Outcry at Reform-led Lancashire council's plan to shut care homes

Lancashire's Reform-run council has been accused of "selling off the family silver" with plans to save £4m a year by closing five council-run care homes and five day centres and moving residents into the private sector.

- Helen Pidd

One of the care home residents, a 92-year-old woman, said she would leave only by "being forcibly removed or in a box".

The Reform-voting son of another resident said any move would "kill" his mother, and vowed to quit the party if the closures went ahead.

Questions have been raised about a potential conflict of interest involving Reform's cabinet member for social care in Lancashire, who owns a private care company with his wife.

Reform UK took control of Lancashire county council (LCC) from the Conservatives in May, winning 53 of the 84 available seats. In June, the cabinet voted to let in Reform's "Doge" unit of cost-cutters, but they have yet to arrive amid wrangles over data protection.

Reform says it needs to find £103m of cuts in Lancashire, and the cabinet has agreed to adult social services savings of about £50m over two years. Closing the homes and day centres could save £4.16m, the council said.