Campaigners step up day centre fight

The city's Labour-led council said its plans to close three of the seven centres for people with learning disabilities in the city were about giving people "greater freedom," rather than making savings.

A consultation on the closures is underway and a final decision is due to be made on January 24.

But campaigners have called on the Scottish government to investigate what they called a "bogus consultation" which is acting as a cover for cuts.

Tommy Gorman, a carer whose daughter attends the under-threat Summerston day care centre, told the Morning Star: "You can't have a fair consultation done by Glagow City Council.

"The closure of three out of the seven centres leaves provision for the most vulnerable at a very low level, not just now but for decades into the future."

The city's Unison branch says people with learning disabilities and carers face a "bleak future" if the council's plans to slash services are approved.

The public services union warns that 320 of the centre's current 500 users would miss out on services and 125 carers will lose their jobs under the new plans.

Glasgow Unison's branch secretary Brian Smith said: "Labour in Glasgow has been passing on cuts for the past decade but this is different because they are proactively pursuing these cuts."

SNP and Green councillors have already said they will vote against the plans but without a rebellion by some Labour councillors the proposals will be approved.