Since the council elections on May 4 much has happened not, only in West Dunbartonshire but, in the whole of the UK.

The ghastly fire at Grenfell Tower will be in everyone’s minds for years to come.

The unpredicted results of the election of June 8.

Newly-elected councillors are offered excellent, well thought-out training, in all areas of the council’s work.

This will enable us to carry out our work as effectively as possible.

We were also offered an introductory session at the CAB in Alexandria which proved to be very informative.

A visit to the Skylark IX project, to hear about their engagement with Alternatives and DACA, demonstrated how dedicated people can make things happen, purely for the good of others.

An evening at the school games awards (a programme to encourage participation in sport through an inter-schools league) was full of enthusiasm.

More than 400 volunteer coaches and helpers join the staff of WD Leisure during the year to make this happen.

The children clearly benefit in all areas of their school lives through this.

For the first time during the school holidays children from P1-S1 have been offered Summer Camp style activities, run by the council.

These have been free and are designed to be fun, informative and to widen opportunities for pupils.

Other summer events such as the Loch Lomond Highland Games and the Scottish Pipe Band Championships have been well attended; a huge effort is put in by the council and others to make these days successful.

The topping out ceremony of the nearly completed new council offices, in Dumbarton, took place in July, complete with a tour involving councillors, the building architect, engineers and project manager.

The £15.4 million project in Church Street will bring the council to the heart of Dumbarton boosting the town centre and making the council much more accessible to the public.

The residents of West Dunbartonshire can be reassured that the council is a well-run organisation, there to serve them.

Proven only a few weeks ago by the winning of a UK award for Best Public Sector Employer 2017, Top Employers for Working Families Award.