Changes to West Lothian’s community centres have been condemned as “ a total failure” based on “anti-democratic decisions” taken by the council, it has been claimed.

In a war of words that followed almost two years of increasingly politicised and bitter debate and dispute the Joint Forum of Community Councils said it was appalled at what had played out.

West Lothian Council rejected these claims, saying that where other councils had closed community venues to save money, all in West Lothian would stay open.

In May last year the council asked all volunteer management committees to consider savings options for the future.

In a bid to save £1m the council offered centre management committees the option to buy their buildings outright through Community Asset Transfer, or sign leasing opt

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