MORE old people's homes in East Lancashire may be forced to close as cash strapped councils fight to save money in a bid to keep down council tax rises.

And elderly and disabled bus users may be hit if Lancashire County Council axes its concessionary travel scheme.

Lancashire County Council's social services committee is to consider closing some of its 48 homes, following the controversial decision to shut down the Whiteacres Home in Burnley and five others in Lancashire.

Deep budget cuts are being considered across all departments at county hall, from education to highways, after the authority received a smaller grant from the Government than it needed.

The decision to close Whiteacres, the only home in Lancashire just for men, met with massive resistance from relatives of residents and politicians in East Lancashire and any further closures would be likely to prompt a similar response.

Staff cuts are also being considered in homes for the elderly.

Other cuts being considered by councillors include the freezing of payments to independent sector provides of residential and nursing home care, reductions in grants to voluntary organisations and reducing the scale of the directly provided home care services.

Members of the county council's social services committee will consider the cuts at a meeting tomorrow.

Other county council committees have been looking at where services can be cut to avoid a potential council tax rise of 15 per cent.

Cuts of £24 million will be needed across all departments if council tax rises are to be kept below four per cent.

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