A YEAR ago Lancashire County Council went ahead and approved plans to close 32 of its 48 care homes despite widespread public protests.

There were many objections to the plans first talked about two years ago from care home residents, relatives, professionals and even fellow Labour politicians.

The main fear was the disruption and upheaval that would be caused when vulnerable, elderly people had to leave the places they called home in order to move perhaps out of the area.

They were promised a smaller number of new super establishments and improved services that would enable people to get support to remain in their own homes.

Not surprisingly people were not convinced when they were told that they were to lose what they already had with the promise of something better at some future date.

Last week saw renewed uproar over the agreement reached after a series of meetings at the High Court last year.

Campaigners thought they had secured a commitment which meant independent general practitioners would have the final say on whether residents were well enough to be moved out of homes awaiting rebuilding or closure.

But Lancashire County Council said they read it as meaning GPs would be just one of the people consulted along with social workers. The row was yet further evidence that the plans were ill-thought out, badly implemented and flawed from the start.