THERE were angry clashes this week during a meeting over controversial plans to close four old folk's homes.

More than 100 people packed the Peel room at Bury Town Hall in a protest over the proposals which signal the most radical shake-up of social services seen in the borough.

Many of those who attended Tuesday night's special meeting of Bury Council's health, housing and social services scrutiny and review panel were residents or carers in some of the homes facing the axe.

The plans were subsequently scheduled to be discussed at a meeting of the local authority's executive committee last night, when a full decision was expected to be taken.

If the proposals are endorsed, then Warthfield, in Bury, and Prestwich-based Claremont homes would be closed by September, followed by the shutting down of Beech Grove, in Bury, and Whittaker House, in Radcliffe, by the middle of next year.

Bosses have defended the proposed action, stressing there is an over-reliance on residential care. They say they want to widen the choice, shift the emphasis away from traditional building-based care, and allow older people to be looked after within their own homes and the community.

During the meeting, more than one hour was set aside during public question time to allow people to air their views.

Mental health campaigner Mr Don Mills said: "Why should Whittaker House be closed? There is a lot of love and care there."

Calling for an independent review, he added: "Please explore every avenue before you close that place."

Mrs Margaret Hill (69), speaking from her wheelchair, told the meeting: "I've lived at Whittaker House for the past eight months. It was a happy home. Now, we have tears and stress. One old lady came to me and asked what was going to happen to her. It's tragic."

Other speakers accused the council of putting profit before people and of under-investing in the homes.

Mr Jim Homewood, of the Bury Pensioners Association, said: "This is all about people, not money."

Referring to last night's planned executive committee meeting, he added: "I hope you take into consideration the feeling of the people and their relatives here tonight."

Defending the proposals, executive member for social services Councillor Mike Connolly, said: "We have to change because we have an imbalance in the way we provide the service. We have a total over-reliance on residential care.

"We have to change to offer more choice and we need to provide better day care facilities. It's also about re-directing very scarce resources."

He said each and every elderly person affected would be given a full assessment and, that as far as possible, friends would be kept together.

The meeting also heard that consultations were currently taking place at Warthfield while assessments were being carried out at Claremont and that both reports would not be available until next month.

The panel decided to ask the executive committee to be aware of the comments and the concerns raised by the public and councillors.