ECONOMIC GROWTH

MSPs warn 'significant' issues with City Region Deals must be addressed

A number of concerns about Scotland’s City Region Deals have been raised today by a Holyrood committee.

A number of concerns about Scotland's City Region Deals have been raised today by a Holyrood committee.

In a new report, the Local Government and Communities Committee argued there were significant issues with the economic growth projects that must be addressed, including ‘confused and cluttered' priorities between local authorities and the governments.

Deal or No Deal also called for communities and businesses to be involved in City Region Deals in a meaningful way.

Committee convenor Bob Doris said: ‘While it's still very early days in the City Region Deals lifespan, it's not clear how other towns and the more rural and remote areas of Scotland will benefit from these deals.

‘There is also a risk that some parts of Scotland could miss out or lose out on the benefits that these projects may bring and that other initiatives are treated as the poor cousin in comparison.

'In order for City Region Deals to be a success right across Scotland we need clarity on when this initiative will be extended to all.'

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Top Talent: Regeneration and Growth

02 July 2025

As part of our regular series on ‘rising stars’, we celebrate the regeneration and growth officers who have been nominated by their councils for having an im...

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Navigating place-based decarbonisation

By Paul Marinko | 02 July 2025

In a rapidly changing world and a sector consumed with financial pressures and local government reorganisation, climate initiatives will prove difficult to k...

ECONOMIC GROWTH

AI is the greatest tool councils have at their disposal

By Alexander Iosad | 02 July 2025

By championing AI, councillors of all colours can put local authorities on the path to becoming engines of renewal again, says Alexander Iosad.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Citizen engagement: a new paradigm for local government

By Jason Lowther | 01 July 2025

Citizen engagement is sometimes treated as something at the margins of decision-making, but a new INLOGOV report launched today at the LGA Conference argues ...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman