County council sets out controversial day service plans

Plans to overhaul day opportunities for older adults and adults with learning disabilities in Powys are being met with a mix of support and concern, as the county council confirms details of a new locality-based model.

Under the changes, services for a town like Newtown would be centred on Castell-Y-Dail for adults with learning disabilities and Hafan yr Afon for older people. The council says the shift will create a “sustainable, equitable” system focused on independence, resilience and community connection, but some families have raised fears about losing access to familiar, building-based provision.

The new model, which will be in place by March 2026, follows a county-wide review and months of public engagement. Thirty-four events were held across Powys, attracting 357 participants, alongside a survey which received 472 responses. The review concluded that while there is already a vibrant mix of services through both the council and community groups, there is a need for a more consistent approach.

The council’s three-tier model will include preventative support to help people build skills and social links, personalised assistance to access community activities, and specialist provision for those with complex needs.

Cabinet Member for a Caring Powys, Councillor Sian Cox, said: “We are creating a sustainable, equitable day opportunities model that supports people to live healthy and rewarding lives, as valued members of their communities and society, able to participate in what matters to them; and which supports unpaid carers to do the same.

“Key to our new model is people being able to maximise their personal wellbeing in ways that work for them as individuals, choosing from a wide range of social, work and leisure opportunities, using and building on the strengths they already have, with a focus on encouraging health and independent living; and with consistent, reliable, worry-free respite for carers.”

But while the council stresses that no changes will happen until new arrangements are ready, some service users and carers have voiced unease. Concerns include the possible loss of long-standing facilities, changes in staff, and the impact of moving people with high support needs to different venues. There are also questions about whether community buildings can match the specialist equipment and environments found in dedicated centres.

In Newtown, Hafan yr Afon – opened in 2022 on the banks of the River Severn – is set to take on a greater role in support for older residents, while Castell-Y-Dail will remain as the base for adults with learning disabilities. The council says it is working with people who use current services, and their families, to explore alternatives that meet individual needs.

Cllr Cox said the model is designed to work “in close partnership with communities, to build a real understanding of community provision and need, and how we can work together to shape local services and ensure each community has what it needs”.

She added that transitions to new venues or ways of working will be “supportive, person-centred and needs led”. Everyone with an assessed care and support need will have those needs met, she said, with Local Area Co-ordinators and Supported Employment Advisers also being introduced to expand opportunities.

Despite the assurances, the debate over the changes looks set to continue as detailed plans are worked through. For some families, the priority will be maintaining the stability and specialist care their relatives depend on; for the council, it is about reshaping services to ensure they are flexible, inclusive and sustainable in the long term.