A local authority social work department which was heavily criticised in two government inspection reports has got rid of almost four out of 10 members of staff in the last two years.

A MINISHANT woman is off to London to collect a lifetime achievement award. Jane Sloan’s inspirational work with national charity Headway has bagged her the top gong.

A RAPE crisis centre could be what North Ayrshire is missing – that was the finding of a special conference held in Irvine.

A devastating new analysis of Scotland’s budget predicts that the country could see a spending shortfall of close on £3 billion within four years, placing some of devolution’s most cherished policies under threat.

A councillor has been suspended following his opposition to the creation of a new management post in his council’s social work department.

A council has withdrawn proposals to close four centres for adults with learning disabilities as part of its bid to find budget savings of £6.5m.

A NEW report has lifted the lid on the appalling abuse being suffered by vulnerable adults – with a shocking 400 cases investigated by protection workers in Renfrewshire over the past year alone.

A new management post costing £25,000 to set up and run is to be created to try to tackle a projected £3.4m overspend in a social work budget.

THE West Lothian branch of Dyslexia Scotland have moved to a new home in a bid to encourage more people to their meetings. The organisation, which had previously met at Dechmont Community Hall, will now hold their meetings at West Lothian College.

INVERNESS councillor Peter Corbett broke away from the administration yesterday when he stood up and refused to spend £25,000 of taxpayer’s money on promoting a senior social work officer to ease the workload of one of the authority’s most highly-paid directors.