The SNP administration at West Dunbartonshire Council are preoccupied with fighting and division with their depute leader resigning to join Alba.

I would rather concentrate on a local education recovery plan for Clydebank schools.

Many of our children and young people are returning to classrooms and direct teaching. Now is the time to focus on a local West Dunbartonshire Council education recovery plan.

I want to see a personal comeback plan for every pupil with a needs based assessment together with a fully funded tutoring programme for all ages and all pupils.

I also want West Dunbartonshire Council to consider a summer comeback programme to ensure children can continue to learn but also enjoy themselves at the same time, and this should include free access to sport and outdoor activities across our school facilities in Clydebank. Children have missed out on organised sport and clubs over the last year.

We must also provide a mental health assessment for any young person who requests or needs this.

But all of this will need additional Covid support funding from the Scottish Government. More importantly, we need the teaching and staff resources to back up a local education recovery for West Dunbartonshire.

We need additional teachers. The EIS has reported that one in 10 of our teachers are on temporary contracts. Also, our school staff must be given vaccine priority.

As we come out of this pandemic, we need to work together to find solutions not divisions. We need to pull together as a community here in Clydebank. An outstanding example of this is the recently formed Linnvale Community Group. Last week, I had the great pleasure of meeting its chair, Colin Hay, and some of his team. All of their work is voluntary and they give their own time to improve Linnvale for all its residents.

We at West Dunbartonshire Council must do all we can to support and encourage them. However, we must also listen to them and respect their views and opinions on what is best for their community. Linnvale is in desperate need of a new community facility to replace the Double-L Centre. They have my full support with this project.

Finally, it’s a great relief to have our places of worship open again in time for Easter. Hopefully, as we roll out the vaccines, we will return to near normal activity again. I am looking forward to holding face to face surgeries again and catching up with everyone at Duntocher Village Hall. Until then, stay safe.