Consensus has marked the politics of this authority over the last 11 years. In addition to the well-heeled suburbs of Giffnock, Newton Mearns, and Clarkston, it also takes in areas of comparative deprivation such as Barrhead.

Nevertheless, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Conservative and independent councillors have agreed more than they have disagreed over the direction the council should take. The result has been, by and large, a population satisfied its council tax is being wisely spent, especially on education.

Last year, one of the authority's primaries, Our Lady of the Missions, took the title of Scotland's best school after getting nine "excellent" marks in its HMIE report. Another of the council's schools, St Mark's, won the same honour last month after it was given 11 "excellent" marks.

Such is the reputation of its schools, nearly half of the 1401 requests from parents in Glasgow last year to send their children to school in a neighbouring local authority area were made to East Renfrewshire, where 41% of pupils obtain three or more Highers compared to just 12% in Glasgow. East Renfrewshire was once again the best performing council with 93% of pupils gaining five or more good Standard Grades.

In many ways, East Renfrewshire represents Scotland at its most settled. It is home to significant populations of minorities: more than half of Scotland's Jewish population live here and, in recent years, many more wealthy Asian families have moved to the area from Glasgow to take advantage of the schools. Relations are generally harmonious, although a planning application to build a mosque in Crookfur in Newton Mearns has proved controversial with residents who want to protect the green space.

High-performing schools and the perception that the council provides value for money and high quality services have fuelled huge house price rises in the area.

However, it is not just the leafier parts of East Renfrewshire where children achieve at schools which top the league tables. Even in the pockets of deprivation the schools outperform those with similar catchment areas in other authorities.

Barrhead is the only true town within the council area, even though Giffnock is the administrative centre, and last month the Better Barrhead initiative was launched, a 10-year, £100m project to revive the town's economic fortunes.

The project, which will involve private sector partnerships, will see a new town centre created as well as housing and industrial units.

Although Barrhead is the Labour stronghold within east Renfrewshire, the plan has received the unanimous backing of councillors from every party.

The only significant low point of the last administration came in 2004 when the leader, Owen Taylor, resigned following his arrest by police after a row with his wife. He is not standing next month.

While the past decade may have been marked by stability and co-operation, the future for East Renfrewshire is a lot more uncertain. The number of wards is being reduced from 20 to six, and many of the sitting councillors - nine of 20 - are not seeking re-election.

They include some of the most influential members, who between them can claim much of the credit for the efficient way the local authority has been run. The father of the council, Ian Hutchison, is stepping down after 40 years as a councillor, as is the popular Allan Steele, East Renfrewshire's first provost, and Iain Drysdale, who led a constructive Conservative opposition on the council.

Only time will tell if the new men and women who will replace them will be as willing as their predecessors to seek common ground at the expense of party politics.

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