I had Gold for 7 years, then dropped to Silver the following year because my first child was born and I deliberately reduced travel. Bitched to some questionaire that I thought it was a poor show not to exercise some discretion. Was the Gold again for 6 years, but then fell short of the renewal threshold. They wrote and said because I was a good boy they'd concessionally give me Gold anyway. This year just gone though no concession and I'm now Silver.
So yes, they do now exercise discretion, but I don't know what the criteria is, so maybe yes, maybe not in your case.