A bit of good news from the Council for a change

From the BBC comes the news that a factory that employs blind and disabled people is to be saved from closing by the council. [I should point out that the reason it was in danger in the first place was because the council cut its funding.]

"The troubled Glencraft furniture factory for disabled workers in Aberdeen has had its future secured, according to city council.

The council has agreed to buy the factory and lease it back to the firm.
Glencraft had its funding from the local authority cut as part of an earlier budget settlement.

Negotiations have been taking place since. About 60 staff are employed at the site which could now become home to other social enterprises."

Isn't amazing though how the council which had to slash its budget can somehow manage to balance the books and pay for things when they're really pushed to. Why not do this for other services in Aberdeen.

And a final note to the story would be to point out who it was that was campaigning to save this great place:

Union leaders plan factory fight

Union leaders representing staff at an Aberdeen workshop for the blind and disabled hope to legally challenge the council's decision to cut its subsidy.

If the £650,000 subsidy goes, the Glencraft factory which employs 60 people will have to close, possibly as early as April.

Aberdeen Council said it would try to help those who could not find work.

National officials from the Community union are meeting workers to discuss how to save the factory.

Great work from the Unions as always.

Children in care 'at more risk'

This is a disturbing article from the BBC. It seems that the City Council's inability to balance its budget is starting to hit the most vulnerable members of society. It is dismaying to see a breakdown in the duty of care that any government has to children in its custody, especially when the Council is continuously slashing the budget. Childcare and child protection should never be compromised.

One of Scotland's leading children's charities has expressed major concerns about the risks to children in the care of Aberdeen City Council.

Who Cares? Scotland said it was worried that low funding means it now could not be involved in meaningful consultations with children and young people.

It comes as the local authority is seeking to make £24m worth of cuts.
Aberdeen City Council said it had answered the letter but would not make further comment.

Who Cares? Scotland provides a voice for children and young people in care north of the border.

It runs advocacy services, looking after children's interests and rights.

'Limited service'

But BBC Scotland has learned that a letter written by the director of the charity, Heather Gray, indicates that those interests and rights are at risk.

Her letter was written in September to Aberdeen City Council's interim chief execeutive Robert Coomber.

Ms Gray expresses concern at low funding levels, claiming there had been a reduction in her service.

She said this was a "dangerously low level of independent advocacy" and that it was "not possible to deliver anything other than a very limited service".

Ms Gray concludes that this will result in an "increased risk for looked-after children".