One of the central themes of the way we have run your local authority since we were elected is the focus we have always put on cooperation, working with community groups, town councils, and other bodies.

This doesn’t always mean we have to fund everything. There are more subtle collaborations than that. So it was particularly pleasing to see how this can work in practice at the awards evening for Abergavenny in Bloom. It was a volunteer and town council collaboration: the council co-ordinated the entry into the Wales in Bloom and Britain in Bloom Competitions and funded planting in the town; most of the hard work was done by the volunteers of Friends of Bailey Park, Friends of Linda Vista Gardens and the many other people who have planted and nurtured flowers around where they live, together creating the tapestry of colour that so impressed the judges.

The award, to former Mayor Tony Konieczny, was particularly well deserved.

Actually, every town and village in Monmouthshire has its own flavour that makes it unique, and much of this comes from the passion of local people who make things happen: those with ideas and who organise events. They may be people who sing in choirs, who run a toddler group or a coffee morning, who organise the chess club, a book group or work on a committee.

Many of us all worry about climate change and our planet’s future, the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. These are huge issues, but at least in Monmouthshire many are planting trees, helping wildlife and doing what they can.

People don’t do these things just to win awards. Sharing your enjoyment of your pastime, getting outdoors, making friends, socialising: these all contribute to your own quality of life and that of your community. So, seeing people enjoying an event makes all the hard work worthwhile and along the way we get enjoyment, exercise, a sense of purpose and achievement.

Actually, for me, many of our un-saluted local heroes are those who get out with, spade fork or trowel to help our towns and villages look as their best, they are the litter pickers who selflessly keep roads and verges presentable. They are people who roll up their sleeves and make life better for those around them.

I thank them all.