Three day centres in mid Wales are set to close, saving the council an estimated £277,000.

Powys County Council has announced that day centres offering care for adults with additional needs in Llanidloes, Ystradgynlais and Brecon are to shut.

The council said it will be replacing the services “through supported living providers or from other venues".

Families described the services at the Sylfaen Day Centre in Llanidloes as “important” in easing the burden for carers, raising concerns of isolation for the service users.

Council Cabinet Member for a Caring Powys, Sian Cox, said the new service model which has been proposed "will deliver increased capacity in key areas and provide a more flexible and sustainable approach to supporting people to meet the outcomes that are important to them".

It follows a review into day centre services for adults with additional needs and elderly care across the county, which found that attendance numbers of day centre services dropped from 322 to 123 post-pandemic, partly due to day centres not reopening.

According to the review, Sylfaen Day Centre in Llanidloes is currently supporting 13 people compared to 16 pre-pandemic, Canolfan Ystradgynlais are supporting 11 people compared to 12, and Beacons Creatives Wales Ltd in Brecon is supporting 21 people compared to 24.

Councillor Elwyn Vaughan has slammed the decision, calling for the council to “stop the closure process and do a proper impact assessment”.

Cllr Vaughan has also accused the council of going against the 2010 Equality Act by not conducting a full impact assessment before changes: “The process should involve working with all parties in identifying needs before taking any decision, not after.

“They are consulting now after the horse has bolted to justify a decision they’ve already made.

“The only fair and transparent step is to stop the process, take stock and work honestly with families.

“We’re being told they would save £277,000, yet I’ve been told by some in charge that it’s not about saving money - which is it?

“It seems they’re trying to rush this process through during the summer in the hope that everyone is away and won’t notice.

“This is a valuable, important facility, and if we can’t look after some of the most vulnerable in society, then what the heck are we trying to do? What values are we pursuing?

“Let’s stop it now and conduct the process in the correct way.”

Powys has not yet announced the fate of the day centre services in Machynlleth, which provided daytime care for the elderly, after the service did not resume post-pandemic.

Councillors have pursued the matter for years without receiving clear answers from the council, which delayed responding until the review was complete.

Cllr Cox said on this: “None of the locality-specific day opportunities plans are public yet.

“When we are able to make them public, I will write directly to town and community councils and to all of those organisations which have engaged with me during the review process; they will be the first to know.”