Stormy meeting

Furious parents shouted“shame on you”at councillors after the decision was passed at last week’s meeting.

And dozens more protested outside the council buildings before the meeting last Wednesday.

SNP councillors, led by Hamilton West and Earnock councillor, John Menzies, and seconded by East Kilbride Central North councillor, Anne Mags, had put forward a motion to rip up the recommendations and go back to the drawing board.

But this was voted down and they were accused by the council’s leader, Labour’s Eddie McAvoy, of failing to get involved with the tough financial decisions the council have to make or coming up with workable suggestions to try and find the savings elsewhere.

Cllr Menzies said:“This is a very difficult and highly emotive issue.

“I am not here to blame anyone but to voice the concerns of the people I represent.”

And questioning council leader McAvoy, Cllr Mags said:“Do you really think it is right for children to be walking across slip roads and maybe even motorways to get to school? My main concern is the safety of our children and God help us if anything happens to any one of them.”

But Cllr McAvoy hit back saying:“I would love to agree with the SNP’s proposal – all I need is for someone to come up with £1million of savings elsewhere.

“This has been discussed for the last 10 months and still no one has come up with any answers – if we can’t come up with an answer in that time then we aren’t going to come up with one in the next six weeks.”

Labour’s Cambuslang West Cllr, Richard Tullet, who said:“The real problem with what is being said by the SNP is that they show no real engagement with the financial issues we face.”