Ceredigion County Council has agreed to step in and save an Aberystwyth dementia care home from closure.

Methodist Homes (MHA), which operates Hafan y Waun care home in Waunfawr, announced on 2 May that it was one of 10 homes across the UK that was closing following a review.

Ceredigion County Council said at the time that it would explore options “with the aim of securing the future of the home,” and a report that went before Cabinet members on Tuesday, 4 July outlined how the council is set to stump up £1 million to ensure the home remains open.

Councillors approved proposals put forward in the report to Cabinet and agreed to take over ownership by September 2023, which will maintain the services provided there for residents and their families.

The home, opened in 2007, provides residential dementia care for up to 90 residents, in purpose-built, en suite accommodation, and Ceredigion County Council currently has a 125-year lease with MHA on a peppercorn rent to provide care services.

It currently has 50 residents, with MHA refusing to accept placements despite an uptick in staffing levels at the home.

The council report says that if the lease is terminated – as MHA have asked for saying the home was “struggling financially” – then the building would “revert to the council’s possession.”

“The option of bringing the provision over to council ownership through a managed leasehold transfer has therefore started to be explored,” the report said.

“This approach would ensure that the care home continues to operate, Ceredigion jobs are protected as far as possible and a valuable resource continues to be provided to the county and our communities.

“It would give certainty to the existing residents and their families and would prevent the considerable upheaval and logistical challenge of moving and placing over 50 individuals in new care homes under the possible alternative scenario of a potential home closure.”

The report adds that “losing the county’s main dementia residential facility would mean that service users and families would have to consider placements out of county and at a distance from their homes.”

Ceredigion County Council agreed on Tuesday to take over the ownership of Hafan y Waun from September.

Reacting to the decision, Cllr Alun Williams, Ceredigion Cabinet Member for Through Age Wellbeing, Care and Support Services, said: “The decision made today is an important step towards maintaining the future of the Care Home and it gives certainty to residents and their families.

“Losing the county’s main dementia residential facility with capacity for 90 beds would have meant that service users and families would have to consider placements out of county and at a distance from their homes.

“That would not be acceptable, and through this approach, the council can ensure that the Care Home continues to operate, that Ceredigion jobs are protected as far as possible, and that a valuable resource can continue for our county and communities.”

MHA Chief Executive, Sam Monaghan, said: “The decision by MHA to withdraw from Hafan y Waun care home and transfer it to the ownership of Ceredigion County Council was taken as a result of a strategic review by the charity of its services.

"Over the past few months we have been working closely with Ceredigion County Council and its representatives and are pleased that we have been able to reach agreement to transfer Hafan y Waun to the local authority.

"We are sad to lose Hafan y Waun from the MHA family but I am certain the home will continue to be a big part of the Aberystwyth community as it moves under the ownership of Ceredigion.”