IT'S impossible to understand the thinking behind building a centre for alcohol-related brain damaged people next to a school.

What makes it worse is that the school in question is for children with special needs.

Social workers often invite criticism for giving thugs a hug rather than locking them up.

But this decision by Glasgow's social work director David Comley takes this outlook to a new level of stupidity.

Mentally-ill people deserve help - whatever the cause - but deliberately placing them next to children is unbelievable.

If Glasgow City Council is to retain any credibility councillors who backed this decision should think again.

They must also start asking more pertinent questions of their officials than they appear to have done in this case.

The forthcoming election is an ideal time to remind candidates they're being elected to make sensible decisions.

Banks must stop unfair charges

GOVAN Law Centre and places like it do a terrific job helping to protect people from being ripped-off.

Poverty levels in Glasgow mean that too many people turn to loan sharks.

And often they're forced in that direction because banks are unsympathetic and regularly hit the poorest hardest.

Their charges are frequently unfair and the people at Govan Law Centre and Citizens' Advice bureaux do a very good job.

It's time banks adopted more sympathetic policies.