THE emotions involved in yesterday’s decision by Durham County Council to close seven residential care homes are not to be underestimated.

And it would be easy for us to condemn the decision as heartless because removing elderly people from their homes is never going to be a popular move.

But while we fully understand the anger of families directly involved, we do not condemn the decision because we appreciate the complexities of the arguments involved.

There is a very fine balance to be struck between the health and feelings of 105 vulnerable people and the responsibility the council has to spend taxpayers’ money wisely – especially now that it has to find £100m of savings over the next four years.

The care homes in question are not operating at full capacity and will need increasing amounts of public money spent on them as the years go by. This was a decision which was not going to go away and was bound to be hugely controversial whenever it was taken.

This is not the end of the debate, of course. A legal challenge by the families is likely and the uncertainty, therefore, prolonged.

Meanwhile, the same scenario will be played out nationwide as local authorities juggle the human and financial consequences of caring for a growing population of elderly people.

The absolute priority for Durham County Council now is to ensure that the transition, whenever it comes, is handled with the utmost care.

The decision has been taken within a council chamber and, as challenging as that has undoubtedly been, the really tough task is yet to come.

These profound changes to the lives of 105 vulnerable and elderly people must be made as painlessly as possible.