Durham County Council’s decision to close seven residential homes will mean months of uncertainty for the elderly people, their families and care staff. Local Government Correspondent Mark Tallentire reports.

“THEY’RE playing God.”

That was the instant reaction of Carole Lawson to yesterday’s cabinet decision.

Mrs Lawson’s mother-inlaw, Mina, is 104 and lives in Glendale House, Blackhall.

With her lives Emma Brown, 105. The two have been friends and neighbours for 40 years.

“The councillors have forgotten where they came from,” said Mrs Lawson.

“They should remember that people in mining villages have long memories.”

Mrs Lawson was standing with other relatives, home staff and campaigners outside Crook civic centre, trying to comprehend what had just been agreed inside.

“They shouldn’t have even bothered with the consultation,”

she said, “They just wanted rid of them.”

Margaret Newlove, whose mother, Joan Morgan, 86, lives in Glendale House, said: “It’s unbelievable. They just don’t care – they really just don’t care. It was all pre-determined.

They all had their little speeches prepared. It’s unbelievable.”

Ann Dryden, whose 92-yearold mother Emmeline Dunn, a former Aycliffe Angel, lives in Shafto House, Newton Aycliffe, said: “We knew it was coming, but we can’t understand.

It’s supposed to be a democracy.

“The majority of the public want to keep the homes open.”

Judith Ruth, whose mother, Violet Richards, 92, lives in Shafto House, said: “I’m absolutely gutted. I think they could have found the money elsewhere if they had wanted to, without having to hit the most vulnerable people.”

Doris Roadnight, whose 98-year-old mother, Agnes Williams, lives in Shafto House, simply said: “I think it’s disgusting.”

David Dutch, whose 93- year-old mother, Margaret, lives in Shafto House, said: “I’m absolutely devastated.

Was there not one voice of opposition in the cabinet? Do they all agree with Simon Henig?

“This is going to have a tremendously detrimental effect on my mother’s physical and mental wellbeing.

She’s not going to take it well at all.”

Yvonne Hossack, a solicitor representing some of the residents and families, said: “You can’t manage an event that’s effectively the execution of an older person. The best method is: don’t move them.

“I would like one righteous politician to stand up and say what’s happening is wrong.”

Meanwhile, staff at one of the homes involved were yesterday told they would be given 90 days’ notice of redundancy from July 30.

Carry on cutting . . .

DURHAM County Council could face budget cuts totalling £100m during the next four years, it emerged yesterday.

Council leader Simon Henig said no other North- East local authority was being forced to slash anything like the amount his officials were searching for this year. And the next four years were “likely to be far worse”, with cuts of up to 40 per cent.

“Durham County Council will look very different in a few years’ time to how it looks now,” he told yesterday’s cabinet meeting.

“This would not be my choice, but this is the national Liberal-Conservative Government which is making these choices.”

Councillor Henig warned of more unemployment and said the council had no option but to translate cuts in its grants from central government, which make up 75 per cent of its revenue, to its budgets.

Coun Henig was speaking after Barry Scarr, the council’s interim corporate director for resources, said it was facing an £18m cut in grants this year alone.