IN reply to Rod Wilkins' comments on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen's private care home owners (Letters, November 12), the real situation is:

There are masses of independent local and national evidence that elderly people wish to be cared for in their own homes for as long as possible and have the ability to exercise choice over their future.

Mr Wilkins constantly states that elderly people cared for at home are left in dangerous situations. If he gives the details of the ones he is referring to, I will investigate.

He complains that elderly people are directed towards the council's six homes for the elderly. Figures for the three months ending September 30, show 74 permanent admissions to residential or nursing care, of which just eight people chose to enter local authority homes. The rest chose independent-sector homes.

In 1998, the council took the difficult, but correct, decision to close two of the eight residential homes. Since then, staff have worked ceaselessly to raise standards and provide the very best services.

The correct and audited occupancy rate for the council-run homes in September, was 87 percent, and not 95 percent as Mr Wilkins claims. A survey in October showed the average occupancy of independent sector homes was 83 percent with 14 homes, including Mr Wilkins' home, having 100 percent occupancy.

Since 1998, the council has increased spending in the private sector for old people's sevices by over £1 million. The fees paid by the Council are, in fact, among the highest in the North West. The few that pay more only do so to homes which have been assessed through quality schemes.

Mr Wilkins claims that less than a one percent increase in benefits has been passed on to independent sector providers, since 1998. This is not true. Since April 1998, gross fees have been increased by 33 percent for standard care and the expenditure by the council increased by 11 percent.

The gross cost of care in a council's home is currently £276.75 a week. This is less than the higher residential rate paid to private sector homes. The main reason why the cost is so competative is that staff agreed to difficult changes to their pay and conditions. They recognised the need to provide best value to the public.

What I find suprising is that Mr Wilkins has written such a letter when the council is engaged in discussions with him and his colleagues about future funding arrangements. The council want to ensure that while there is still over-provision of residential beds, the quality homes survive and prosper.

I am very conscious of the financial pressures facing some private home owners, but could not recommend to councillors to provide substantial new monies unless there is some guarantee of mutually-agreed quality standards.

KEN FOOTE, Director of Social Services, Blackburn with Darwen Council.