THIS week's Councillor Column is written by Gary Mulvaney, Conservative councillor for Helensburgh Central and chair of Argyll and Bute Council's Helensburgh and Lomond area committee.

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East Princes St Footpath: After a fair bit of dialogue with officers about this footpath, it is good to learn that the footpath outside the train station and next to the taxi rank is to be replaced. Its current state with broken paving and kerbs is not the best advert for those that arrive in the town by train.

CHORD: The Area Committee has decided to look at all the suggestions for how we spend the balance of the CHORD monies. The money requires to be spent on the same objectives as CHORD and suggestions so far include installing CHORD style granite footpaths in James Street and East Clyde Street; resurfacing footpaths in Maitland Street, John Street with tarmac and chips; additional bins (seagull proof); money for the award winning outside museum; as well as money for enhanced shrubbery and maintenance of the Square.

Trains: Well done to Helensburgh Community Council for highlighting the consequences of the changed train timetable for residents. HCC’s John Tachhi took up the cudgels to raise the issue with Abellio and the campaign has mushroomed from there with MSPs lending their support.

I have also written to Scotrail Alliance MD Phil Verster to raise the issues in the hope that the new timetable in December fixes the problems.

Scottish Nasty Party: PM Theresa May was right to decry Jezza’s militant mob as reverting back to the nasty days of the loony left in the 80s, but her remarks could equally apply to the nasty nationalists led by high profile SNP MP Pete Wishart who tweeted some foul remarks about incontinent elderly relatives who are in care homes.

The tweet has since been deleted, but neither the ashamed SNP member, nor our globe-trotting First Minister has apologised for her party’s slur - clearly too busy on her campaign for indyref2 that the majority of Scots don’t want.

Do It Yourself!: And finally, in a council discussion that started about overgrown weeds on footpaths, roads and verges and the fact that councils had smaller budgets, an SNP member’s comment that the public need to get used to there been less money and should be prepared to do it themselves, certainly triggers a debate.

In the meantime, Conservative councillors will work with Ruth Davidson and do their best to get more money for local government.