The council leader, Cllr Susan Aitken, this week claimed that Glasgow isn't filthy, and that it just needs a "spruce up".

Predictably, that's led to accusations that the SNP minority administration is out of touch.

For me, how Cllr Aitken describes the city should be secondary to what our citizens think - and constituents and community councils are telling me that things have to change. Overflowing bins, illegal dumping, and a lack of care and thought are making many of our streets an eyesore.

But what they also tell me is that they want their elected representatives focused on solutions, rather than sniping at each other on social media.

Unfortunately, Glasgow's more tribal politicians seem to favour lowball personal attacks, even though they know these often feed disgraceful online misogyny and abuse. 

The fact is all councillors have a responsibility to find answers - especially so in a council chamber where no one political group has a majority.  

At the Full Council meeting this week, we will have a chance to show whether we are willing to do that. I hope that we can. Because, scratch beneath the surface, and there's actually a lot of consensus between councillors on what’s needed.

When the Conservatives previously brought a motion on flytipping to a Full Council meeting last September, they accepted an amendment from Green councillors, which was then agreed unanimously.

That amendment recognised we need a multi-pronged approach to deal with flytipping, including better communications, extra funding, more support for workers, improving derelict or under-used land, and encouraging more repair and reuse, as well as more effective use of our enforcement powers. It was agreed unanimously.

That policy direction has since been reflected in the Council's new Resource and Recycling Strategy and Litter Prevention Action Plan. Again, these were backed by all political groups.

Of course, if these plans are not being delivered as expected, then it’s absolutely correct that councillors scrutinise, challenge and demand improvement. To do that effectively, we need proper transparency and evidence from the council.

It’s also vital that we support workers. Our operations staff have kept front-line services going throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and still face huge challenges given rising case numbers.

And where the root of the problem comes back to not having enough funding to deliver the level of service that our communities rightfully expect, then we need to properly cost what’s needed, and put a case for investment to the Scottish Government.

Green councillors will keep our focus on the solutions our constituents deserve. We won't deny the problem, but nor will we sink to point scoring and personal attacks. Whether others are prepared to put aside their tribalism, and work with us to make a difference, remains to be seen.