CIVIC chiefs last night gave the green light to axing services for some of Southampton’s most vulnerable residents.

But there is hope that some may remain open after council leader Cllr Simon Letts gave his personal assurance that they will not close unless suitable alternatives are found.

His words were applauded at the end of an often-heated meeting at which proposals to close Woodside Lodge, Kentish Road respite centre and day services for adults with learning disabilities were approved, with the loss of 130 jobs.

The plans were revealed earlier in the year as the council looks to meet a £31m gap in the city’s finances for 2015/16 and another £54m over the following two years.

Council chiefs have been attacked over the proposals at a series of meetings this year, with carers concerned that assessments have not been carried out for the people affected, and that they were not listened to throughout consultation.

Last night, at a meeting of the council’s Cabinet, some carers said that they had been “stitched up”, while the timescales for service closures were attacked as “ridiculous”.

Lynette Hall, who cares for her 36- year-old daughter Jennie, said: “We’ve been led up the garden path as if we were heading for a type of utopia, when in fact we’ve been left up the creek without a paddle.”

She said that there was a lack of places in suitable day service alternatives in the city, and that more than 100 carers would be “fighting”

for just a handful of places.

The Cabinet approved plans to close Woodside Lodge, which cares for elderly people with dementia, but while Kentish Road and the day services were also approved for closure, Cllr Letts made a pledge to carers.

He said that he felt “extremely uneasy” about some of the timescales, with services set to close next spring, and the concerns brought up by carers, adding: “We will put off taking the savings as long as necessary.

“I promise that we will come back at every stage. We will bring everything back in March, and if we are unhappy then we will withdraw the proposals to close the day services.

“And the assurance I will give on the respite services is that if we are unhappy that the amount of places is not sustainable we will withdraw the proposals to close Kentish Road.”

Mrs Hall said afterwards: “I’ve got to keep my fingers crossed that he means everything he says.”

Fellow carer Daniel Mar-Molinero said: “The proof of the pudding is in the eating, so let’s see what comes back in March.”