Lancashire Council should withdraw its proposals to cut the number of its care homes from 48 to 13, MPs urged last week.
The House of Commons debate coincided with calls by Lancashire Care Association for government to send in a management team to take over the council's social services department because it had "failed to address the government's directions with regard to care of the elderly and a citizen's right to choose".
The council has claimed that it needs to reduce the number of homes because it will cost £14.5m to upgrade them to meet new care standards (News, page 8, 21 February). Instead £9m is to be spent refurbishing 13 homes on their sites, which will provide 572 places, less than half the 1,200 currently provided.
Local MPs denounced the council's claims and said the £14.5m cost was "a bogus figure".
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Details of government consultations
02 October 2008
Private Member Bills
25 July 2008
Government Legislation
25 July 2008
