IN recent days the SNP City Government delivered on another of its manifesto promises in a positive move for both citizens and our staff.

It was also another example of how we have managed lead on unresolved yet long-running issues and bring all parties represented on Glasgow City Council with us.

The City Administration Committee voted unanimously to bring Cordia back within the council and for the authority to take on the delivery of services currently provided by Community Safety Glasgow.

There are some practical and business considerations why this is the best course of action. For starters, whatever your view of the political considerations for the creation of Cordia (and I have mine), it has outlived its purpose and is too often too unwieldy and inefficient. Set up almost a decade ago, it incorporates homecare through to services such as school janitors and catering.

CSG was set up as a partnership with the police to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime but has extended into community justice and issues such as domestic abuse and people trafficking.

All the work that these organisations do is crucial to the work of the city, and we want to ensure that this work continues. The landscape they operate in now though is so considerably different to when they were initially set up - legislation on community planning, community justice, and community empowerment has all changed and we have had the integration of health and social care. The time is right to change where these services are delivered from to ensure that Cordia and CSG adapt to their new contexts.

What will this mean for the service users? Well, not a lot in the short to medium term. They will continue as they have been. But over the longer term we expect more efficient and effective services which will have a positive and direct impact on our citizens.

And for our employees? Our staff and their trade unions, particularly those in Cordia, have told us that coming into ‘the council proper’ would harmonise and improve their terms and conditions. We have listened to them and delivered and in the weeks ahead will accelerate the discussions we have had with their representatives to iron out any issues which may emerge.

So what happens now?

Within the coming months an implementation plan will be developed. It will include ongoing communication and engagement with staff. We anticipate they transfer back into the council no later than 30 September 2018 for Cordia and 31 March 2019 for CSG.

My colleague Cllr Jennifer Layden has written to the Scottish Government spelling out our support for the projects that they fund which are delivered by CSG, and offering to meet with colleagues in the Scottish Government about how to ensure these services continue after March.

Most importantly I am aware that staff and service users affected by the changes might be concerned they will have an unsettling impact. But this is largely about the council’s structures. The vital jobs that staff do will not change and myself, the City Government and all elected members and officials thank them for all their continued efforts and hard work. They are the life’s blood of this city.

The pace at which technology is changing can be daunting. But the potential it continues to create is also very exciting and if we do not keep ahead of the curve our city and our citizens could be at a distinct disadvantage.

With this in mind the City Council will bid for £100m from the UK Government to make us the ‘smartest’ city on these islands.

What we are asking is that Glasgow will be the city chosen to trial 5G, the world’s fastest and most reliable digital technology and something which would be a massive boost for our economy, our health services and for education and employment opportunities.

We have ambitions to be a world-class city in which everyone flourishes and, if successful, this funding bid could help put us ahead of the curve in digital connectivity.

Our tech sector is thriving, we have a highly skilled workforce, two Innovation Districts and world-class sporting, conference and entertainment venues.

But we also faces challenges in areas such as health, poverty and unemployment. Investing in digital connectivity can really help us tackle these issues in new and creative ways.

We are always looking at new ways to make Glasgow a better place to live, work and do business. Becoming the test bed for 5G really would compliment so much of what we already do or are striving to deliver. It is in the city’s interests that we try to put ourselves in pole position when this technological revolution is delivered.