CARE home owners in Darlington have said their residents could suffer unless a row over council payments is resolved.

Independent care home owners are refusing to sign a new contract with Darlington Borough Council because they say the money being offered to them is not enough to provide a safe level of care for residents.

The current contract is due to expire at the end of the month.

However, negotiations between Darlington Borough Council and the Independent Sector Provider Group (ISPG) appear to have hit a stalemate.

The ISPG is made up of 23 care homes, as well as carers' organisations and voluntary groups.

It is asking for a council contribution of £392 per week for each resident, but this has been refused.

Maureen Horton, the chairwoman of the ISPG, said: "We're not holding out for all the money, we're prepared to negotiate.

"We've made numerous attempts to make contact and we've just been ignored.

"I was desperate that we didn't get to this."

After the ISPG rejected the options, director of community services Cliff Brown said the council is exploring other options for care in Darlington.

As well as using other care homes, this could include using homes outside the borough.

Ms Horton said: "This is what really alarms us - the thought that they might move residents.

"The thought is an anathema to us. It's been proven again and again that if you move very elderly people, they never totally recover."

The council said the ISPG's demands would cost the authority an extra £900,000 a year.

Last night, a council spokesman said: "We have been negotiating residential care fees since May last year and were close to reaching an agreement.

"However, Durham County Council reached its own agreement on the issue and the providers then completely altered the negotiations after seeing another authority reach a more generous settlement.

"In terms of costs of care, Durham is not a comparable area to Darlington.

"The offer we have made provides a significant increase for a number of care homes, in some cases in excess of 11 per cent.

"Seven care homes have already agreed to our offer.

"If an agreement is not reached, the council will invoke a clause in the current contract, giving it an option to extend the contract for another two years at the end of the month."