

"But it is only part of the story. The county council needs to keep reviewing how much it pays for private sector places because homes cannot survive on what they pay at the moment."

The Health Minister said: "We listened to care home owners, residents and their relatives about the national minimum standards.

"We want good care homes to carry on providing a valuable service."