LATER this week I’ll be joining colleagues from across the country as we come together for Scottish Labour’s annual conference in Perth.

But instead of the subdued atmosphere you might expect after what’s been a difficult year for the party here in Scotland, there’s no doubt that people coming along will be fired up and ready for the tough fight that lies ahead.

Here in Glasgow, we’ve certainly got a tough fight on our hands.

Year on year our city is losing out on the money we receive from the Scottish Government.

Of course we’ve all been forced to tighten our belts.

The Tories’ austerity programme has reduced the amount of money we’ve all got to spend, but here in Glasgow we’re seeing our share of the money we’re entitled to fall compared to other council’s across the country.

Our city has lost out on £109m from the Scottish Government – that’s money that could have been spent on our schools, roads and social care.

In the council we’ve been working hard to make savings where we can but it means we aren’t able to provide vital services across the city as we struggle to make ends meet.

At conference this weekend, I’ll be calling the Scottish Government out on their unfair treatment of our city. We all know Glasgow faces huge challenges, so it simply doesn’t make sense for the Government in Holyrood to keep cutting out budgets year on year.

Now, more than ever, Glasgow needs a strong Labour Party to stand up for our city. A Labour party which ensure that all Glaswegians have a voice.

We’ve got a Scottish Government preoccupied with constitutional politics and a group of local SNP councillors wanting to cancel Christmas from George Square without consulting the people of our city. There are much greater problems facing our city - it’s time for the SNP to listen for a change and stop holding Glasgow back.

What we won’t be holding back on here in Glasgow is in making sure we continue to provide the best schools possible for pupils across our city.

I’m proud that Glasgow’s schools have been achieving record results with greater numbers than ever before leaving school and going on to college or university.

It’s thanks to the teachers in schools across our city, working day in day out, going that extra mile to give pupils the best education and support to make sure that they can achieve their potential.

Here in Glasgow we all want every child to have the best opportunities possible, no matter their circumstances, and it’s my job to make sure that happens.

And that includes ensuring Glasgow’s ASL schools continue to achieve as well.

We’ve got great ASL schools all over the city, working with pupils with a range of different impairments, delivering a top class education.

But there’s always room to make things better and, while change is never easy, especially for some pupils attending ASL schools, the council has a duty to do the best for all the pupils we have a responsibility to educate.

The future of ASL education is not and never should be a political football. Our priority here in Glasgow will always be to ensure that ASL pupils continues to receive top quality teaching in the most appropriate buildings we have available.

As part of Glasgow City Council’s £250m investment in schools across the city, we are spending £21m on ASL schools to make sure we continue to provide the best teaching we can in the best environments possible.

I can give an assurance that, with any changes, my council will always work with parents, staff and, most importantly, pupils before any decisions are taken. I know we don’t have all the answers but we want to work to make sure we give young people across the city the best opportunities possible, no matter their circumstances or background, to ensure education can change their lives.