CITY councillors were today accused of “assassinating” Edinburgh’s community groups after backing funding cuts that will lead to closures and job losses.

At a highly-charged meeting in the City Chambers yesterday, nine groups made last-minute pleas for more cash, but only one – the Edinburgh Community Food Initiative – was successful.

A £300,000 funding cut for Edinburgh Leisure means six of the city’s eight sports centre crèches will now almost certainly close, despite protests from mothers and a petition signed by more than 1400 people in just a few days.

Five of Edinburgh’s community newspapers, which have been published for over 30 years and are read by 175,000 people, are also set to be wound up, with the loss of 11 jobs.

Many groups also hit out after hearing of the cuts for the first time days ago, either from council reports or in the Evening News.

Scores of groups will now have to cope with no annual increase in funding – some for the fourth year running.

A DESPERATE Scots mum is pleading for someone to help her autistic daughter, who can’t stop punching herself in the head.

A SECURE unit for children was likened to a “war zone” by furious staff yesterday.

A nursery worker has denied a charge of force-feeding children in her care.

A 79-YEAR-OLD dementia sufferer was left to roam the streets on Friday, after walking out of the Kirkcaldy care home where he was staying.

BUNGLING Lib Dem MSPs last night threw into chaos plans to allow serious offenders to be released early on tagging orders.

Aberdeen councillors have been asked to attend talks with the various campaign groups fighting to save a range of services.

A SEX offender struck again just days after being allowed out on bail by High Court judges despite warnings he posed a danger to the public.

Proposals for schoolchildren to undergo ceremonies to pledge their commitment to the UK and for a British national day to enhance shared citizenship were last night ridiculed by Alex Salmond, the First Minister, as “Monty Pythonesque” and worthy of Basil Fawlty.

Potential sites have been identified for five new care homes in the Highlands. Councillors previously agreed buildings providing 32 beds in Tain, 32 in Muir of Ord, 44 in Inverness and 30 in both Grantown and Fort William.