This week we will set our final budget of the term, and it will be important that the council focusses on protecting services, minimising additional cost of living pressures and investing in recovery.

These will be the three key themes of the SNP’s budget proposals as we attempt to get cross-party agreement on the way forward for our communities.

As I write this column we are still finalising our budget so I’m not able to get into specifics, but you can expect to see investment in both people and infrastructure, with jobs and services protected and enhanced, in spite of the financial challenges we face.

I’ve been extremely proud of what we have achieved over the past five-year term, and in particular I am very proud of how the council responded to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The council is nothing without our staff. I was delighted to attend the online employee recognition awards, which covered both 2020 and 2021, highlighting the amazing work of both our frontline and support staff. I’ll never tire of thanking them for what they do every day for our citizens and communities.

Despite some initial technical difficulties, our wonderful communications team were able to put on a great event. I’ve always felt that recognising and celebrating our staff is vital, so huge thanks go to Amanda Graham, Lauren Crooks and the whole team for making it happen.

Last week I joined councillors Karen Conaghan, Ian Dickson, Diane Docherty and Lawrence O’Neill beneath the Ukrainian flag flying at the council offices, to highlight West Dunbartonshire Council’s support for the Ukrainian people against the illegal invasion and senseless violence of the Putin regime.

Since then it has been heartening to see the response from our communities with donations flooding in to help fleeing families and those still living through the hell in Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin has brought war back to Europe after 77 years of peace. The images of civilians being targeted and people fleeing for their lives are hard to watch. But juxtaposed with that are pictures and stories of great heroism, with ordinary Ukrainian citizens joining their president and armed forces in defence of their nation.

We’ve seen residential areas deliberately targeted, journalists ambushed and fired upon, a ceasefire used to lure civilians into harm’s way and a nuclear power plant bombarded. This is no “operation to liberate”, it’s a slaughter of innocents at the behest of a madman with no moral conscience.

What little actions West Dunbartonshire citizens can take, they are taking. We need the UK Government and all civilised nations to step up efforts to end this dangerous war, that with nuclear weapons in play, threatens the entire world.