CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after Barrhead’s local authority agreed to back down over plans to close one of two disabled care centres.

East Renfrewshire Council has been facing stiff opposition to its plans to close either Barrhead Resource Centre or its sister centre in Thornliebank.

But in a letter to MSPs and MPs, the authority admitted it had “lost its focus”.

It was hoped that the closure would save the authority £90,000 in its drive to cut a £20 million spending deficit.

Campaigners amassed more than 1,000 signatures and the support of MPs and MSPs.

And on Friday they breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced the funding had been released which would allow both centres to remain open.

A statement from East Renfrewshire Council said: “East Ren Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has committed to realising a £90k saving whilst keeping its two day care centres – in Barrhead and Thornliebank - open.

“The move could see the day centre buildings being used as ‘hubs’ for service users and also open for wider community use.

“It means day services for people with additional support needs will work more closely with third sector partners to realise a greater quality of life for service users and offer choices which reflect their aspirations.

“East Renfrewshire HSCP is committed to working with service users and their families and third sector partners. Together they are exploring innovative ways each day centre could share space with social enterprises and create a one-stop-shop to offer support for independent living and self-directed support.

“The council still has to identify a £90k saving by March 2016 and will work together with service users, their families and third sector partners to achieve this.” The centre is used by parents and carers for respite, and it provides specialist day care for people with both physical and mental disabilities and difficulties.

The news was welcomed by jubilant campaigners, however they say they are well aware that significant changes are still on the way.

Iain Cherry, 52, who has a daughter that uses the Barrhead Centre and organised the petition calling for their closure to be scrapped, said: “It is fantastic news really, and if we are honest we didn’t expect that news to come through.

“We were ready to be told that the centre was getting the bullet and everything we had done would for nothing. But we are over the moon, it’s a fantastic result.

“We know there will be changes coming down the road, there is still £90,000 to be saved, but the fact that the centres are staying open is fantastic news.” In a letter that was sent out by the head of the HSCP to elected politicians, the organisation admitted that it had seen how much the centres meant to people, and would strive to investigate other options.

It said: “In February this year the council approved a range of savings measures proposed by the HSCP including £90k which we hoped to achieve by the closure of one of our learning disability day centre buildings.

“We saw this as a natural consequence of our vision and strategy for daytime activities for people with learning disabilities. That vision, which we had been developing over a number of years, was for people with learning disabilities to access a much wider range of community based options, from volunteering to employment and participating in a wider range of community activities with support.

“Our intent was to work with a range of groups and agencies to develop alternatives that met the aspirations of people with learning disabilities to live good lives. It was also a good fit with self directed support, where more personalised support arrangements – perhaps with alternative providers, would evolve over time.

“With hindsight, offering the £90k saving was not the best way of achieving that vision, as very quickly, our intent was lost and the building closure became the focus.

“We have taken time to reflect on the best way of getting back to the original vision and have had some early discussion with officers from some of our third sector partners, the Carers Centre, SDS Forum and Voluntary Action, to look at a different way of realising our ambitions for people with learning disabilities, whilst looking at alternative ways of reaching our savings target.” “We recognise that the current buildings do matter to people, and in this way we hope we can work together to improve what we can both offer people with learning disabilities and other community groups.”