One of the most rewarding and enjoyable things about being a councillor is being able to visit schools to speak with and meet the young people of our local area – whether it’s for the annual summer or Christmas shows, an awards ceremony or when we get a grilling at a pupil’s Question Time. It is truly always a highlight hearing from the next generation.

Those visits emphasise to me the importance of education and I always leave inspired, not only by the wonderful pupils but by their teachers and school staff too. I’ve seen first-hand how less resources but with more responsibilities has impacted them but still, they go above and beyond to support our city’s young people.

The SNP administration in Glasgow recently supported a budget which will lead to what Scotland’s largest teaching union, EIS, have described as “debilitation education cuts”. It includes cuts of 172 teaching posts this year with around 450 more to be cut over the next three years, cuts to primary school budgets used for essential resources which we know has been crucial in recent years and a significant decrease in support for pupils especially in the Additional Support Needs sector.

These proposed cuts are devastating and will see an impact on both teachers' and pupils' education experience – again we will see additional responsibilities added to their workloads but a cut in those vital resources.

Glaswegians deserve better than this, our young people deserve the opportunity to flourish and reach their full potential and our teachers deserve the support, stability and resources needed to deliver that educational experience.

This week Glasgow Labour Councillors will move a motion at Full Council expressing our deep concern over these teacher numbers reduction, highlighting the importance of our teachers in shaping the future of our young people and the crucial additional work which they are involved in throughout communities across the city.

Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” – it must remain a top priority for decision-makers both in Glasgow’s City Chambers and in Holyrood.

Glasgow Labour has spent the months since the budget was passed working with and listening to teachers, parents and trade union representatives. We need an ambitious plan that invests in our city’s young people – these proposed cuts are unacceptable and will have a detrimental impact. It must be addressed urgently.