CLYDEBANK will host an election hustings for the upcoming council elections on Tuesday night.

Organised by the Joint Trade Unions at West Dunbartonshire Council, UNITE, UNISON, GMB, EIS, and Clydebank TUC, Clydebank Town Hall will see the SNP's Claire Gallagher face Labour's Martin Rooney and Dean Allardice from the Community Party.

The event starts at 7pm and will be followed by a debate at the Concorde Community Centre in Dumbarton on Wednesday.

Tom Morrison, of the Joint Trade Unions, said: "With local government suffering from budget cuts for many years with the resultant loss of tens of thousands of jobs and cuts in services in Scotland the unions believe we need councillors who are prepared work with the unions and fight for their communities.

"In addition local democracy has been under attack with the centralising of services.

"A major issue currently facing local council workers is the situation in the care homes where staff face a significant downgrading with a severe cut in their wages.

"The trade unions believe that staff who are not offered a suitable alternative post at their grade are facing compulsory redundancy and the feedback to staff is that many clients and carers are very concerned with this unrest among the workforce and what this means for care in the new homes.

"These hustings will allow staff, carers, and the community the opportunity to question candidates on this vital issue and many others such as the closure of social work premises and for the unions - who runs the council, officers or elected members."