Twenty-two council residential homes would be "re-provided" by March 2008, Staffordshire County Council said.

It said it is to invest an additional �19m in new services over three years and cabinet members will be asked to approve a strategy next Wednesday.

The council runs about 10% of residential homes.

Increasing demand

It said about 30% of approximately 460 people in its residential homes would need nursing care, which the council does not provide, so would go to the independent sector anyway.

The others would be given assessments, but those going to the independent sector would not face additional costs.

The council said 85% of people in Staffordshire want to stay in their homes and it is proposing more provision for such people, including drop-in centres.

The council claimed if it does not change the service in the next three years to meet an increasing demand, the extra money needed to deliver current services could reach �31m.

'Not an option'

A council spokesman said: "Any single person in Staffordshire, who needs residential care, will be provided (for) by the independent sector."

The county council's leader, Councillor Terry Dix, said: "This very welcomed investment of �19m will be used to implement the changes required, invest in the new services and support on-going commitments that will better meet the needs of our current and future service users.

"It is clear that doing nothing today to address the issue of an ever-increasing ageing population is simply not an option."

The council said it pays for about 3,000 beds in the independent sector.

In under four years, those aged over 60 will increase by 14% and by 2021 that figure will jump to 37%, the council said.