THE region's biggest local authority will tomorrow announce plans for a major shake-up of its residential care service for pensioners.

But amid fears the closure of several of its homes is on the cards, Durham County Council officials remain tight-lipped about the plan.

The proposals follow an 18-month review.

The Labour-run council's executive committee will consider the proposals in secret and, if they are approved, they will be made public at a press conference.

The review was prompted by factors including what the council described last month as the "physical and financial limitations" of upgrading its 25 residential homes to meet new national minimum standards, a Government drive for more pensioners to stay in their own homes and the Government's "best value" regime.

In February the council temporarily closed Essyn House at Easington because of problems with its heating system and Syke House at Burnopfield because it needed urgent fire safety work.

The late Independent councillor for Shildon North-East Tony Moore, who died of a heart attack in March, voiced fears that there was a hidden agenda to close homes, something the council denied.

The council says it will tomorrow "outline proposals for investing in modern services for older people, including a review of County Durham Care's residential homes."

Rumours are circulating among staff at some homes that closures are planned. One source suggested all but seven homes would be axed.

However a council spokesman said: "Nobody has been informed, nobody has discussed this, there is no report in the public domain and no report has gone before members for consideration.

"It would be wrong for people to speculate and say they know because they can't know.

Independent councillor for Weardale, John Shuttleworth, said: "There is obviously something controversial because the meeting is being held in the afternoon instead of the morning and they are holding a press conference.

Last month the council's leader Ken Manton said: "Our aim is to provide older people in County Durham with some of the best equipped and most modern services in the country."

Full consultation, with residents, their families and trade unions, has been promised.