THE Lincolnshire Echo (19 August) contained a report of a visit made by Martin Hill, leader of the county council, to Linelands in Nettleham.

Linelands is one of the council's eight residential units for older people, all of which are being considered for privatisation. I welcome Councillor Hill's visit, and I think he was right to see at first hand the high standard of quality care provided at Linelands, as at all the county's homes, and to listen to the concerns of those who use the service.

However, I must rebut his reported contention that those concerns are the result of 'scaremongering' by Unison or any of our members. The union's local representative is also quoted in your article, and gave a reasoned and balanced response to the visit.

And if Cllr Hill believes that the widespread opposition to the closure of the homes is the result of scaremongering by those of us campaigning to keep them open, he is very much mistaken.

Since launching its proposals last November, the county council has undertaken two consultation exercises, using independent organisations to analyse and summarise the results. These are available in the public reports that went to the executive on June 1 and the county council on June 18.

They show outright opposition from users of the service, from their families and carers, and from members of local communities, to the proposals to close the homes and replace them with private provision.

Reading through the responses themselves makes an even deeper impression. Letter after letter expresses support for the homes, provides testimony to the wonderful care they provide, and there are frequent outpourings of downright anger at the council's plans.

These views are not the result of scaremongering. They reflect deeply felt concerns, and a belief that the council should continue to provide its own excellent services.

It cannot be stressed often enough that the eight homes provide specialist services – intermediate and respite care, day services, support to those coping with dementia – which are already fulfilling the council's objective of helping older people to stay at home longer. The saving they make to the public purse, by preventing hospital, nursing and long-term residential care admissions, cannot be quantified.

There is a way to address the concerns that I have described: remove the threat of privatisation, and commit to using the council's successful homes as a model for developing county services for older people.

John Sharman Branch secretary, Lincolnshire Unison.