PENDLE Council has begun discussions with a national housing provider to put together a rescue package to save the care homes in the borough from closure.

This move has been agreed with Lancashire County Council following a strong campaign by the borough council to get the county to re-think its strategy on closing care homes.

The county council last month voted to close 32 of the 48 care homes that it operates in Lancashire despite strong and widespread public opposition.

In Pendle, these were Pendle Brook in Barrowford, Wheatley Court in Fence and Walverdene in Nelson.

The proposed rescue package would be in the form of a charitable trust.

Decisions would be made by a trust board made up of various stakeholders which could include residents and their families and the council.

Councillor Azhar Ali, leader of Pendle Council, said: "The long campaign to get the county council to re-think its strategy has worked and the opportunity to establish a not-for-profit trust in Pendle which will manage and develop services for the elderly for now and in the future is an option which we fully support and have asked for from the start.

"This is not privatisation. Residents will be potential members of the board, as well as their families, Pendle Council and other housing associations and anyone else who wants to play a role. We need to discuss with the county council and agree rates that the county council will pay for people to stay in their homes.

"A national provider, which already has some of these non-for-profit trusts, and a number of other agencies are now in discussion with us to establish a viable financial framework to support Pendle Brook, Wheatley Court and Walverdene.

"It may be that Pendle Council would contribute to it but that has not been discussed as yet. The fact Lancashire County Council has listened to us is a very positive signal that there is still hope."

Coun Tony Beckett, the council's portfolio holder for Neighbourhood & Community, said: "This is the only sensible course of action at this time which keeps the homes open for Pendle residents."

Coun John David, portfolio Holder for the environment, said: "Naturally we have to be careful that we can put together a viable scheme. I can't see any reason why this is not possible. However, I continue to be concerned about the future needs of residents in Pendle. This means that discussions with the county council have to go on."