COUNCIL bosses were today blasted for spending £1,800 a week to keep three women in an old folks' home -- thanks to a Labour promise made in 1998.

The weekly bill to look after them is half of what it would cost to refurbish one of the 35 care homes set for the axe because Lancashire County Council cannot afford to repair and refurbish its care homes.

Just three old women live at Alma Green in Skelmersdale and the cost of looking after them is three times what it would be if they were catered for in the private sector and twice what it would be in any other county-run care home.

Opposition councillors today called for the women to be moved to other county homes, accusing the ruling Labour group of 'double standards.'

Alma Green was not included in the closure consultation document launched in February by County Councillor Chris Cheetham, the man in charge of social services.

Officially, the home is deemed as 'closed' and was included in a shutdown programme completed in 1998.

The five other homes -- including Whiteacres in Burnley -- actually closed and the residents moved but the council's then deputy leader Frank McKenna made a promise that no-one would be moved from Alma Green.

There are now just three women living there -- costing £600 per person, per week. Officers have described the situation as 'appalling.'

David Whipp, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Lancashire County Council, said: "It smacks of double standards on the part of the Labour group.

"On one hand they are happy to shunt hundreds of people in these homes around and around while they close homes or refurbish them but will leave three people in place because of a promise made by a Labour councillor."

"In a fortnight, for example, the savings could pay for the refurbishment of Cravenside Home for the Elderly in Barnoldswick -- which only needs £3,000 spending on it. I am absolutely appalled that this has been allowed to happen.

"I dread to think what will be uncovered next. This whole consultation is a sham."

Initially, Coun Cheetham said £14.5million was needed to bring the homes up to new Government standards due to be imposed in 2007.

It later emerged that the actual figure was only £3.5million -- the remainder would be spent on refurbishment and repairs not carried out due to the fact that all non-essential work was stopped while a review was carried out.

Today, Coun Cheetham said: "A promise was made by the former deputy leader of the Labour group for the residents at Alma Green.

"The situation is less than ideal and it shows that we should not go around making promises to people before the consultation has been completed."

Coun McKenna, who stood down from his position on the county council to fight election fraud charges which were brought against him concerning the 1997 General Election, was today unavailable for comment.