I HAVE been a councillor for 24 years and I have seen Labour councils sink some low blows on our communities - but they stooped to a new level when the Labour Council Budget was set for 2013/2014 on February 6. Council's in the past have always managed to have "universal" charges for care of the elderly for citizens who can no longer live independently and need to reside in one of our elderly care homes.

This ensured an equality and fairness which the elderly are entitled to after paying into the tax system all their lives.

The universality of the charges made sure there was none of "the poor and the deserving poor" a distinction often made by the Tories and now taken on board by the part time Labour councillors as they introduce means testing for the elderly residents in our care homes.

Labour is going to extract an additional �360,000 in care costs from the elderly who they deem "can afford it". The Scottish Labour Leader Johanne Lamont said recently "universal benefits were unsustainable".

The local Labour Party has certainly acted quickly on her instructions by attacking one of the most vulnerable client groups available and robbing them of �360,000 per year.

The Scottish Socialist Party warned just weeks ago that Labours "transformation" agenda would mean cuts in services and privatisation.

It would appear the introduction of the means testing for the care of the elderly is only a start in this process.

What services will be next?

Residents with mental health issues? Residents with physical disabilities? Young people in residential homes? Along with this direct attack on the elderly Labour also cut children's school milk, school crossing patrols, breakfast clubs, grants to community groups, jobs and many more services.

New Labour doing, what New Labour do best - cutting from the cradle to the grave.

Councillor Jim Bollan Leven Ward