A CAMPAIGNING Renton woman has tackled the new administration at West Dunbartonshire Council over plans to shut the social work department in Alexandria.

Helen Short handed in the first petition to the SNP administration, asking that the decision taken by the previous Labour-led administration, to close the social work department, be reversed.

And she has the backing of the West Dunbartonshire Community Party member Jim Bollan.

Ms Short said: “I believe that moving this service to Clydebank will hurt vulnerable families and make life more difficult for the children and their parents who will now have to make their way to Clydebank for essential meetings and contact visits.”

“I contacted local Community Party councillor Jim Bollan who arranged for the petition to be handed over to Marie McNair, the newly elected conveyor of social work and Jonathan McColl, the SNP group leader.”

They congratulated Helen for taking direct action on an issue she feels so strongly about and promised to discuss the issue and keep her informed about their decisions.

Leven councillor Jim Bollan said he is backing Ms Short’s campaign to the hilt.

He told the Reporter: “This is a key critical front line service which needs to be protected.

“The proposed closure put forward by the previous Labour administration needs to be reversed by the new SNP council.

“The recent figures showing a 300 per cent increase in child protection cases across West Dunbartonshire demonstrate vividly why these local services need to be saved and enhanced.”

Back in 2014, the Reporter told how a report to WDC recommended that authority be granted to the executive director of Infrastructure and Regeneration to declare the Church Street building as surplus and have it demolished once it closed.

Three years on and the future of the building is still uncertain.

The issue shall be raised at the next full council meeting.

Marie McNair, spokesperson for Social Work & Health, said: “Jonathan and I were happy to accept this petition from Helen, and we have ensured that the issue will be on the June Council agenda. This decision is now formally under review and we will be taking our time before deciding what to do.”

Jonathan McColl, leader of the council added: “The initial briefing we have received from officers leaves some questions unanswered and we will be meeting with the chief executive and senior social work managers over the coming week before discussing as a group what we want to do regarding the building.

“I want to be clear that we will not accept a reduction in vital social work service provision for local people, and at this point, we are yet to be convinced that this closure makes sense or is necessary as part of the wider office rationalisation project.”