By the time you read this, councillors will have approved a seven week consultation on plans for a new education and community campus in Faifley.

Additional to the new schools, nursery and sports facilities being built, the SNP are delivering on our promise to replace the dilapidated community facilities at Skypoint and to build a new, more accessible library for Faifley. We’ve also asked for a paper to allow councillors to agree options for upgrading local walking routes and making the area a more pleasant place to be.

I urge everyone in Faifley to get involved in the consultation, and to keep an eye on the Clydebank Post and on council media for details. This is your community campus, and will provide facilities for generations to come. It’s vital that what we build reflects the needs and wishes of your community.

As we approach the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, I’m delighted that at West Dunbartonshire Council we’ve reduced our carbon emissions by 26 per cent in just seven years.

A council-wide programme of activities to tackle climate change has seen carbon dioxide emissions reduce by 8,544 tonnes, setting us well on our way to delivering our commitment to be a net zero organisation by 2045.

Lighting upgrades, energy efficiency for heating schools and offices and the rollout of electric vehicles have all contributed to the massive reduction.

The district heating system at Queens Quay, which provides low carbon hot water for homes and public buildings will help us go even further over the next few years.

Our focus also remains on ensuring council contracts consider the environmental impact, ensuring solar technology and insulation is in council homes, enhancing greenspace to increase plant and animal diversity, and increasing recycling.

With the eyes of the world on Scotland, I’m proud that we’re reducing our carbon footprint and taking action to respond and play our part in tackling the climate emergency.

I’d like to finish by saying that despite the negativity from the Labour party right now – there’s an election next year and they’re a wee bit over-excited – I’m extremely proud of our staff and the services they’ve provided throughout the pandemic.

Services are not perfect right now, and that’s to be expected. Labour thinks the public are stupid, but the feedback I’ve had from constituents has been understanding and appreciative of how the council’s staff have gone and continue to go above and beyond for our communities.

As restrictions ease, and more and more people get vaccinated, we’ll be able to safely return to office-based working and give our staff the facilities and tools they need. The services the council provides will improve over the coming months ahead; in the meantime, thank you to our staff, and to you, our constituents, for your continued patience.