Shake-up for city advocacy

PLANS to shake up the way advocacy services are provided in Edinburgh have been approved.

The Liberal Democrat/SNP administration proposed taking a "default position" of tendering to three specific providers, rather than the current range of providers.

Representatives of the Consultation and Advocacy Promotion Service and Powerful Partnerships urged the council to reject the plans. Labour group health spokeswoman Lesley Hinds said the process had parallels with the care and support tendering, which had to be halted after problems emerged.