WEST Dunbartonshire Council’s first-ever Bailie, Denis Agnew, said he joined forces with the SNP to form the next administration at West Dunbartonshire Council “for the greater good”.

The Clydebank Central independent councillor said he would work with the SNP in order to help “deliver the services that West Dunbartonshire needs.”

Mr Agnew was also bestowed the ceremonial title of Bailie, the first in the council’s 21-year history.

He said: “It’s a huge honour and a privilege to be elected Bailie, the first in the history of West Dunbartonshire.

“Now we have to work together for the greater good and that is why I am accepting a role in the new administration.

“I detest division and we need to work together in order to deliver all the services to the people of West Dunbartonshire we have to come together.

“The other thing that I want to be clear about is that we will treat people, not as customers, but as people, as citizens and we’ll do our very best in order to deliver the type of services they want in West Dunbartonshire.

“Sometimes you have to put aside your differences and work for the greater good and that’s a decision I made easily.

“Now the challenge is a ahead of us and we have to forge together and make this work.”

Bailie Agnew is also a big supporter of the St Margaret of Scotland Hospice and one of his top priorities is to ensure that the hospice is properly funded for the long term.

In his recent election address he said he would “continue to lobby within the council for St Margaret’s Hospice”.

He added: “I am glad that my recent motion to council received unanimous support and was a step towards preventing the hospice from means testing its future patients. I pledge my continued support to the hospice to ensure its long term financial stability.”