ANGRY carers have confronted council chiefs over plans to cut services for some of Southampton’s most vulnerable people.

Carers and organisations representing people with learning disabilities attacked the £1.5m cut proposals as “dreadful.

City council officers denied that plans to close Woodside Lodge care home were linked to its land value at a heated scrutiny committee meeting at the Civic Centre.

As revealed in the Daily Echo, the council put forward proposals to close Woodside Lodge, Kentish Road respite centre and day services for adults with learning disabilities earlier this year.

Labour council bosses are set to vote on the proposals next week, after they decided to press on with the plans, which could see almost 130 jobs go. Another 222 jobs could go next year as the council |battles to plug a £30m gap in its 2015/16 budget.

At last night’s meeting Labour cabinet member for health and adult social care, Dave Shields, said the council was in “difficult financial circumstances” and that “it was not possible to exempt adult social care from the council’s savings target”.

He and head of adult social care Helen Woodland faced tough questions from carers and organisations, with many angry that the needs of vulnerable people had not been assessed before the proposals were put forward.

They also described the council’s report on the proposals as “atrocious” and “a shambles”.

Mrs Woodland denied that the decision to close Woodside Lodge, which cares for elderly people with dementia, was taken due to the site's potential value.

Documents seen by the Daily Echo reveal that a valuation in 2008 put Woodside Lodge’s worth at £1.8m – £800,000 more than the council’s other three care homes.

Angry staff members from Woodside Lodge also addressed the council bosses, saying: “If you close this home, that prevents the |best care.”

Alex Iles, manager at Southampton Mencap, said: “Carers are concerned about the severity of these recommendations.”

Ian Loynes, chief executive of SPECTRUM, said: “We need to make sure we don’t put |carers in a position where they break.”

Professor Claire Mar-Molinero, a carer, berated the council leaders, saying: “I think the recommendations are dreadful.” She added that the decisions were made as “it’s all about money”.

Council leaders are recommended to approve the proposals at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

However the scrutiny committee has called on the Labour administration to delay a decision until every person affected has had a full assessment.