West Wales is becoming a desert when it comes to the provision of health and social care services, according to a Ceredigion councillor.

Cllr Paul Hinge told this week's healthier communities scrutiny committee that the Welsh government were ignoring rural areas.

"We are becoming a desert in mid and West Wales as far as services are concerned from the Welsh government and Hywel Dda, That really concerns me. Devolution should have delivered quality services across Wales but here in mid Wales we are mid rate."

The scutiny committee, which was looking at the swingeing budget cuts for next year, was warned by strategic director Parry Davies that care services were faced with a demographic timebomb, with an ageing population and an increase in adults with learning disabilities.

"This will have an ongoing impact," he said.

"The days of difficult decisions are still with us. We will have to remodel services quite dramatically over the coming years."

He added that there was also an issue with an increaasing number of children with disabilities growing into adults.

"Quite rightly they are expecting to live independently within the community with support from carers," he said.