SUPPORTERS of a Lytham old people's home slammed Lancashire County Council's decision this week to force its closure.

Scores of protestors, many of them elderly, lobbied County Hall, Preston, on Tuesday, but the Labour-led social services committee voted to close six residential centres to spend more on supporting the elderly in their own homes.

It means the 26 residents at Lytham's much-praised 33-place Clifton House will have to move out despite strong opposition from a campaign group and Fylde Council.

Lytham County Councillor Bill Thompson - whose late mother had respite care at Clifton - presented a 3,700-name petition at the meeting.

But a joint Tory/Liberal Democrat move to postpone a decision pending an imminent Royal Commission report, a Government white paper and consultants' findings, was defeated.

"We feel the decision is premature," he said. "They should have waited to see how these reports would change the situation."

His colleague Coun Eric Bamber said: "They're making a terrible mistake that's bad for people not only in Lytham but across the whole of Lancashire.

"They carried out a consultation and then failed to heed the opposition from everybody concerned, it's a complete and utter farce."

Wyre Labour MP Hilton Dawson, a former social services childrens' home manager, opposed his party colleagues and ex-employers.

"I think they're decent, honourable and caring people, but in this case I think they've made a mistake," said the MP who had campaigned against closure of Lancaster Fair Elms home in his constituency.

But social services chairman Doreen Pollitt said they had had to take these very difficult decisions to meet the care needs of increasing numbers of elderly people.

"There is an over provision of residential care in Lancashire." she said.

"This means empty beds which cost money. That money could be used to help people who prefer to remain living in their own homes with our support."

There was no rush to close the homes, she emphasised, all residents' needs would be individually assessed and Clifton House could be used for respite or extended day care in the future, or to extend services for the elderly and mentally infirm.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.