SNP Councillor for Newlands and Auldburn, Colin Deans JP, hit out recently at what he called ‘community exclusion’ from local decision-making agencies.

Significantly, he pointed the finger at the ‘Labour- controlled agencies’. He said:

"Despite the change of government and what should be a shift of power in Scotland, within the local agencies covering Greater Pollok/Newlands & Auldburn, life goes on as before. That is, the committees and boards are stuffed full of Labour Councillors and unelected ‘suits’ with no sign of elected community representatives.

For example, the Local Eco-nomic Development Agency (GWSRA) is still crammed with the same old Councillors and officials. GSWRA was previously called Equip and before that, the Greater Pollok Development Company (now merged - or should that be taken over by - the former Govan Initiative?). This board has four Labour Councillors out of a total board of nine! And not one community representative.

Elsewhere across the city the same political bias and community exclusion can be seen. Community Planning Partnerships are a perfect example. Glasgow Community Planning Board has NO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON IT - and it seems, no plans to put any on it - and on the local Planning Boards, after 16 months of inactivity, democratic representation from ‘the community’ is still being denied.

Yes, there are local people there but who elected them and who are they accountable to? As always, local people are the last people to be consulted and actually listened to! Instead what we have is the usual ever-burgeoning bureaucracy, i.e. mair suits!

As a job creation scheme for ‘suits’ it seems to be working but as for dealing with poverty, exclusion, discrimination, appalling housing and all the other ills of Glasgow, it is little more than a talking shop.

It is part of my job as a new City Councillor to persuade my colleagues at the Scottish Executive that radical changes to all these agencies are required so that those who voted for us can see a difference between the old and the new. We campaigned on a platform that included the promise of increased community participation in local decision-making – it is now our job to deliver on that promise."