HUNDREDS of protesters who have backed the campaign to save 35 of Lancashire OAP care homes today won a partial climbdown from council bosses.

But the assurance that none of the elderly residents in the county's homes would be forced into private care was branded insufficient by MPs.

Some 650 Lancashire Evening Telegraph readers - in just five days - have backed our Save Our Homes appeal, which opposes plans to close 35 of the county's 48 old people's care homes, 19 of which are in East Lancashire.

Our offices have been inundated with letters from concerned residents and their relatives, worried about the plight of local old people after the review of the service was announced.

Council leader Coun Hazel Harding today assured protesters that plans to speed through the closures by moving many frail residents into the private sector have been scrapped.

She said the council would need £10million to build a purpose-built new residential home for at least 44 people which will meet new care standards as well as renovating and improving others to increase their capacity.

She said residents would still face being moved between county-run homes and she urged the Lancashire MPs who had condemned the closure plan to lobby government officials for more money to help with the new plan.

The consultation on plans to close the homes will continue and a final decision will be taken in July.

The plans to force many old people into private care prompted private home owners to claim they would not have room for them. There would have been little more than 600 county-owned care spaces left in Lancashire, and more than 1,100 current residents.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "As we now have a partial climbdown, I hope the council will carry on climbing down and scrap these proposals.

"Congratulations to the Evening Telegraph for launching the campaign. This is an astonishing response" Hyndburn Labour MP Greg Pope gave a cautious welcome to the plan but said he still hoped the county would go further.

He said: "This is a good start but I want to sit down with them and discuss it. It shows that they are listening and it is a proper consultation process.

"I hope they will get rid of the hit list."

Burnley Labour MP Peter Pike said: "It shows that the county council is listening. I welcome the fact there has been some movement.

"It shows that this is a genuine consultation but I still have some concerns."

Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson said she would be happy to lobby for extra cash from the government and said: "I very much welcome this move by the county council to meet people's concerns.

"We need to care for our elderly people in the best possible way. I think this is a good way forward."

The county council claims it needs £14.5million to fully refurbish the homes and bring them up to government standards which are due to come into force in 2007. The money saved from the closures will be used to pay for more domiciliary care, enabling residents to stay in their homes for longer and allow for important renovations and repair work.

Coun Harding said: "People in our homes have made the choice to be cared for by the county council. From the initial consultation we realise it is important we continue to give people that choice.

"It is not an issue for me why people do not want to go into private homes. For me it is about making sure people have that choice and we honour the choices people have made.

"Our vision remains the same: in future we believe most older people will prefer to stay in their own homes receiving care and support including day care and respite when needed.

"We are listening to the views and concerns of the residents, their relatives and the public of Lancashire and we are continuing to offer opportunities for people to share their concerns and thoughts with us.

"There has been so much uncertainty for the elderly in our care. I want to give them an assurance that if they are moved, they will stay in local authority care."

But she added: "I am determined we will find the money from somewhere for this new plan. Our MPs have criticised what we were planning. Now they have the chance to help."

The council is to set up two task groups, one will focus on the affects to residents, and the other to the affects of the closure of homes which provide day care facilities.

Coun Harding added: "We can also announce the setting up of task groups for each of the 12 districts to ensure that any plans we have and decisions that are made by the county council involve cabinet members, local county councillors, managers of the homes and the trade unions."

Concerned readers include Josephine and James Duffy, of Brentwood Avenue, Redcap. Their letter said: "Whoever thought of this hare-brained scheme, or supported it, are unfit to be councillors and should be voted out of office immediately."

Norah and Dennis Appleby, of Willow Tree Drive, Blackburn, said: "Giving people care in their own homes should be an option, but this does not provide the 24-hour security, care and companionship that a care home does and that, for many elderly people is essential."

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