A rare opportunity to make a difference

Today more than four million Scots are eligible to have their say as polling stations open for the local council elections. Of course, substantially fewer will actually cast their vote. However, these remain important elections. It is all too easy to become disillusioned with national politics. The constant toing and froing over Brexit (something most Scots did not want in the first place) and the possibility of a second independence referendum (again, something Scots have already voted against) have dominated the political scene to such an extent it would be easy to forget mere matters such as education, housing, health and employment.

But away from the bombastic rhetoric within the debating chambers of Holyrood and Westminster, decisions that affect our everyday lives are being taken.

They are taken not by MPs or MSPs, but by local councillors in cities and towns across the country.

Today’s poll may well have been overshadowed by the announcement of a snap general election to be held in just a month, but this is no time for voter fatigue to set in.

So if you care about local schools, employment opportunities, road maintenance, bin collections — or just about any other aspect of local, everyday life you can think of — consider heading out to the polling station.

After all, despite the plethora of recent plebiscites, this remains a relatively rare chance to make a difference.