A Paisley councillor whose home was targeted by thugs has welcomed a move to issue elected members with lone worker alarms.
Will Mylet has been vocal about enhancing the protection of councillors since vandals smashed a window at his house while he was asleep inside with his wife and children.
Together with fellow councillor Kenny MacLaren, he received backing from the SNP national conference last year as he called for victims of such attacks to be given better support.
And he has now welcomed a decision by Renfrewshire Council to issue elected members with security fobs that will alert a call centre if they feel they are in danger while carrying out their duties.
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Councillor Mylet said: “These devices are commonplace amongst MPs and their staff.
"It seems strange that it has taken so long for councils to catch up with this development but I welcome their introduction.
“I hope that this will mean greater protection and support for all councillors.
"I wouldn’t want any other councillors to go through what happened to me and my family and welcome any moves to provide greater protection for councillors."
The move was confirmed by Councillor Marie McGurk last year after a motion was tabled to condemn fatal attacks on three politicians in England.
Sir David Amess, Jo Cox and Councillor Andy Pennington were all killed while carrying out constituency surgeries.
The devices are set to be issued to elected members in the next couple of weeks.
For public protection reasons, council chiefs have not given out exact details of how they will work. However, most of them enable users to discreetly contact their employers or, in extreme cases, emergency services.
Councillor MacLaren added: “Since the attack on Will’s property we have carried out research and found many other councillors across Scotland were suffering attacks and threatening behaviour.
"Unlike other politicians, councillors did not get automatic support from the police and the support from councils was haphazard at best.
“We welcome the fact Renfrewshire Council has now decided to act and bring in these lone working devices.
"No one should feel unsafe at their work and their families should not be under threat simply because of the job that they do."
Councillor Mylet spoke out about councillors' safety back in March last year, believing that his front window was smashed with a pool cue over his involvement in an antisocial behaviour case. He was sleeping at home with his wife and two young children when a yob on a bike launched the senseless vandalism attack on March 17.
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