This week's Councillor Column is written by Graham Hardie, Liberal Democrat councillor for Helensburgh Central.

* * * * * * * * * * * 

As a Children’s Champion for Argyll and Bute Council, I am responsible and involved in the welfare of children in care in Argyll and Bute.

I also sit on the Corporate Parenting Board. Statistically, children who have been in care are less likely to have favourable life outcomes and chances than their peers, so it is imperative that the council does everything possible to alleviate this, by investing and supporting in their development and their future.

One of my main aims as a councillor is to use my roles as a company director of Live Argyll and a board member of the SPT Concessionary Travel Scheme Partnership, to improve the lives of these children by allowing them access to concessionary travel and discounted rates to leisure and library facilities in Argyll and Bute.

I’ll be working hard during my time in office to achieve these two goals.

* Also last month I was invited to a Foster Day event in Furnace where foster parents and their children came along to the local primary school, for some informal support and guidance and some lunch.

It was a great day and a pleasure to meet the dedicated foster parents who do such a rewarding and pivotal job in the community.

* Even though many commentators say we are living in secular times, the church still plays a key role in galvanising the local community.

This May I will be meeting with the religious representatives from all the churches in Helensburgh over breakfast at Helensburgh Parish Church to discuss what they see as the core needs of the community and how the council can assist in meeting them.

One of the items I will be discussing will be the forthcoming appointment of a youth and families director at the parish church, which will hopefully result in a youth club being opened in Helensburgh.

This is something which I feel is desperately needed to give the youth of the town a safe and positive environment, in which to congregate and keep them off the streets at night.

* Finally, I got married last week in the Civic Centre – it is indeed a unique venue for such an occasion.

I would like to thank the registrar and all those involved for making this moment in my life a very special one and one that my wife and I will always remember.