Councillor under fire over previous CAB support
THE councillor behind a policy which could cut funding from Citizens’ Advice Bureaus has come under fire for previously pledging her support to the organisation.
An unearthed photograph showed Councillor Jennifer Layden holding a sign in the City Chambers in support of her local Bridgeton CAB, a branch which now faces closure.
The sign reads: “I am supporting my local CAB. CAB provide a vital lifeline to our local communities.”
As previously reported by the Glasgow Times, more than 100 projects could be knocked back for vital funding. Bridgeton and four other CAB branches – Glasgow Central, Parkhead, Easterhouse and Castlemilk - face the axe as a result.
Opposition councillors branded the convenor a “hypocrite”.
Labour’s Cllr Paul Carey called on SNP politician to apologise and asked if she would “consider her position”.
Tory Robert Connelly said the photo was “damning”, adding: “Councillor Layden must apologise to CAB’s for the worries her communities fund has caused them.
“Not because of the photo but, after all issues that have happened over this fund, including issues that have caused massive delays I believe that Councillor Layden has to consider her position as City Convenor.”
A spokesman for the SNP group said: “Cllr Layden supports and admires the work done by volunteers at her local Bureau and those across the city – but that doesn’t mean she can interfere in the assessment and scoring process to ensure they get funding over other community organisations.
“What she has done is get to work identifying a solution. That delivers an additional £ 4million in funding to help secure the future of valuable projects that missed out on grants.”