COUNCILLORS face a vote on the proposed 40% cuts to a "lifeline" men-tal health charity.

It is understood council officers are recommending that the money-saving proposals for Glasgow Association for Mental Health (GAMH) be authorised by local councillors.

Staff and service users from the charity have campaigned for weeks to reduce the severity of the cuts by holding protests and starting a petition.

The service, which helps thousands of vulnerable people, could be forced to close should the full 40% - around £800,000 - be slashed from funding.

Now union officials from Unison, who represent staff at the organisation, are demanding an urgent meeting with council leader Gordon Matheson before any voting takes place.

Deborah Dyer, Unison's organiser for the voluntary sector, said: "We are appalled by what is happening.

"The council know what a dangerous decision this will be and they are therefore all trying to blame each other.

"Officers first said they were making the decision but now they see the strength of feeling they want the councillors to officially cut the service.

"Hundreds of vulnerable people with complex mental health problems face an uncertain Christmas.

"They have no idea if the support services they need will be available in 2015.

"We have written to Gordon Matheson at Glasgow City Council to demand an urgent meeting, to ask that he be true to his word when he said he would do everything he could to promote mental health in Glasgow."

A city council spokesman said the council faced tight budgets, but councillors had the power to reject any budget proposals suggested by officers.

He said: "The council's budget for the next financial year has still to be agreed and so decisions on individual funding awards have still to be taken."

hannah.rodger@ eveningtimes.co.uk