Madam,

Last week in Marks & Spencer I was identified by a husband to his wife as a demonstrator. I pointed out to him that all of us in Ceredigion Forum are not demonstrators.

Since 11 November 2011 we have been vigilists hoping to prevent the closure of Park Avenue Day Centre which was purpose-built. Following its closure at the end of May 2012 we continued our vigil every Saturday at 2pm until the Mill Street development opened.

Why did the Mill Street development not destroy Mill Street, rather than Glyndwr Road and the Drill Hall, a monument for those who gave their lives following the First World War in Europe.

If they had destroyed Mill Street it would have opened a road which is still in need of TLC to and from Aberystwyth town centre and north Ceredigion, making Great Darkgate Street safer for pedestrians who shop in Aberystwyth main shopping area, or it did.

Let me quote from the Cambrian News on 21 March: ‘Plan to help people earlier’ – “plans have been approved to change how social care works in Ceredigion, to help residents have a better quality of life. The plans aim to help people at an earlier stage to help them stay active for longer. The preventative approach is also designed to use strained council budgets more effectively”.

The budget for 2019 – 2020 was approved by Ceredigion County Council on 21 February. Increasing care needs and reducing budgets are putting Ceredigion County Council’s adult social care budgets under severe pressure. The budget plans to save £2.1m from adult social care services.

Cllr Alun Williams, the Cabinet member responsible for adult services said: “We intend to change how we work in order to start helping people sooner rather than waiting until late stage, when they may have higher care needs. By working in this way and investing in prevention people are more likely to have a better quality of life for longer and will bring the additional benefit of saving overall resources”.

He also said: “Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of our residents. Although we are planning to spend more on helping people sooner, we will still make sure that the residents who do need a high level of care will still be well looked after.”

When I worked at Bodlondeb I wrote to then chief executive Bronwen Morgan, saying Bodlondeb should not be closed. In my opinion, as it has always been, it is one of the most important provisions in Aberystwyth and north Ceredigion. No alternative provision is in place. Why?

Yours etc, D A Thomas, Llwyn yr Eos, Penparcau, Aberystwyth.

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