At the door to the council offices in Kilmory last week a group of mothers had gathered.

They were demonstrating their opposition to the budget cuts. One cut in particular would grievously affect their children.

The mothers have children with special needs. In the past these children would have been sent to special schools, separated from their peers. Now they are integrated into mainstream schools with all the social benefits that brings. They play a full part in the school community.

They are helped by special needs assistants (SNA) who accompany the children in the classroom. It was moving to hear some of the stories the mothers told and how grateful they are for the dedication of the SNAs.

The possibility that the SNAs may be withdrawn is deeply upsetting. So disturbing that they came to the council HQ to speak to the councillors. The dry financial numbers suddenly took on a whole new aspect as the impact on peoples lives was made apparent.

Other budget options do not have the same emotional charge as the special needs assistants. Nevertheless they carry long term adverse implications. Closing public toilets may appear innocuous.

Yet it is a blow for tourism and tourism is a key sector of our local economy. The slow decline in the population of Argyll will continue unless more employment opportunities are created.

We need tourism to grow. It provides jobs in the more remote rural areas as well as the larger towns.

Parents of pupils at Hermitage Academy have felt ignored. Their concerns about the exam results at National 5 are not being addressed.

The bold experiment of by-passing the SQA exams in the fourth year was only a mixed success this year. Some pupils performed very well and the Higher results were in line with expectations. Others found that they lacked exam experience when faced with the rigorous test of Highers and National 5s in fifth year.

The result was a very much lower pass rate in National 5s than anticipated.

The teachers are also expressing serious concern at the pressure being put on pupils to pass in a single year. At the council meeting last week only the SNP councillors supported the parents, pupils, and teachers who are demanding change.

Their demands are not extravagant. They want an option that will allow National 5s to be taken in S4 as in almost all other schools across Scotland.