Nicola Sturgeon has shown support for carers fighting plans to put contracts for vital services out to competitive tender.

Six carers centres across Glasgow, which act as a lifeline to thousands, must now bid for the funding they get from Glasgow City council.

Those who depend on the centres, which were never previously subject to the tendering process, fear they could be in jeopardy.

During a visit to the South West Glasgow Carer’s Centre in Craigton, where she was on the local election stump, the First Minister criticised the tendering decision which was taken by a senior council officer. The local authority say this was done on the back of legal advice.

But she added: “From a democratic point of view there is something wrong with this.

“I think most people, when they vote for their local councillor, think that the big decisions about how a service is run in a city will actually be taken by the people that you vote for so that they are democratically accountable.

“This is a decision that has been taken by unelected officers in a council without any democratic decision making by the council.”

She added: “Glasgow City Council are legally responsible and entitled to make this decision but don’t let them tell you they have no choice. There is nobody forcing the council to do this.”

Speaking to a room full of carers after campaigning with SNP council candidates at the Barrowlands Park, the First Minister also paid tribute to the “vital” work they do and said: “If you take away the valuable contribution that carers make, the responsibility for this then falls to the government and the health service.

“We have to support you to support ourselves.”

Addressing the carer’s concerns about the way the contracts tender has been handled by the council, the First Minister added: “The answer to this is to send Labour a message which says we are sick of you taking us for granted, we will vote in people who don’t take that view.”

It is understood that the tender will be advertised online later this month.