THE closure of Bodlondeb residential home in Aberystwyth by Ceredigion County Council does not mean that other similar council-run homes in the area are under threat says a leading councillor.

The council’s cabinet voted to shut Bodlondeb by March 31 despite a campaign launched by the Save Bodlondeb Group to keep it open.

The group has long argued that if one home is shut, others may well follow and have also vowed to carry on the fight to keep open Bodlondeb with the hope that the decision may be ‘called-in’ and brought before a meeting of the full council to discuss.

The matter was raised by Cllr Catrin Miles at a meeting of Cardigan Town Council.

Cllr Miles, also a member of the county council, said: “Many people have been commenting on this and there has been much scare-mongering that the other homes in the county will be under threat.

“This is not true at all. People are saying Hafod (in Cardigan) is next in line and that’s not true. What needs to happen is to look at the needs of the elderly and the best way to care for our older residents.

“Things have changed in 50 years and what people want now has changed.”

The closure of Bodlondeb was met with dismay by Elin Jones AM, who said: “I’m saddened that the cabinet has found itself in the position of proposing the closure of Bodlondeb.

"In my view, no decision to close should have been taken until a properly consulted plan for the provision of elderly care in the Aberystwyth area was in place.

“It feels as though the cart has come before the horse. The council needs to move quickly to give reassurance that the needs of the elderly population for the years to come will be met by the council and other providers.”