This week's Councillor Column is written by Iain S. Paterson, SNP councillor for Lomond North.

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I HAVE been a councillor representing Lomond North for nearly a year now and it has been an honour and a privilege to serve my constituents, one that I enjoy immensely.

Over the course of the last ten months I have been involved in the resolution of a variety of issues. I must also pay tribute to those who help me in this regard – the council officers, MP, and MSPs that I have dealt with, who have been first class in helping me achieve what I can for my constituents.

I would like to give special mention to those working in health and social care, roads, environmental services, the community payback team and above all the unsung staff of Argyll and Bute Council’s ‘member services’ team, who do a tremendous job and who have been invaluable in helping me develop as a councillor.

I also have to say that I am very impressed with the work done by community councils and development trusts across the Lomond North constituency. These are unpaid volunteers who serve their communities with no expectation of reward beyond that which they have achieved for their community .

As many of you will know I am in the opposition in the council chamber as an SNP councillor.

Before last month’s council budget meeting, we in the SNP group set out our position in what we presented as our budget, and this was endorsed by the other opposition group, Argyll and Bute First.

We made clear that we would not support the removal of local advice services, nor would we support educational reductions, closure of the road safety unit or closure of public toilets, to mention but a few.

We provided for significant capital investments to roads, doubling the planned spending set out by council officers.

When we saw that the administration’s budget was very similar to that which addressed the SNP group’s concerns, we decided to support it.

So, to the future: I look forward to continuing to serve all whom I represent within my ward and continuing to address your concerns and issues .

If anyone wishes to represent their communities by putting themselves forward for the forthcoming community council elections in April. To find out more about this, please telephone (01546) 604331 or (01546) 604192 or see the council’s dedicated election page online (www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/election).