Campaigners challenging the closure of the Kemback Street Resource Centre have expressed their disappointment that a report criticising the council’s actions cannot force it to reverse its decision.
The Care Inspectorate report published last week upheld the family members’ complaint that the service had failed to take appropriate action and had not taken “reasonable steps” to communicate the proposed changes properly.
However, Learning Disability Alliance Scotland said it had concerns about the Care Inspectorate’s lack of power to reverse the closure.
The charity’s Ian Hood said: “I think the decision vindicates the families and their concerns, but there are two things that concern me.
“One is the Care Inspectorate isn’t able to make a judgment as to why the council didn’t communicate properly.
“Also the conclusion is that the council will have to do better in the future, not that they will have to remedy it.
“The Care Inspectorate is often the last port of call for families and if they can’t say you have to fix this problem it’s really not a conclusion.”
Mr Hood now hopes the decision will reinforce a legal case the service users and their families hope to bring against the council.
MSP Jenny Marra added: “This is a clear message from the Care Inspectorate that the council can’t close services that people want, use and pay for through their council tax without consulting them properly.”
A spokesman for the council said it was looking into the report.