I ATTENDED the Old Kilpatrick Armistice Day service recently. I felt privileged to lay a wreath on behalf of the local council at a very poignant occasion. The turnout from villagers was impressive from both young and old residents.

Last month’s memorials marked 100 years since the First World War ended and the community council produced an excellent history of many local soldiers who died during the conflict. They traced descendants and relatives of these local men, depicted on the war memorial, and made contact with their families across the world.

I AM extremely dismayed at the closure decisions for our after school clubs in Whitecrook and Linnvale. This was a financial saving that came from ‘management adjustments’, which are supposed to improve the efficiency of council services.

I don’t see how cutting a valuable service such as this can possibly improve the lives of families, especially working parents who depend on this vital support. It’s not an improvement, it’s a cut by another name and undermines the social fabric of our society.

At last week’s council meeting I criticised this decision and along with colleagues managed to persuade the convener of education to look again at the issue. I hope her intervention can lead to this much needed service being retained. It is a false economy to impede local people from earning a living.

With the rollout of Universal Credit in our area it is important to encourage and assist people to find jobs and keep them.

I had to laugh at the attempts of the Tory councillor from Gartocharn trying to explain the benefits of Universal Credit. It is far from funny, though, as the way this scheme has been rammed through has proven to be extremely damaging to the most vulnerable in our communities.

We all understand the theory behind i,t but it is being driven by extreme Tory ideology and the toxic mix of uncaring officials throughout the benefits system.

The film I, Daniel Blake was a bleak but real insight into the world of people who dared to become unemployed, disabled or stuck on benefits and a system that treats them with disdain and disgust.

How degraded and worthless must they feel when they encounter this monstrous bureaucratic nightmare?