A COUNCIL proposing to close seven care homes has denied trying to “gag” opposition to the scheme.

Labour-run Durham County Council has written to all 126 county councillors saying if they want to be part of the decision-making process they ought not to have reached a definitive conclusion until the three months of consultation are over.

In an memo seen by The Northern Echo, Gordon Elliott, the council’s head of partnerships and community engagement, writes: “The rules on ‘predetermination’ will result in the need to exclude from the decisionmaking process any member who has demonstrated that they have reached a firm conclusion before the relevant meeting.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Carol Woods said: “It is totally unacceptable that the council is effectively trying to gag members. This is a vitally important issue and I, for one, refuse to be silenced.

“It is the job of local councillors to speak out on these issues and the council’s efforts to prevent free speech on this are shameful.”

Campaigner David Dutch, whose mother lives in closurethreatened Shafto House, in Newton Aycliffe, has written to Prime Minister Gordon Brown in protest.

He said: “It’s diabolical. It’s a dictatorship.

“They can gag their own members, but they can’t gag the opposition. It’s totally undemocratic.

This consultation is all a sham.”

However, a council spokeswoman said: “Any suggestion that Durham County Council is attempting to ‘gag’ members regarding their views on the current consultation process is absolutely false.

“In fact, members are positively encouraged to give their views through the formal process.

“The letter was attempting to explain to members the context in which officers would be making the presentations (to area action partnerships) and how they could participate in the consultation process.

“It was also designed to make clear the reasoning behind the appropriate way to take part in the consultation process.”

Meanwhile, people with relatives in the homes will join trades unions in protesting against the proposed closures outside County Hall, Durham, this morning.

Mr Dutch has started a petition on the Downing Street website, petitions.number10.

gov.uk/DCCcarehomes Consultation on the proposals ends on Friday, April 30.

Visit durham.gov.uk