Angus sheltered housing residents fighting to save “lifeline” services fear they are wasting their breath.
Site wardens and community lounges are thought to be under threat asservices could move in line with thecontroversial self-directed support model.
Beatrice Gerrard, 74, from Arbroath’s Andy Stewart Court, said the SNP monopoly on power means they will have an uphill struggle on their hands.
However, Angus Council said it was important to stress “all opinions count” as they seek to inform futureprovision.
Mrs Gerrard moved to the sheltered housing complex on Cliffburn Road just seven months ago after she beganstruggling to live independently.
She said the thought of wardens and the community lounge being scrapped has given her “added stress” following what was to be her “last move”.
“I’ve always been a fighter in my life but I do worry that we’ll be wasting our breath,” she said.
“As long as you have an SNP council and an SNP Government we are going to have a damn hard job because none of them are going to go against each other.
“Who is going to fight our corner?”
Residents have claimed the “changes” are already a done deal and the current consultation process is simply a box-ticking exercise.
But Angus Council has stressed that all opinions will be taken into account as it analyses changes in how older people want to live.
Mrs Gerrard was speaking asresidents joined together for a game of bingo in the lounge, which is a regular meeting place.
She said: “We play bingo on aWednesday and a Friday and we’ll have a chippie tea once a month.
“We also have entertainment andparties and it’s a place where residents get a chance to socialise and mingle.
“If they take it away it will leave people isolated and with nowhere to go especially those with mobility issues.”
Self-directed support has beenintroduced to give people “more choice and control over their support provision, so people can get the support they need at home, rather than having to move to get it”.
Angus Council has been consulting with its sheltered housing tenants to “find out what they like and dislike about sheltered housing; to talk about costs and benefits; and to get their views on what the service should look like”.
Tenants were asked to fill in a survey and staff have been meeting tenants in their own complexes to find out what they think.
A council spokesman said: “We are currently involved in a month-longconsultation programme with oursheltered housing tenants to discuss the future delivery of the service.
“It is important to stress that allopinions count as we seek to inform the its future design and provision.”
Kirriemuir councillor Ronnie Proctor said that while he understands the“feeling of uncertainty” among the county’s senior citizens, it is crucial that they feed into the consultation process.
“No decisions have been made and at least the council are consulting withpeople,” he said.