A care centre for people with profound learning disabilities will close despite a final attempt by local Lib Dems to save it.

The Labour majority on Ealing Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee pushed through the closure of the Carlton Road Day Centre, in Carlton Road, Chiswick, at a meeting on Thursday (February 12).

The borough’s Liberal Democrats say the future of the centre, its users and carers is now in doubt and questioned the rationale behind the decision, and whether alternative services are adequate for current users.

Ealing Council, however, insists it will not close until sufficient alternative options are found for those using Carlton Road.

Leader of the council, Julian Bell, said: “Carlton Road will not close until all the users have found suitable alternative day care provision.

"All users of the service will get a personal budget from the council to spend on the care that they and their carers choose for them.

"Sadly this proposal is necessary to close the £96m gap in the council’s budget caused by the cuts the Tory-led government is forcing upon Ealing.

“This is a Government that the Liberal Democrats prop up and cuts that their MPs have forced through.

"This cynical opportunism from the local Liberal Democrats is disappointing but sadly not surprising.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor and parliamentary candidate Jon Ball said: “We heard the trust that carers feel in the staff at Carlton Road, and that the piecemeal alternative provision suggested is unsuitable and inadequate for service users.

"Cabinet need to think again and look at real alternatives.”