GREENOCK Telegraph readers will have noticed that a lot of the news coming out of Inverclyde Council of late is of bickering councillors.

It probably puts you off local politics and many people tell me that councillors should get on with the job of running the council – I agree.
I am often asked if the culture inside the municipal chambers is actually as bad as is reported.

Sadly, over the past five years I have learned that it really is and that is the reason that, regardless of who you vote for in May, it is time for change.

Meetings of the council are, of course, open to the public but the fact that the public seating area lies empty at near enough every meeting only confirms that local politics is in need of repair.

For those that have ever attended a council meeting, it’s likely this will be their first and last visit, and I don’t blame them. You would very much need to come and watch to truly believe the toxic culture that exists within Inverclyde Council.

Over the last few years, being belittled for having a different opinion has been regular occurrence. Watching middle-aged men espouse bullying behaviour towards rival politicians is almost accepted as the norm.

I really don’t envy the council officials that attend the meetings and have to sit and watch those that are supposed to be leading our council bring it into disrepute time after time.

People in Inverclyde are sick to the back teeth of councillors that spend their time attacking other politicians, instead of getting on with the job they were elected to do.

I joked last week that anyone playing ‘attack an SNP politician bingo’ during the council’s budget debate would have a full house twice over.

Surely we deserve, in fact, we demand a better type of politics.

You might not agree with the politics I promote – I’ll keep working to convince you – but there is a better way.

I want the upcoming council elections to be about policies, not personalities. 

When I set out the SNP’s plans to give communities more control over making decisions about the things that matter to them, I want rival politicians to set out what their alternative is instead of attacking the idea.

When I say I want people to elect a new council that will work in partnership with the Scottish Government to deliver 1,140 hours of free childcare, then if you don’t agree with a policy that will assist young mums to get to work or back into education, tell us what you will do differently.

We want to tackle child poverty, invest in education, protect the public services we depend upon and work hard to attract investment into Inverclyde. 

If other political parties don’t want to do these things then tell people in Inverclyde what you do want?

I want the council elections to be a healthy, positive campaign.

That is why today I am launching the ‘Clean Campaign Pledge’. I commit that the SNP will fight the upcoming election campaign on policy and local issues.

That we will not partake in any of the negative politics that people are tired of and that we will promote a positive vision for the future of Inverclyde at all times.

I call on every political party and every independent candidate standing in May’s election to agree to this pledge also. 

I think that’s the type of politics people expect in 2017.