THIS Thursday August 6, four council by-elections will take place across Glasgow. The residents of Anderston/City, Calton, Craigton and Langside council wards will go to the polls to elect new local councillors to represent them on Glasgow City Council.

Over recent weeks I have been out on the doorsteps alongside my fellow Labour councillors and activists as we campaign for four excellent Scottish Labour candidates - Katie Ford, Thomas Rannachan, Kevin O’Donnell and Eileen Dinning.

I have been impressed by the commitment and selfless motivation of each of them and their desire to represent the views of local people.

These four by-elections are no less important than the national elections that receive all of the TV coverage. In fact, when it comes to having a real impact on all of our daily lives, it is arguably the work of our local councillors that makes the biggest difference.

It is the job of councillors to ensure that public services are delivered, despite cuts in our budgets, so they meet the needs of local communities.

And that means taking decisions affecting education, early years and older people’s care, transport, business support and apprenticeships, licensing, parks, emptying the bins, funding museums and sports facilities – all of these and more fall within the responsibilities of your local councillor.

That is why these four by-elections matter.

So I’m urging all of the residents in Anderston/City, Calton, Craigton, and Langside to get out and vote on Thursday. And it won’t surprise you that I’m asking you to vote for your local Labour candidate.

Glasgow is Scotland's big success story and Labour is leading this city well. But don't just take my word it. Glasgow City Council recently won the prestigious award of UK Council of the Year.

Last month Glasgow Labour published our third annual report since we were elected in 2012 to lead Glasgow. Each year we publish an update giving progress on every one of the 100 promises we made in our election manifesto.

So far we have delivered 86 of our promises and we are working hard to complete the remainder before next year. I don’t know of any other political party, in local government, at Holyrood or at Westminster, that has made such clear and open commitments and openly reports on progress.

For example, since 2012 we’ve introduced a free wifi network in the city, established the most successful cycle hire scheme outside London, and of course delivered the best ever Commonwealth Games.

Through our £50 million Glasgow Guarantee we have helped more than 6000 young people, armed forces veterans, and over 50s into a job or apprenticeship; and we are well on the way to exceed our promise to build 3,500 new homes in the city.

We provide £100 annually to every pensioner aged 80 and older to help with their winter fuel bills, and we are on target to spend £250 million improving our primary school buildings.

It is so we can continue to deliver the policies that make life better in the city that I hope to see Labour councillors elected on Thursday.

HAVE you noticed that the roads have recently been quieter than usual in Glasgow? The reason of course is that a lot of us have been on holiday. With the schools off there is always less rush-hour traffic.

I haven't had a summer holiday this year. The reason is that I am a candidate to be deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

This has meant that I have been touring Scotland, from Stornoway to Dumfries, and Fife to Ayrshire. I have met with hundreds of Labour Party members all across the country, and many other community activists.

A key conclusion I have drawn is that while many of the concerns people have are the same, the best way of addressing problems varies from area to area.

We are all concerned about public transport, jobs and housing. But Scotland is a very diverse place and what works in Aberdeenshire may not be the right solution for Motherwell.

I want more decisions to be taken at the most local appropriate level. Scotland is too centralised, and simply giving extra powers to Holyrood isn't the answer.

I call it Radical Localism. For details, please seeGordon4Deputy.com

The result of the Scottish Labour Leadership elections will be known on August 15.