A PUBLIC meeting has been held in Bow Street to discuss the proposed closure of the village’s care home.

More than 70 concerned residents packed into Neuadd Rhydypennau on Tuesday evening, 21 May, to discuss Ceredigion County Council plans to close Tregerddan Residential Home and move the staff and patients to Hafan y Waun near Aberystwyth.

Cllr Paul Hinge, chaired the meeting and said: “The attendance was good, we counted 72 people in the hall, with four county councillors present.

“The strength of feeling was culpable and those that spoke did so with knowledge and passion.

“The friends of Cartref Tregerddan had come from a meeting with senior social service staff so they were able to give an update on the proposals to them.

“Next steps include answering the consultation and there was a proposal to carry out direct action.”

Calls on people to fill out the consultation have been repeated by Chair of the North Ceredigion Older People’s Forum and General Election hopeful, Mark Williams, who said: “The loss of such a valued council-run care home as Tregerddan is hugely significant.

“Hafan y Waun is being offered as a solution to all issues relating to adult social care.

“We are told it could become a centre for EMI nursing, and it will become the home for Tregerddan residents. It cannot be all things to everyone and will have its own capacity issues.

“We cannot accept the salami slicing of more and more care beds at a time of growing need. Nor can we allow the continued erosion of our county-wide network of public sector care homes.

“We urge everyone to fill out the consultation which runs until 15 July.”

Discussing plans to close Tregerddan and to hold a public consultation earlier this year, Ceredigion County Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Alun Williams told Ceredigion cabinet members: "Tregerddan is around half a century old and unfortunately it no longer meets Care Inspectorate Wales standards for room sizes and many other things.

“Like all homes of this age it does require significant investment to bring it up to modern standards.”

“The challenge is being able to fully utilise Hafan y Waun without stretching our available staffing resources beyond their capacity.”

Cllr Williams said the move would lead to a “very considerable upgrade in the quality of accommodation and facilities for a significant cohort of our care home residents in the county.”