RESIDENTS and carers at old people's homes in Ledbury and Bromyard should be given a say in their future.

That is the recommendation from Herefordshire Council's social care and housing scrutiny committee.

The future of care homes at Leadon Bank in Ledbury and Froome Bank in Bromyard is up for review following a decision by the full council in July not to close them.

Instead, the council opted to look into the possibility of involving 'other providers', not ruling out possible private sector collaboration, in the running of the homes.

Previously, it was feared that the council might have closed the two homes, along with five others elsewhere in Herefordshire, after deciding it could no longer run and invest in them.

Herefordshire's NHS Primary Care Trust was invited to consider taking on the homes but has only expressed interest in two, neither of which is Leadon Bank or Froome Bank.

The council is now set to advertise for potential partners to run the homes and the scrutiny committee is advising the council's cabinet to include staff and residents in the partner-selection process.

Families of residents, the voluntary sector, NHS bodies and private sector providers will also be consulted.

County councillor Don Rule (Marcle Ridge) told Ledbury Town council last Thursday, September 13: "The greatest possible public consultation with staff and residents will continue. One way or another, Leadon Bank will stay open."

The council currently expects to make a decision between November this year and January next year.

Eddie Clarke, spokesman for public sector union Unison, said his members were still totally opposed to any private sector involvement in the running of the homes.

He said: "What we would be interested in is the possibility of the involvement of non-profit organisations, such as trusts or charities, as provided for under the 1999 Health Act.

"That would at least retain some element of democratic accountability," he said.

In the run-up to July's decision, Unison raised a 12,500-signature petition from county people calling on the council to keep the homes under its own wing.