Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

LAST week Glasgow City Council voted to support the devolution of more powers to Glasgow.

It was agreed that this should be at the core of our submission to the Smith Commission, which is responsible for agreeing the additional powers that will come to Scotland after the country voted against independence.

While I share the widespread consensus that more powers should be devolved to Scotland, this cannot just be pass-the-parcel between Westminster and Holyrood. Simply moving powers from one centralising parliament to another isn't true devolution.

Across the world there is increasing evidence that giving more powers and control over finance to cities and city-regions is the most effective way to grow the economy and create jobs, counter the tendency of all governments to take decisions at a remote distance from those they affect, and tackle the inequalities facing our communities.

Glasgow is leading the way in arguing for more local control, and we're making progress. For example, we recently signed a so-called City Deal. This is a partnership between Glasgow and our neighbouring councils across Clyde Valley, together with the UK and Scottish governments.

The Deal will bring a massive £1.13 billion of investment, including a rail-link to the airport, and will create 29,000 new permanent jobs, 15,000 construction jobs and attract an additional £2.2 billion of private sector investment.

But this is just the start. We want to see many of the functions currently held by Scottish Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland devolved to the city so we can create training and employment programmes that meet the needs of the people of Glasgow.

The Tories approach to welfare reform is causing serious damage in Glasgow. I want to see control over how we implement welfare policy to be devolved locally. This would allow us, for example, to pay housing benefit directly to landlords, and support people into work through programmes such as Glasgow City Council’s successful Commonwealth funds which have to date helped more than 5,000 people secure a job or an apprenticeship.

Given the significance of further education to the provision of training, skills and wider economic growth, there is a strong case for devolving control of our colleges to city regions. And we want new powers to improve bus services, and tackle the scourge of betting offices and payday lending which prey on the poor.

In other words, we don't want powers for the sake of it, but rather so that we can address the needs of our local citizens and our job market. Most of the time we are better placed to know what's right for Glasgow than some minister or civil servant in Edinburgh or London.

Hard as it is for our national politicians to let go of power, they need to realise that parliaments don't create jobs. Cities do. And if devolution is to work for people, then governments in both Holyrood and Westminster should keep fewer powers to themselves.

IT’S that time of year when Glasgow’s older citizens can apply for their £100 affordable warmth dividend.

For the fourth year running, Glasgow City Council is offering every resident aged 80 years and over, £100 to help heat their homes during the winter. We are the only council in the country to make this payment.

The Labour council in Glasgow introduced the affordable warmth dividend in 2011 as part of the our efforts to tackle fuel poverty in the city. Since then, around 44,000 of Glasgow’s elderly citizens have taken up our offer.

Too many Glaswegians struggle to heat their homes adequately and our elderly citizens are most susceptible to the cold. That’s why I am delighted that the £100 payment, which was a Labour manifesto commitment at the last council elections, will be paid again this year.

If you live in Glasgow and will be 80 years of age or older by 31 March 2015 you can get an application form from the council’s website www.glasgow.gov.uk/affordablewarmth or by phoning 0141 287 7961.