Dundee City Council has been accused of closing the Kemback Street Centre “by stealth” after it emerged vulnerable adults who use the facility are being offered support elsewhere.
Campaigners claim three people with learning disabilities were moved this week, with more to follow them out the door in the coming months.
Kemback Adult Resource Centre is run by Dundee’s social work department but the council wants to shut it and provide more personalised care.
Following a critical Care Inspectorate report, which slammed the council’s handling of the consultation process, politicians agreed to carry out a second survey of carers, service users and their families.
A report on how the fresh consultation will be carried out is due to come before councillors on March 25.
However, the group campaigning to save the centre fear it is a done deal.
George Stewart, of Kemback Street Action Group, whose son David uses the centre, said: “We’re disgusted because what we’re finding is the council is continuing to empty Kemback Centre.
“Three service users have moved in the last week, we think to the Jean Drummond Centre, the Wellgate Centre and somewhere in the Ferry. Others are earmarked to be moved in future weeks.
“We’re now concerned that, despite a rerun of the consultation, the council is trying to close the centre by stealth.
“They haven’t even brought forward the structure of the consultation and they’re continuing to empty the centre It seems to us the consultation is just window dressing and we’re dealing with people who are totally untrustworthy.
“There’s a lack of transparency and a lack of honesty it seems the council has already decided the centre is being closed.”
A source close to the centre, who asked not to be identified, also raised concerns about the council’s agenda.
They said: “I can confirm service users have started leaving well, being made to leave and start with the new service.
“I think the council are doing a back door deed with this. They seem to be emptying the centre so when it comes to the wire, most of the dirty work has been done.
“I know of at least three service users who have left this week, even though the closure is completely up in the air. I know some service users who have been moved that have been very reluctant to do so.
“The service users are basically being put to other centres, most of which are not suitable for their needs, or to private care providers.
“I can’t say how many have moved to these other places since new year but I can confirm three people have left the centre this week.”
City MSP Jenny Marra accused the local authority of closing Kemback Centre “by the back door”.
She said: “The council failed in every duty legal, moral and democratic to listen to the people of Kemback Street.
“The Care Commission told them they had failed, the Legal Aid Board indicated they had failed and it is now with the courts.
“But the local SNP think they know better and despite saying two weeks ago they would consult the Kemback Street families, they are now trying to close Kemback Street by the back door.
“The SNP Council has lost all sense of decency, saying one thing in public and trying to do the opposite in private.”
A spokesman for Dundee City Council confirmed service users and their families are being offered alternative support.
“A number of the people who use Kemback Street Resource Centre and their families have asked that their care is delivered in a different way,” he said.
“We are continuing to respond to those requests.”
Kemback Street Action Group will meet in Central Baptist Church, Ward Road, Dundee at 7pm on Tuesday.