CAERPHILLY council's leader survived a vote of no confidence by just five votes at a meeting last night.

The vote of no confidence in Cllr Lindsay Whittle was put forward by Risca West councillor David Rees following the cabinet's decision to close Risca's Ty Darran care home last month.

The council was also presented with a petition signed by 3,758 people calling for the vote of no confidence gathered by Ty Darran campaigners.

In a heated full council debate, Cllr Rees said the cabinet "decided to ignore the voice of an unprecedented number of people."

Campaigners to keep the care home open collected around 14,000 signatures on a petition, which was presented to cabinet members before they made the decision to close Ty Darran.

The closure saw 11 elderly residents lose their home, despite petitions and protests, after the council said the decision would help address surplus beds in the area, help care for more elderly people in their own homes and save £400,000 on refurbishing the building.

22 Ty Darran campaigners filled the public gallery and applauded Cllr Rees as he concluded his speech to the full council.

In a recorded vote, 29 councillors were in favour of the vote of no confidence and 34 were opposed, with 10 councillors absent, including Labour councillors David Carter and Keith Reynolds who left prior to the start of the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Rees said: "I am disappointed that we didn't have a full chamber which would have meant the saving of Ty Darran."

Cllr Whittle said: "I didn't come into politics to close homes or make bad decisions, but unfortunately this is what local government will be about for the next four or five years.

“Many people from the opposition were conspicuous by their absence. I think they used people as a political exercise which is very sad."

Cllr Rees' motion was criticised by other members of the council's ruling party Plaid Cymru prior to the meeting, who said the council has delivered high-quality services and delivered a balanced budget under Cllr Whittle's leadership.