SCOTLAND'S largest council is heading towards further turbulence over its shutting of day centres for adults with learning disabilities, with anger erupting over the earmarking of a further two for closure.

Glasgow City Council's all-powerful executive committee is expected to give the green light to close centres in Pollok and Jordanhill.

The authority has been mired in criticism over its decision in the last two years to close down three other day centres, with only two in the whole city now keeping their doors open.

It said the decision was taken as part of the personalisation policy of giving clients their own budgets to spend on their care.

A spokeswoman said: "The straightforward reality is that when given a choice people have chosen to spend their personal budgets with other service providers."

But unions and opposition groups have accused the authority of using some of the city's most vulnerable residents to meet cuts targets.

The deputy leader of the council's SNP group accused the Labour administration of "coldness and callousness".

Around 320 people with learning disabilities lost day centre places under the recent closure of the three centres at Summerston, Berryknowes and Hinshaw Street, Maryhill.

It sparked a campaign by families and backed by literary figures including James Kelman, Liz Lochhead and Tom Leonard, as well as prominent academics involved in social work and public health who accused the council of using personalisation as "a cover for cuts" and fuelling "increased social isolation for service users and added pressure on carers".

The closure of The Wedge in Pollok and the Southbrae Centre in Jordanhill is now expected to be confirmed this week.

The council said that as a result of personalisation "demand for services provided at both the Wedge and Southbrae has fallen to unsustainable levels".

It said it anticipated 200 service users would continue to use the remaining four centres but only 125 people do, leading to costs associated with the employment of too many staff as well as building overheads.

Others have used their budgets to take up places with services provided by voluntary sector groups.

But SNP group deputy leader David McDonald, whose ward includes The Wedge, said: "Labour's plans to close these centres and further decimate support for adults with learning disabilities in Glasgow shows the coldness and callousness at the heart of their approach.

"First they shut some centres, then they reduce individuals' budgets so the remaining centres become unaffordable and now they shut half the remaining centres due to under-use."

Unison's Brian Smith added: "The use of the self-directed support policy to cut disabled people's individual care budgets is once again leading to the closure of care services. We should be investing in care services, not cutting them.

"The council is using the most vulnerable to meet cuts."

The council said keeping four facilities open led to a "highly diminished experience for service users...which does not represent best value for taxpayers".

The spokeswoman added: "Places will be available in the two other centres at Riddrie and Carlton for those affected and people can be assured they will receive high quality support service in those centres.

"Following recent reforms to our learning disabilities day services, the strong indication is that service users and carers are now very pleased with the support being delivered across the city by a range of providers."