For Stirling Council, it’s also an opportunity to cast our minds back over a busy but successful 2018, packed with landmark achievements and some wonderful memories.
The signing of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal is without doubt the headline story from a year packed with milestones. More than £90million of investment from both the Scottish and UK Governments was pledged to our region in May, injecting fresh optimism into our business, tourism and research sectors.
This financial settlement will also be used to boost innovation, digital services and skills and inclusion across the area, making Stirling a place where everyone can thrive.
Stirling also cemented its place as a must-visit events location. In April, we staged the second Stirling Scottish Marathon and won the right to host the internationally renowned Great Stirling Cross-Country championships for the next three years.
We also welcomed more than 45,000 fans for Runrig’s ‘Last Dance’ concerts over the course of a weekend in the summer for the Scots rockers’ farewell gigs.
From a democratic perspective, we continued to lead the way through early and increased implementation of the Living Wage pay upgrade and also started the transfer of staff, patients and residents to the new Care Village at the Bellfield Centre.
Our staff continued to deliver our core, frontline services like education, waste collection and roads maintenance, while constantly developing new and imaginative ways to transform these services at the same time.
And as 2018 draws to an end, we know that difficult decisions remain on the horizon as we look ahead to next year and our budget setting process but, for now, my message to Stirling is a simple and positive one – thank you.
Thank you to all our staff, partners and volunteers across our Council who have helped keep Stirling going come rain or shine, or hitherto unseen arctic blizzards! From our care teams who help the most vulnerable in our society, to the teachers who give our children the best possible start in life - and everyone else in between - thank you for your efforts.
And as the dawn of 2019 approaches, I wish for everyone in Stirling a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.