'We were fobbed off by council'

Maureen Horn, chairman of CARE (the Caring Alliance for Rest Home Elderly), an action group set up to prevent the closure of eight council-run care homes, is now pleading with the people of Blackpool to support them in a last-ditch attempt to keep the homes open.

She is organising a huge petition to give to the council and called on "the whole of Blackpool to support their cause", which meant petitions and posters needed to be placed in shops and businesses in the area.

Mrs Horn said last week's meeting, attended by council leader George Bancroft, left CARE members struggling to be taken seriously.

Others present were deputy leader Roy Fisher, Coun Sue Wright and social services director Steve Pullen.

Mrs Horn said that after the group had laid out "serious and professionally presented proposals" stating how the homes could be kept open, she did not feel they were taken seriously. She said: "The members told us they would consider the plans and then notify us of their decision by post.

"I feel they are just fobbing us off," she said. "It is ridiculous how they think they can get away with writing to us to tell us of a decision that will affect hundreds of people's lives.

"We want to save as many homes as possible and we want all the staff to remain in employment.

"The whole of Blackpool needs to be behind us on this. We need them to sign the petition and to display posters supporting the homes," she said.

But Councillor Sue Wright, executive member for social services, said they had taken everything CARE put to them most seriously.

She said: "I am sorry that they feel like that. I thought the meeting was quite useful, but we were short of time," she said. "We have other things to deal with as well as the homes.

"They did us the courtesy of coming and we listened. It certainly was not a fob off. Everybody, especially the old people at the homes, has had an influence on our decision."