PROTESTERS are today being given the chance to join forces in a bid to prevent county council bosses closing 35 of the area's 48 OAP care homes.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph has joined MPs, unions, staff, relatives and pensioners themselves in expressing concern about the plan, which would affect 19 homes throughout East Lancashire.

Now we are collecting the names of objectors and preparing a dossier of information to pass on councillors before they make a final decision in July.

The council has said the closures would raise the £14.5million required to bring the 13 remaining homes up to government standards, due to come into force in 2007, as well as allowing important renovation and repair work.

The Labour-controlled council plans to move residents into private care and care for more OAPs in their own homes if the plans go ahead.

Protesters have claimed the move is too much too soon and has been ill thought out.

They have also pointed out that the work to meet government standards would only cost £4million.

Unions fear there will be job losses and health minister Jacqui Smith has pledged to monitor the way the consultation is carried out because of the concern.

Pendle-based Liberal Democrat Peer, Lord Tony Greaves, has also stepped into the growing furore and has already raised the matter in the House of Lords.

He has now put down a parliamentary question to ask Jacqui Smith what is the purpose of the investigation she has ordered into the county's plan by the Social Services Inspectorate, what is the timescale of the investigation, to whom it will report, and whether the findings will be published.

He said: "Is it just a token gesture to appease angry Labour MPs, or does she intend to step in to tell the County Council to think again?"

"In my experience the central Social Services department at County Hall are an inefficient and bumbling bureaucracy," he added.

"It is clear that in spite of being put under 'special measures' as a result of their past failures, they have learned nothing.

"The Labour Party really should be ashamed of themselves."

Hyndburn Council leader Coun Peter Britcliffe will chair an emergency meeting tonight to discuss the future of the old folks homes in the borough.

And a second meeting will be held next Tuesday by Hyndburn and Rossendale Trade Union Council to set up an organisation specifically to coordinate local action in Hyndburn.

Tonight's meeting will draw together local council bosses, Lancashire County Council representatives and the relatives of elderly people who could be effected by the proposed closures of county council run care homes.

In Hyndburn four homes stand to be affected with only one remaining open.

Peel Court, in Oswaldtwistle, Northlands, in Great Harwood, Acorn Lodge, in Accrington, and Hill Top, in Baxenden, look set for closure.

This means that 85 residents and 124 day care clients could lose out.

Other homes earmarked for closure are Fir Grove, Lanehead House, Lower Ridge, Ebor House, and Hameldon House, Burnley, Cravenside, Barnoldswick, Pendle Brook House, Barrowford, Wheatley Court, Fence, Conniston House and Healey View, Chorley, Brookville, Whitworth, Whinberry, Cloughfold, Fell View, Longridge, Ravengarth, Helmshore, and Walverdene, Nelson.

Another meeting organised as part of the consultation is due to be held on Monday, March 13, from 7pm until 10pm at the Temple Street Resource Centre, Temple Street, Burnley.