The conflict and resulting human misery in Ukraine these past two months has been truly awful and distressing to watch. A peaceful resolution cannot come soon enough.

The humanitarian response from people in this country and around the globe has been enormous, and retailers here have been playing their part in donating money and goods to help alleviate the human suffering.

I for one have found the Ukrainians’ fight for democracy and liberty inspiring. Hopefully it will enthuse more Scots to turn out and take advantage of their precious vote this coming Thursday in the local elections. We are blessed to live in an open, liberal democracy, but perhaps too often we take it for granted. Indeed, at the last local authority election turnout was under half of those eligible.

Yet Scotland’s local authorities have big budgets and significant responsibilities, including for schooling, roads, refuse and social care. They are gaining new powers for setting taxes on tourism and parking at work.

There is much that our newly elected council administrations and 1,200 councillors can do to support the economic recovery and rejuvenate our town and city centres.

With store vacancies a fifth higher than before the pandemic and shopper footfall still falling short, local leadership and coherent and collaborative policy making can help restore the fortunes of our high streets.

Scotland is fortunate to have many tourist or shopping destinations which have an undoubted buzz about them and attract commercial investment as a result, such as St Andrews, Oban, North Berwick, Fort William, or Glasgow’s Merchant City. Each of these locations has been hit economically by the pandemic and none can rest on their laurels. However, more parts of the country could learn from what makes them tick and seek to offer more compelling reasons for people to visit, spend time and money in their own areas.

The broader focus should be on enhancing the economic vitality of our towns, stimulating consumer demand, and cutting the cost of doing business. So, what else can be done?

Concerns over cost of living are to the fore at the moment, with shop prices at an eleven-year high and personal taxation rising. This squeeze shows little sign of abating. Households shelve out £2 billion annually in council tax and ministers have how rescinded their cap on council tax rises. To support the recovery councils should consider the impact of any future rises on household finances over the next couple of years and keep increases in council tax to a minimum.

There needs to be a concerted effort to attract footfall and improve the vibrancy of town and city centres. Parking should made easier and more affordable and public transport improved. The cash given to councils in recent weeks to aid city centre recovery needs to be deployed quickly, as does the mooted return to city centres visitor campaign.

Councils are now permitted to introduce workplace parking levies. They should think twice about using this new power, for the next couple of years at least until economic recovery is secured. Firms already pay business rates on the parking spaces they provide for staff.

With one in six shops lying empty action is needed to reduce the cost of doing business in our town centres. The business rate is onerous and is now at a 23-year high. Councils have the power to reduce business rates in their areas, and could lead a shift in mindset away from squeezing tax revenues from town centres and high streets towards encouraging investment into these locations.

A more flexible and less time-consuming approach could be taken towards consenting building warrants for new or refurbished shops or things as mundane as new seating, signage or toilets. This would allow retailers to trade and generate revenue more quickly.

We are enormously privileged in this country to be able to vote in free and fair elections on Thursday. We should capitalise on it for the sake of our own community and for the solidarity to shows with fellow democrats across the globe.

David Lonsdale is director of the Scottish Retail Consortium.