REGARDING the Lancashire care homes dilemma (LET, February 14), what was demonstrated by the meeting County Council leaders had with MPs was that the councillors have been neglectful in the general maintenance of these properties.

It is significant that there was either no planned maintenance programme or they simply ignored it, knowing what their real future intentions were.

The market value of the homes for the elderly has little relevance unless you propose to sell, so, in a sense, it is just garbage to bring this in the equation.

As the new government standards for old folk's homes do not take effect until 2007, the county council has five years to carry out the work.

Do these councillors not appreciate that they are causing latent problems for the NHS by blocking beds by elderly people in the long term?

According to Tony Blair, we are the fourth richest country in the world. Why don't the councillors go along with their begging bowl? Everybody else seems to get them filled.

Nor do they seem to understand that these residents are not fodder, to be just shipped around as they think fit. So, why cannot these people who made the country wealthy not have the proper care and comfort they deserve?

Is the truth of the matter that the county council wants to get rid of hundreds of employees?

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.