Campaigners are distraught at the news that McClymont House Care Home will not be saved from closure.

Campaigners hopes for a reprieve have been dashed

Social Care Minister, Maree Todd, has written to the South Lanarkshire IJB to confirm that no additional funding will be provided to help keep open both the McClymont and Dewar House Care Homes.

The devastating news came after the Minister had met with the families and trade unions on 26th April and was expressed in a letter to the IJB who had asked the Scottish Government for extra funding to help keep McClymont open.

The decision to close it means that there will be no public provision of social care for the elderly in Clydesdale.

Emma Koubayssi granddaughter and Save McClymont Campaigner said: "This is devastating news. We are gutted and feel so let down by our politicians. This is social vandalism and all politicians are to blame for this state of affairs. Make no mistake this will have a terrible impact on the current residents, whilst removing public care for Clydedale people in the future.

“The residents of McClymont have been caught in the crossfire of a political argument about who is to blame for the closure of this brilliant facility. The truth is they are all to blame, the councillors at SLC and the Scottish Government have let us down and we are so disappointed in all of them. I for one will never forget this."

Stephen Smellie, Unison Branch Secretary, said: "We met with Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care on Friday and detailed the case for keeping McClymont open. It was a strong case and the people of Lanark and Clydesdale were strongly behind it. We really hoped that she would help and we are devastated that her Government has chosen to look the other way.

“This support was loud and visible on Saturday morning at the protest march.

“The people of Clydesdale know, as everyone else does, including the council and Scottish Government, that this decision to close the only Council run care home in Clydesdale and rely on private care homes for the future will put the future of care at the mercy of an unreliable, unsustainable and poorer quality service."