THE meeting which will decide the fate of Lancashire's 48 old people's homes is to be broadcast live on the internet.

County council bosses will use their most contentious meeting of the year to try out new technology.

It will allow people across the globe to see live footage of the July 1 cabinet meeting.

The 10 Labour cabinet members are expected to decide what to do with the county's 48 homes at that meeting.

Original proposals published in January recommended 35 of the homes should close by 2007 with the remaining 13 being refurbished to meet new Government standards. To refurbish and repair all the homes would cost £14.5million -- money the authority insists it does not have.

The initial outcry caused by the proposals, which culminated in people taking to the streets in Burnley last month and Preston yesterday, has already led to councillors pledging their final decision will be "very different" to the original proposals. An assurance has already been given that residents will not be forced to go into homes in the private sector. County council leader Hazel Harding said: "We are hoping to use the new technology at our cabinet meeting when we decide what to do with the care homes.

"I think going on to the internet and letting people watch it from wherever they are will show that we aren't just making decision for the sake of it and there is meaningful discussion.

"I think the people we have spoken to know we aren't taking these decisions lightly and that a lot of thought has gone into them." The consultation on the care home proposals ends on June 14.

Letters of objection have come from across the globe and all those who objected will be able to see the decision made.

The live transmission will also be broadcast from the cabinet chamber into a neighbouring room in County Hall to ensure the large numbers of people expected at the meeting can all see what is going on.

It will be the first time in the North West and only the third time nationally a council meeting has been broadcast on-line.

The cost of creating the new system has been put at £40,000.

It is one of a number of initiatives being adopted by the council in its bid to make the authority more accessible to the public.

Initially, all cabinet meetings will be broadcast on-line, with more meetings expected to follow suit.

More public meetings will be held in the various districts of Lancashire.

If any meetings are held to discuss just one area, such as the commons and town greens sub-committee, they will be held near a place under discussion.

Members of Lancashire's youth parliament will also be invited to meetings and be allowed to participate in debates so that youngsters feel they are having a say on what is going on.

However, plans to follow Blackburn with Darwen's lead and allow members of the public to ask questions at meetings have been shelved.

A county council working group found that such a system would not work at a large authority like Lancashire.

Instead, informal cabinet meetings will be held away from county hall.