WELL how many of you expected me to be back writing this column? Go on, be honest.

Don’t worry, I won’t be offended. I had my doubts as well. It just goes to show you can’t take anything for granted in this life.

It has been a great few weeks for my party: winning the most seats in the council elections and then coming within 384 votes of causing a major upset at the General Election.

Labour is well and truly back as a force to be reckoned with in Inverclyde politics.

And the council is back up and running. 

I know from the letters page some SNP supporters are really disappointed we turned down their party’s offer of a coalition.

I’m afraid the time just wasn’t right for that arrangement.

Who knows what the future will bring though? If SNP councillors start to show they are prepared to stand up for Inverclyde and for local government rather than simply towing the party line then there may be the opportunity for a better working relationship between us.

They also need to stop the nonsense about us giving one of the two Deputy Provost posts to a Tory councillor being a big deal. While these are important civic posts, they are not political in any way. They also do not carry a responsibility payment.

Frankly Councillors Ahlfeld and Wilson are doing the council a favour by taking some of the weight off the Provost’s shoulders.

I am keen to work constructively with all groups and individuals in the council. I have been delighted with the way in which our new councillors have settled in. The early signs are very encouraging. 

Hopefully we can put the manufactured grievances of the pre-election period behind us and work together for Inverclyde.

After a quite intense induction period our new councillors are coming to the end of their first cycle of committee meetings. 

I’m sure they now know, if they didn’t before, the council is not the cushy number many people think it is. 

Being a councillor is a huge responsibility and demands a significant time commitment. It quite literally takes over your life.

I am also delighted we have three female members on the council now. I wish it was more, but I’m sure the three who are there will add greatly to the quality of the political discourse.

There is much to be upbeat about as we start this new council term. The recent excellent Best Value Audit report has demonstrated we have a solid foundation on which to build.

We cannot ignore the fact however that unless we see changes in government policy at both Westminster and Holyrood the next few years will be very challenging for local government in general and Inverclyde in particular.

Continuing austerity and cuts to welfare benefits will hit the council and many of Inverclyde’s poorest residents hard.

Continuing attacks on local democracy — such as the recent education reforms announced by the Deputy First Minister — will only serve to diminish the role of councils.

Hopefully councillors from across the political spectrum, here in Inverclyde and beyond, will come together and say enough is enough.

We need to stand up for the many and not the few. 

And we need to stand up for our democratic right to make decisions in the best interests of our communities and the people we were elected to serve.