AN hour-long session with a government health minister has brought no public about-turn from Lancashire County Council leader Hazel Harding on the future of 35 care homes threatened with closure.

But she does think talks arranged by Lancashire MPs Gordon Prentice and Joan Humble were "constructive".

After the meeting with Jacqui Smith, Coun Harding says she thinks at least one, Cravenside in Barnoldswick, "has a good case for staying open".

She acknowledges the concern felt by people about how the council plans to go about re-organising the care of vulnerable elderly people.

But Coun Harding also says the council needs extra capital - rather than revenue cash - to construct purpose-built accommodation catering for long-term, respite and day-care patients.

"If we are to keep everyone currently in county care in our homes we need extra capital," she says.

However Gordon Prentice, who has the apparently reprieved Cravenside home in his Pendle constituency, remains certain that the council's stance is wrong.

He describes consultation based on just one option - to close 35 out of 48 homes - as "very strange."

"I asked them if they had found any support for their proposals and they admitted they hadn't. That should say it all to them," he added.

Mr Prentice is quite right.

Whatever their motives the truth is that the county council has put forward proposals that have left a large question mark over the future of many of our elderly.

They, and those who love and care for them, are fearful about the future.

If the county is pursuing a long-term strategy to coax cash from the government it should not be at the expense of so many people's peace of mind. The elderly are entitled to an end to uncertainty and a clear commitment that they will not be shunted around like pawns in a political game.