WITH regard to the article 'Old folk's homes facelift up £7.5million.'

So Lancashire County Council has miscalculated the cost of refurbishing the remaining homes for the elderly by £7.5million and is set to spend the extra cash.

Perhaps they can say where this extra £7.5million will come from as they were unable to keep Burnley's homes open as they said they couldn't afford it?

They sold the homes off but did they get a good price?

Spending the extra £7.5million on existing homes would have prevented the trauma of old people being moved about like chess pieces from one home to another.

The closing remarks of the article (LET, December 12) are laughable, that 'council tax payers were paying more before the closures' and their aim was to give people a superb standard of living.

Does this include those elderly people whose dream isn't being cared for in their own home -- with many hours being spent alone?

Having companionship and a feeling of belonging are surely an important part of everyone's lives -- this they got in a home.

Tony Martin, the county council's cabinet member for resources, states they are having to care for more frail and elderly people than in the past. So why didn't they maintain and keep open the homes for the elderly?

KATHLEEN BULCOCK (Mrs), Wilkie Avenue, Burnley.