Plaid calls for report on Bryneithin future (From Penarth Times)

Plaid Cymru councillors call for report on future of Dinas Powys care home, Bryneithin

11:30am Friday 22nd March 2013 in News

 PLAID Cymru councillors have called for an urgent report on the future of the Bryneithin care home following the news of its closure.

Cllr Chris Franks, Plaid Cymru group leader, said the report should set out both short-term and longer-term proposals for the residential home site in Dinas Powys Cllr Franks said: “Dinas Powys residents are very concerned for the future of the Bryneithin site.

“Plaid Cymru have always argued that Bryneithin should be a centre of excellence and are committed to the site being used for older people’s services and have expressed this view to the director of social services.

“That is why Plaid Cymru have formally asked that a report be presented to councillors setting out the administration’s intentions.

“We need a timetable, a budget, a commitment from the health board and comment from other interested organisations that might be involved.”

Plaid Cymru councillor Dr Ian Johnson, who sits on the Vale of Glamorgan’s social care and health committee, said councillors should not be kept in the dark on major issues.

He said: “When the committee last discussed Bryneithin back in October we recommended that the site should be used for social services in future, after the current home closes.

“However, the Labour-led Vale cabinet threw out that recommendation.

“It was the previous Conservative administration who took the decision to close the home but I strongly feel that councillors should have been told, confidentially, of the site’s closure before the press.

“With all of the pressures upon social service provision it is difficult for councillors to scrutinise decisions about which we are not told.

“We urgently need a report to see the short-term effects of Bryneithin’s closure upon the social services budget and to begin developing medium to longer-term plans for the site, which should be for social services, such as an older people’s village.”

A spokesman for the Vale of Glamorgan Council said the decision to close Bryneithin was made in 2009 by the previous administration.

Subsequently, the council gave a commitment to continue to operate the residential care home while any residents remained.

Lance Carver, head of adult services, said: “The Bryneithin residential care home has very recently become vacant and the council is considering its options regarding the building and the site.

“The council has notified CSSIW of the change in circumstances now that there are no residents in the care home. The council did not seek any media attention regarding this matter as to do so would have compromised its obligation to respect client privacy, confidentiality and dignity.”

Cllr Stuart Egan, cabinet member for adult services, backed calls for Bryneithin to become a centre of excellence when he was in opposition.

He said: “The site should be developed for the use of older people. The matter will initially be considered by cabinet in early April. We will need to have a period of planning, consultation and engagement with key partners to determine the best proposal for the site in the future.”

Bryneithin’s future is to be discussed as an urgent item at the next social care scrutiny committee, on April 15.