LAST week I spoke at Glasgow's annual State of the City economy conference, where I had the chance to reflect on our city's recent achievements and to look forward to the year ahead.

Without a doubt Glasgow is Scotland's big success story.

As a city we're an over-achiever and 2014 has put us on the world stage like never before.

But if we are to continue to be the sustainable, growing and prosperous Glasgow that we have become then we have a moral imperative to end poverty in the city.

None of us are proud of the fact that a sizeable minority of fellow Glaswegians still haven't benefited from our city's success.

The persistence of poverty and health inequality scars the otherwise beautiful face of Mother Glasgow.

It's a measure of a decent and progressive society that work should pay, but we live in a time when the majority of households living below the poverty line are working households.

I find that offensive.

An honest day's labour may earn you respect, but I firmly believe that it should also allow you to adequately provide for your family and loved ones.

That is the reason why Glasgow was the first council in Scotland to pay the living wage.

And that is why, so long as I am Leader, Glasgow City Council will continue to pay the living wage and will actively encourage other employers to do the same.

So despite disproportionate reductions to the city's budget year after year, I pledge that I will increase the Glasgow Living Wage to £7.85 an hour from the 1st of April 2015.

But I am restless to do more, go further and grasp the nettle that the Scottish Government shirked in their recent procurement legislation.

My council will reward those employers that can demonstrate real community benefits, that don't employ staff on exploitative zero hours contracts, and that don't have a track record of blacklisting trade union members.

If you are a business in receipt of the public's money, you should provide public benefit.

We will use the powers we have to the fullest extent we can to ensure that we secure support for the living wage from companies who want to contract with us.

Put simply, Labour's mission is ending poverty.

So why should we allow public money to be spent supporting low pay employers?

It's morally wrong, it's bad economics and it's at odds with the principles and values that I and the Labour Party stand for.

Glasgow Labour will continue to lead the fight to right social wrongs and end poverty.

The people of Glasgow expect nothing less.