ARGYLL and Bute Council has given its backing to a nationwide campaign for state pension equality for women born in the 1950s.

A presentation by the Argyll and the Isles branch of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) campaign was given to a meeting of the full council on November 24.

After the presentation, councillors unanimously agreed to a motion calling for the authority to add its voice to calls for fair transitional state pension arrangements for women both on or after April 6, 1951.

Many of those women saved for their old age on the expectation that they would retire at 60 – but have been left with no time to make alternative arrangements for their retirement after changes to the state pension age made by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2001.

Helensburgh resident Ann Greer, who gave the presentation to last Thursday's meeting along with Karen Murphy from Kintyre, said afterwards: “We were delighted with the result and would like to thank all the councillors who voted unanimously in favour of the motion.

“They are now one of almost 80 councils, throughout the UK who have voted in support of this.”

The local WASPI campaign has also received the enthusiastic backing of Argyll and Bute's Westminster MP, Brendan O'Hara.

In a further gesture of support, McCaig's Tower in Oban will be illuminated in purple light for two days at the end of January as part of the WASPI campaign's 'Paint Your Town Purple' awareness-raising initiative.