Concern for the Most Vulnerable Mr Salmond?

Promises, Promises

Media and Save the Accord
We have reported widely on this blog, on the shameful conduct of the Labour Party at Glasgow City Council in reneging on promises of a replacement day care centre for the learning disabled at the Accord Centre. Unfortunately the Scottish Government appears to be joining Glasgow City Council in advocating “re-provisioning the service” to two (inadequate) meeting rooms at a nearby community centre.
Back in May last year The First Minster visited the centre and directed comments to Council Leader Gordon Mathieson that it was “essential that the reputation and integrity of the Commonwealth Games is not jeopardised” by demolition of the Accord Centre for a bus park.
Alex Salmond stated that “Social care policy is the council’s right but 2020 and its reputation is my responsibility, along with others. I’m not offering political advice to Glasgow City Council but they should get themselves off this hook and not stand accused of letting down the most vulnerable in the community.”
A report was then commissioned by the Scottish Government in collaboration with GCC into a feasibility study for a replacement facility at the new Tollcross Aquatic Centre. Carers eagerly anticipated the report’s findings which would include serious consideration of such a replacement. Instead carers were shocked to discover the “Joint Improvement Team” (JIT) report was an attempt to discredit the carers arguments about relocation to the Bambury Community Centre and contained no feasibility study for Tollcross.
As we have said before, the Accord service users and carers are being hit by a double whammy; being moved because of a Games mega event and being right at the coal face of cruel austerity measures from the political and professional classes. Glasgow City Council, Social Work Managers, and it seems the Scottish Government, are portraying this debacle as ‘modernisation of day services” but carers are equal to the challenge in responding to such specious arguments. The Accord campaign has received great attention locally, both in Dalmarnock and Shettleston, and with the local elections looming the SNP and Labour groups would be wise to work on the legacy provision for the learning disabled that was promised. Anything else will only heap yet more embarrassment and shame on the Labour City Council and the Scottish Government.
Save the Accord campaign published the following report in response to the cynical political manoeuvrings endemic to the JIT study.
Read the full Save The Accord Campaign report here: SaveTheAccordResponseToJIT