FAMILIES who were left devastated after being told two day centres were to close have been given a ray of hope by council chiefs.

West Lane Gardens, in Johnstone, and Whitehaugh Day Care Centre, in Paisley, were facing closure last month after the Capability Scotland charity said it could no longer subsidise the delivery of lifeline services.

But, at a special meeting, Renfrewshire Council passed a motion which saw the local authority pledge that services would continue in some form.

The day centres are owned by the council but leased to Capability Scotland to provide support to adults with learning disabilities.

Capability Scotland has now agreed to extend its notice to quit the day centres until the end of January, rather than November, as previously announced.

It will also be asked to work out another model that would enable it to continue running the services.

And, if this proves to be unsuccessful, the council is set to approach Paisley-based learning disability service Community Networks to ask if it can recruit more staff and provide similar support.

Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, chairperson of the Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Integrated Joint Board, has pledged that people using the day centres would be kept together, with those in Johnstone able to use their own base.

She added: “Capability Scotland did not give people enough time to adapt to the change, so we have ensured their contract will now end in January.

“We will be going back to them to ask if they can find another model for the future but we do also have a Plan B, which would be to ask Community Networks if they can recruit more staff and provide a similar service.

“I am acutely aware of the unsettling effects of recent months for service users and carers and would like to reassure them they remain our priority.

“We recognise the urgency of this situation and are finalising assessments for the 47 people who attend these services to ensure they each have their own personal, needs-assessed plan in place.

“At the same time, we are extending our wide range of modern services for people with learning disabilities across Renfrewshire.”

Cllr Cameron added that the council “recognises the importance of maintaining existing friendships and relationships as part of any change to service provision.”

She said: “We want to ensure a smooth transition which minimises disruption.”

No-one at Capability Scotland was available for comment when contacted by The Gazette.

However, the charity had previously stressed it was no longer in a position to subsidise the delivery of services at West Lane Gardens and Whitehaugh Day Care Centre.

It added that, despite talks with Renfrewshire Council and the Health and Social Care Partnership, it had been unable to develop a sustainable model for the future and was in discussions with staff and union partners regarding the closures.