SWINDON could face a shortage of care places if the council decides to close two homes next week.

That is the view of public sector workers' union Unison, which represents staff at the homes.

Earlier this week council officials ended months of speculation by recommending that Lease Hill, Moredon, and Pinetrees, Pinehurst, for closure.

Members of the cabinet will decide whether to approve the plans at a meeting next Wednesday.

If the closures go ahead the 49 elderly residents of Lease Hill and Pinetrees whose average age is between 85 and 87 will be moved to other homes in the town.

The council says it needs to close the homes so it can upgrade the remaining four Wick House, Liden, Whitbourne House, Park South, Langton House, Wroughton and Fessey House, Haydon Wick and bring them into line with new care home standards.

It says there are surplus places in the town's other public and private homes.

But Unison's Swindon branch secretary Bob Cretchley warned: "At a time when the number of older people in the population is increasing, it is surely wrong for the council to be reducing the number of its care homes.

"The private sector would not be able to fill the gap adequately in residential care provision that would result from closing two of the council's homes."

The closures would reduce the council's total number of beds from 244 to 168.

By closing Pinetrees and Lease Hill, the authority claims it can save about £4m. Neither home is currently full but the union is calling for all six council homes to be kept open.

Upgrading all the homes to meet National Care Standards would require the council to invest about £13m by 2007.

Mr Cretchley said it was in the best long-term interests of both staff and residents of the homes, and of Swindon as a whole.

The two homes earmarked for closure have their own reasons for being kept open, according to Unison.

Lease Hill provides a specialist centre for people with Alzheimer's and dementia, while maintaining strong links with the nearby Forget-me-not Club, which caters for people with mental health problems, it said.

And Pinetrees provides a rehabilitation service and caters for people with mental health problems and those who have particularly frail health.

If the homes are closed, 110 staff will face uncertainty over their jobs.

Andy Tate