AN emergency meeting is being held on Thursday (Oct 10) over Bury's old folks homes controversy.

Opposition councillors are unhappy with the way the council has closed one home and is trying to shut others.

They have taken the rare step of "calling in" the closure decision for a special meeting of the healthier and safer communities scrutiny commission.

Campaigners won a recent High Court victory when the council's decision to shut Warthfield in Bury and Whittaker House in Radcliffe was quashed. The judge ruled that consultation had been flawed.

Social service bosses say they are still "minded" to close the homes, and are carrying out two months of talks with all affected parties.

The judge's ruling, however, did not save another home, Claremont in Prestwich, from the axe. It closed within the last fortnight.

Liberal Democrat councillor Vic D'Albert is among three members to "call in" the decision, describing the closure of Claremont as a scandal.

"Claremont, although not part of this specific judgement, was clearly affected in the same way," he said. "A council with any sense would have undertaken a new consultation process at Claremont, as the High Court forced it to do regarding the other homes."

He added: "I will be determined to find out if councillors have been withheld information on this important issue affecting some of the most vulnerable in our society."

Coun D'Albert also claimed that the decision has left Prestwich with insufficient places in residential care homes.

He said a Lib Dem survey showed there was only one vacancy in a council-run home, at the 22-bed Redcliffe home.

There are 288 places in private residential homes but 228 are at Heathlands (a Jewish home) and 24 are at Nazareth House (a Catholic home). Last Wednesday (Oct 2) there were no vacancies in any non-faith private care homes.