Proposals to close one of Ammanford’s two local authority-run residential care homes have been “withdrawn”.

Residents – and their families – had expressed grave concern at Carmarthenshire County Council plans to close either Tegfan or Glanmarlais residential homes for the elderly within six months - with the other earmarked for closure around 12 months later.

The closures followed planning approval for the building of a “state-of-the-art” 50-unit care facility at Gwynfryn, scheduled to be opened in the autumn of 2015.

However, during Wednesday’s Revenue Budget Strategy at County Hall, Executive Board Member for Resources, Councillor Jeff Edmunds put forward proposals to put the planned closure on hold.

The move came after family members were angered that relatives at the home selected for closure faced being rehoused more than 12 months before the new facility was scheduled to open.

Outlining the u-turn, Cllr Edmunds told fellow councillors: “One area that has been of concern to myself is the early closure of one of the Ammanford residential homes before the Gwynfryn Extra scheme is completed.”

Cllr Edmunds said the issue had been “a difficult one to resolve when balancing the costs reductions required against other priorities”.

He went on to say that changes in the forecasted departmental budget would now allow for both homes to remain open.

“The latest monitoring indicates that the overall forecasted position has moved from a £475,000 overspend to a potential under-spend of £150,000, which means I can recommend that we utilise this change in forecasted out-turn to withdraw the early closure of the Ammanford home.”

Cllr Edmunds recommendation was approved by the full council as part of the budget strategy.