A UNION has asked for the Scottish Government to intervene amid claims Glasgow City Council are cutting the budget of their community service programme.

The GMB union claims any cuts could "exacerbate" Scotland's prison overcrowding problem and have called moves "wrong-headed."

According to the union, plans tabled by the council will mean the number of staff in the department will reduce by nine, alongside a reduction in the number of placements across Glasgow from 384 per week to 255 which could mean a reduction of 6,700 placements a year.

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The Community Payback Service works in partnership with criminal justice social work services to deliver the programme as an alternative to prison.

GMB Scotland Organiser Sean Baillie said: “In Scotland’s biggest city with the busiest court in Europe, the council is cutting the amount of community payback placements by thousands – it’s totally wrong-headed.

“This is a local cuts agenda that contradicts national justice policy and will significantly increase the burden on the public purse by filling prisons with people who could serve their sentences in the community.

“Compounding the confusion is the fact that a service overspend has been uncovered and management either can’t or won’t confirm how this was authorised, funded, or what other service budgets were affected by this?

“Serious questions remain unanswered and with consequences for finance, justice, and jobs, we’ve been left with little choice but to ask the Cabinet Secretary to intervene.”

A council spokesperson said: “In line with available budgets, we are working on a revised delivery model to ensure that the Community Payback service operates as efficiently as possible.”