Protests disrupt council meeting

Campaigners have been protesting against the charge since last year

Protestors have chained themselves together forcing the full meeting of Fife council to be abandoned.

The group of about six people - some of them in wheelchairs - were campaigning against the introduction of authority's home care charges policy.

Police officers were called after they refused to stop chanting. The group were moved out of Fife House but no arrests were made.

The protest happened during a meeting in the council chamber at Fife House.

Council leader Peter Grant told the BBC Scotland news website that some of the protestors stood-up mid way through the meeting and started shouting.

Others, in wheelchairs, chained themselves together and refused to move on when police arrived.

No support

The meeting was suspended for a period. Further disruptions came once it was restarted and so a decision was taken to abandon the meeting.

Cllr Grant said: "Leaving aside the arguments about council prices, I have always supported the idea of people expressing a point of view. But when you are stopping elected members making important decisions there is no point to it.

"There was nothing on the agenda today about what they were protesting over. There were a lot of other important decisions to be taken which we were not able to get around to."

Labour councillor Mark Hood said the group were demanding to know how many assessments have been carried out on home care services.

He said: "I am not sure I would support the protest but I would share their frustration.

"It is very difficult to get this information. It is leaving a lot of people concerned."

The council has said it will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that future meetings are not disrupted.

However, the leader stopped short of suggesting that the campaigners, who regularly attend meetings, would be banned.

A spokeswoman for Fife Constabulary said they were called at 1125 BST to a protest in the council chamber. Officers attended Fife House and tried to move the protestors on.