AMERICAN author Henry James famously said: ‘Summer afternoon – summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language’.

Now although he is best known for many books that portrayed the encounter of America with Europe, I am not trying to make any smart point about the current relationship, merely that it is summer.

I think that despite the 22 councillors elected to serve you having influence and control over many of the services that many people rely on every day, it is fair to say that most people still struggle if asked the question what does a councillor actually do?

Perhaps even more so throughout summer.

During the month of July, the council and its committees do not meet. Of course that doesn’t mean we go on holiday for a month, most councillors I would imagine are still getting on with the day job of representing constituents as and when they are contacted.

Patterns of casework emerge depending on what time of year it is. For example, in winter there will be a lot of concerns raised about gritting and roads, while at certain times of the year placing requests into schools will be popular in a councillor’s inbox.

This year, like every year since I have been elected, the top two issues that I have been contacted about over this period are grass cutting and Orange Order marches in Inverclyde, pictured.

The former being a problem as there aren’t enough staff to keep up with the rate at which grass grows and the latter a problem as there is unfortunately a gulf of opinion on the matter.

Dealing with the basics like getting the grass cut is a common but also important example of a councillor’s role outwith the council chambers.

When people contact their councillor for action they deserve and are entitled to it. The second issue of public processions, I suppose, highlights the variety of issues that there are for a councillor to be involved in. This is an issue that isn’t so easy to deal with.

I suspect councillors that are long enough in the tooth have adopted a neutral stance of ignoring one side demanding marches are banned whilst another demands the right to march.

However newer councillors may not be sure as to what they should do, if indeed they were aware that they could do anything.

By virtue of the council being responsible for whether processions/marches get the go ahead, councillors often get held to task over the matter.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think the Orange Order is a symbol for religious and cultural intolerance that is long past its sell by date. 

Officials tell me that if the council ever did object to a procession it would lose the decision in court, based on that objection contravening the European Convention on Human Rights on grounds of freedom of expression.

Ironic of course that Orange Order members supported a Brexit vote that will take us out the EU and remove that right.

Threats to civil liberties such as the right to freedom of expression only come one objection at a time. That’s why like most tolerant people I don’t object to their right to be intolerant, I just don’t have to like it.