ANGRY members of Unison have declared themselves ready to fight any suggestion of privatisation or closure of the county's care homes.

The union is carrying out its own consultation about action to preserve jobs and services, starting with a meeting for its social services and housing members in Hereford tonight.

Views expressed at the Railway Club (opposite Sainsbury's) from 7pm will form part of a report in response to the Social Care Committee's document, 'the future of the council's residential homes for older people'.

The council's Richard Humphries presented the document to the committee, questioning whether the authority should continue to run the service. Three options were proposed for the future of the existing seven homes.

Unison spokesman Steve Grist said the views of members within and outside the homes was crucial in preparing a proper response to the council's report and in deciding the union's future direction.

Mr Grist told The Hereford Times recently that Herefordshire Council appeared to be intent on privatising as many of its quality services as possible. The union last year organised opposition to the take-over of the waste collection operation.

"We were accused of scaremongering when we warned other services would follow. The council must stand and be judged by that statement," he said.