This is the list of documents available for the submission Motion by Councillor Lana Reid-McConnell:- "Council expresses deep concern over the continuous funding cuts to mental health services in Glasgow, leaving the Council, HSCP, Education, third sector and other partners without the adequate resources to respond to the mental health crisis the city is facing. With the Glasgow City Integration Joint Board (IJB) facing another significant projected deficit in the 2026-2027 budget, more must be done to ensure there is a coordinated approach and sufficient funding for Glaswegians to receive the mental health support they require. Council recalls that the Scottish Government directly cut the IJBs 'Enhanced mental health framework' settlement by 5% at the end of 2024. This reduced capacity in both children's and adult services, at a time where referrals are significant, particularly in terms of those seeking support via the neurodevelopmental pathway. Council notes the recent report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland calling for a new nationwide approach to dealing with severe waitlists, reported as over four years in Glasgow for the neurodevelopmental pathway. Not only is this detrimental to the mental health and wellbeing of citizens but the report also highlighted the significant economic cost of the lack of support for those with neurodevelopmental conditions. Council further notes that the Scottish Government settlement via the Glasgow City Council and the NHS Board led to significant cuts to mental health services in the IJB's budget for 2025-2026. This included cuts to a range of services including the Sandyford Counselling Service, Lifelink Counselling, the Glasgow Psychological Trauma Service and more, leading to increasing waitlists and those with severe mental illness facing serious delays in support. The reductions in capacity are resulting in those who may have normally met the requirement for referral in both adult and children's services, no longer able to seek support via community, primary care or specialist mental health services. Council regrets the recent closure of the Sandyford Counselling Service, despite the demand that was clearly demonstrated by the service's wait list of 431 people as well as broader statistics around need for counselling support for a range of issues including sexual trauma, health, pregnancy and gender identity. Council agrees that the redirection of such patients to other mental health services, facing their own large waitlists, is unacceptable. Council notes that in November 2025, the IJB reported a significant overspend in Mental Health services, particularly in acute services, indicating that the reductions in specialist, community and preventative services are simply shifting pressures elsewhere. Council therefore believes there is a need to increase funding for community and specialist services. Council commends the work that is ongoing in early intervention and prevention, across the HSCP, Council and third sector in our city. In particular, it highlights the role of community links workers (CLWs) who provide support for those who are facing poor physical and mental health due to social, emotional and economic hardship that may result in support with housing, debt, domestic violence, social prescribing and more. Council highlights that current funding for community links workers and mental health within the 2023-2026 primary care strategy is sitting at less than 50% of what is required to meet the outcomes of the strategy. The impact of poverty on mental health is significant with people from less wealthy areas 2.5 times more likely to take their own life than those from wealthier areas, demonstrating the vital role of financial inclusion within primary care as supported by CLWs and the family wellbeing support streams. Council welcomes the ongoing efforts to improve mental health support directly within schools and the upcoming conference for young men in January, aiming to tackle the typically low uptake of mental health resources amongst young men. Council recognises the important role of in-school counselling and mental health support in preventing escalation and exacerbation of mental ill-health and relieving pressure on acute services. As we enter into the festive season and Glasgow's population within temporary accommodation sits at over 4000, Council recognises the severe impact of homelessness on mental health and the importance of services such as the Trauma and Homelessness Team in supporting people over the age of 16 affected by complex trauma, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and have significant mental health difficulties. In summary, Council believes that the system is not sufficiently resourced to meet the demand in Glasgow, and that mental health services should be protected. Council also believes there is work to be done to increase partnership and coordination across the city in the face of severe cuts in recent years. Council believes that further action should be taken by both the Scottish Government and UK Government to respond to the scale of the mental health crisis in Glasgow. Therefore Council requests that the Convener for Health, Care & Caring and Older People writes to both the Scottish and UK Governments to outline the growing demands facing the IJB and mental health provision in Glasgow; the particular needs of Glasgow and its population in terms of mental health care provision; the importance of funding preemptive and preventative care as well as specialist services for children, young people and adults. This should also include a request for an urgent review on the funding streams for mental health and associated services; a request to immediately reinstate funding for the Enhanced Mental Health Framework and a commitment to sustaining and increasing the capacity within mental health services within Glasgow in both the short and long term, and reiterating Glasgow's support for the reintroduction of a non domestic rates Public Health Supplement for large retailers, with the option of ringfencing this revenue for prevention-based and community services. Council further calls for a Mental Health Summit within the next 3-6 months and agrees to convene this with appropriate partners, bringing together stakeholders from across the city including but not limited to those working within Health, Social Care, Education and the third sector, along with those with lived experience.".

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