City of York Council's plan to transfer home care into private hands caused widespread anxiety. Many of the elderly people involved were very distressed by the prospect of change.

Public sector workers campaigned against the move not only because it threatened their jobs, but because they believed private firms could not offer the same standard of service to the elderly.

The council has now proved its willingness to listen by scrapping the policy when the pilot scheme comes to an end on December 1. That decision will be met with widespread relief.

This leaves councillors with another problem, however. The project was to have saved up to £300,000 a year, vital when the council has faces an £8 million debt.

That saving will now have to be found elsewhere. But this change of heart demonstrates that the council is not prepared to make cuts at any price.

see COMMENT 'Pilot care scheme scrapped'

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