I was very disappointed in your article "Charity in row over closures" (The Herald, March 22).
This stated that Enable Scotland "defended its involvement in a controversial plan by Glasgow City Council to close three day centres.
Enable Scotland was not involved in devising this plan, and the organisation did not defend its involvement in it.
No doubt this report influenced Professor Andrew Watterson's letter (March 23). I can assure him there is nothing hollow about Enable Scotland's attempts to ensure carers and people who have learning disabilities are involved in the decision-making process in Glasgow.
Glasgow City Council has made it clear it has no option but to close three learning disability day centres. The council's executive committee has now confirmed this decision. Significant numbers of carers have made it clear they will not accept this decision, and will continue to campaign for it to be overturned.
Regardless of the outcome of this dispute, day service provision for people who have learning disabilities in Glasgow must be modernised. (On this point, there is general agreement.)
And regardless of the outcome of this dispute, Enable Scotland is committed to working in a Public Social Partnership (PSP) framework to ensure the voices of these carers, and of those who use these centres, are central to the design of modern services that meet their needs.
I fully understand the reluctance of many carers to commit to being part of the PSP, as they see this as implying acceptance of the decision to close the three day centres.
Enable Scotland will continue to attempt, through dialogue with carers, their "champion" Christopher Mason and with Glasgow City Council, to reach a position where everyone concerned with the wellbeing of people who have learning disabilities can work constructively together.
The first day centre in Glasgow was opened in 1955 by Enable Scotland members (then called the Society for the Parents of Handicapped Children), who came together in response to the absence of local authority provision.
Almost 60 years later, many carers in Glasgow are extremely anxious that they will soon be little better off than their predecessors in the 1950s.
This anxiety must be alleviated as quickly as possible, and this can only be achieved by dialogue, engagement and by actions that confirm the council's commitment that no-one will leave a day centre before appropriate alternative plans are in place.
Peter Scott,
CEO, Enable Scotland,
Inspire House,
3 Renshaw Place,
Eurocentral, Lanarkshire.
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