PROPOSALS put forward by Lancashire County Council's social services department could see 35 of the 48 council-run residential care homes closed to save money.

The cash left over would then be used to bring the remaining 13 homes up to the new Government standards.

Seven of the threatened homes are in Preston and South Ribble.

A consultation process is under way before the decision is made in June. And The Citizen has pledged to help readers get their questions answered by the man in charge County Councillor Chris Cheetham, cabinet member for social services.

This week's question comes from Mrs P Nixon, Leyland Road, Penwortham, who wants to know: "Surely you must all have been aware of the public outrage you would cause by proposing to close 35 residential care homes in Lancashire and the media attention it would receive.

"Was it the directorate's 'hidden' intention to scaremonger in order to fuel debate about the cash-strapped state of elderly care?"

County Councillor Chris Cheetham said: "We realised this was a radical shift for Lancashire and would be controversial.

"However, the County Council was already committed to a policy of reducing the number of people in residential care in line with Government policy and increasing the support available to people in their own homes.

"I am disappointed with media coverage which has concentrated on the closures and ignored other important developments.

"Equally, people have been led to believe that the consultation was "cut and dried" which is totally untrue. Both of these have helped to raise the temperature of the discussion.

"Using people -- young or old -- as pawns in a political game or to make a point would in my view be totally immoral and unacceptable."