WORCESTERSHIRE County Council is working to alleviate fears over the closure of Millfields centre, which caters for people with learning and physical disabilities.

The Enfield centre is to be sold off for housing and its 70 students are to be split up into five different groups.

A county council spokesman said: "We're still negotiating on various options for Millfields.

"We're talking to a number of other organisations, such as the Halcyon Centre, about changing our provision but as yet, nothing has been confirmed.

"We're aware service users at Millfields may be uneasy with the uncertainty and we're working as hard as we can to ensure a solution is found as quickly as possible.

"That way, we can move swiftly to provide the same level of high quality service at the earliest opportunity."

The spokesman added: "Millfields' development has been brought about by the Government's drive to provide more inclusive care that prevents people with physical or learning disabilities being institutionalised.

"This is happening across the country, not just in Worcestershire."

Plans for Millfields' closure have come about as part of the Government's White Paper "Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century", published in March 2001.

It sets out a challenging programme of action for improving services.

The proposals are based on four key principles: civil rights, independence, choice and inclusion.

It has cross-Government backing and its proposals are intended to result in improvements in education, social services, health, employment, housing and support for people with learning disabilities and their families and carers.