The future of a new £100 million prison, set to house one tenth of Scotland’s inmates, has been thrown into uncertainty after a public sector bid to run the jail was rejected.

A 70-year-old former senior social worker will become the new Lord Provost of Glasgow. Bob Winter beat former city treasurer Ruth Simpson by 30 votes to 13. Hanzala Malik, who had hoped to become the first Asian to hold the position in Scotland, had previously dropped out of the race.

The high number of suicides in rural communities is to be addressed in a series of roadshow training sessions and talks in the Highlands. The roadshow includes a group of organisations which work to raise awareness of mental health issues.

A charity that provides counselling for primary school children as young as four is calling for greater funding to help troubled youngsters. The Place2Be says it is enjoying success helping pupils in Edinburgh, its only Scottish base, where it works in ten primary schools.

Nicotine replacement therapy will be prescribed for children as young as 12 across Scotland to help them quit smoking under official NHS guidance. Every GP surgery and chemist is being sent an update on good practice which includes offering nicotine patches and gum to teenagers.

A ground breaking seminar in Glasgow’s East End will this week look at how housing, health and social care services can work together to benefit local residents.

The director of a group of Scottish care homes for the elderly was named newcomer of the year in a UK awards ceremony recognising Asian enterprise.

Nearly half of Scotland’s police forces have no idea about the number of religious hate incidents reported in their area.

Confusion over the replacement for the meals on wheels service in Aberdeenshire is being played down by the council. But new rules prevent home carers heating up food frozen by the users’ family, because of health and safety regulations.

A Church of Scotland carer who systematically robbed a vulnerable patient has dodged jail. Elizabeth Johnston was hired by the Kirk to care for William Markey at his home – on condition she showed a “Christian commitment”.