MANY hundreds of elderly people are struggling along in unsuitable homes, unable to find or afford a better alternative.

This is hardly surprising - few local councils are treating the crisis with the seriousness it deserves.

We are astonished to find that a great majority do no have any proper housing strategy for the elderly. These include Hambleton District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, Selby District Council and City of York Council.

During the past few months McCarthy & Stone has conducted a survey of all local authorities in Britain. It reveals that fewer than one in ten has properly addressed this crucial issue.

This is not the way to treat the fastest-growing and potentially most vulnerable sector of the population, especially when 3,500 care-home beds have disappeared in the past three years through changes to regulations.

But there is now a new opportunity for local authorities to grasp the nettle, with the formation of the housing and older people development group under the wing of the Deputy Prime Minister.

They will be champions for change - promoting, advising and measuring improvements in the supply of housing for elderly people.

As the country's largest provider of sheltered housing for older owner-occupiers we are pleased to be represented on this new group. I urge any local authorities that need to catch up, to take advantage of the initiative.

We must wake up before this demographic time-bomb explodes.

Keith Lovelock,

Chief Executive, McCarthy & Stone plc,

Oxford Road, Bournemouth.

... COUN Kind's letter criticises Liberal Democrats for claiming that on average 30 elderly residents remain unnecessarily in York hospital beds (April 13).

In fact during the 12 months from April 2002 to end March 2003, an average of 34 elderly residents were delayed in York hospital waiting for suitable accommodation.

Nationally 50,000 places have been lost in nursing and residential homes.

Now the Labour Government intends to fine City of York Council up to £120 a day per patient, leading to the council having to set aside £440,000 in its budget this year. Thankfully, due to amendments tabled in the House of Lords, the implementation of these fines has been delayed until January 2004. However, it is the Government and her own party which is most critical of Coun Kind's failure to deal effectively with the bed-blocking crisis.

Coun Sue Galloway,

Liberal Democrat spokesman for social services and health,

Stirrup Close,

Ainsty Park, York.

Updated: 10:24 Monday, April 21, 2003