Brookwood residential home, in Blurton, is facing closure because the council say it needs to respond to the changing care needs of older people.

They say the money would be better spent on providing support for those living in their own homes and short term care for those returning from hospital.

At a public meeting on Monday residents and their families expressed their concerns about the possible closure.

They were told the move follows a review of social services which claimed the council spent too much on residential care.

'Heavily criticised'

As a result older people's services in the city are being reviewed.

There are plans to increase the number of beds for intermediate care, but also to close one residential care home with Brookwood being the most at risk.

The public has until the end of October to give their views on the proposals.

Sarah Hill, the assistant director of social services in the city, said: "We were very heavily criticised by the social services inspectorate that we had too much of our resources invested in residential care at the expense of other services which we should be providing.

"Because more people are staying at home for longer and when people do come into care they come into it nearer the end of their lives, they're often needing to go into nursing care."