Local campaigners, unions, and opposition councillors have successfully pushed Reform to down over its plans to close care homes across Lancashire, reports Michael Lavalette

Opposition politicians, unions and local campaign groups were claiming victory on Wednesday in their campaign to save Lancashire care homes and day centres.

Late last year, Reform-led Lancashire Council put closure proposals (with a closure timetable) out for consultation. They were met with a furious response from opposition politicians, workers, people living in care homes and their families, and users of day care centres.

Local meetings, petitions and a large march in Preston on Saturday 17 January all built pressure against any closure or privatisation of services.

Now, Reform have bowed to pressure and announced there will be no closures of care homes.

Commenting on the decision, leader of the main opposition group on LCC, Progressive Lancashire, Councillor Azhar Ali said:

“Ten of thousands of people across Lancashire signed petitions and joined the campaign to save our care homes and day centres. The anger of residents and their families has forced a massive Reform U-turn. We will continue to campaign to secure investment and keep all our care homes open for the future. And, of course, we won’t stop until the day centres are also secure.

“The massive rally in Preston forced Reform, kicking and screaming, to change their mind, which is welcome”

Saturday’s demonstration brought hundreds of people to Preston to protest the threat of closure or privatisation. March organisers and county councillor Michael Lavalette said:

“Saturday saw hundreds of people from across Lancashire marching against Reform’s cuts. We made it clear that we would stay on the streets until the threat of closure or privatisation was removed.

Today we have the first part of our victory – the care homes are safe! This is a victory for the service users and their families, for the workers, for the opposition councillors and for the many people across Lancashire who stood up to Reform’s proposals.

“Of course, we don’t stop until the day centres are also secure. But today is part one of our victory road map!”