Council impresses Mundell ahead of growth deal bid
Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell said he was impressed with ‘solid work’ done by Argyll and Bute Council as he held talks over a proposed Rural Growth Deal for the region.
Council leader Aileen Morton met Mr Mundell in Lochgilphead on Tuesday August 28.
Mr Mundell came to Argyll for the latest in the council’s series of high-level meetings with the Scottish and UK governments, making the case for additional investment in the area.
Along with key partners, the council has been working to refine its Rural Growth Deal proposals over the past several months, ahead of a formal pitch to both governments.
Speaking after her meeting with Mr Mundell, Councillor Morton said: ‘We’re clear Argyll and Bute is the natural choice for a growth deal. All of this potential can be unleashed through investment in our region’s key strengths like tourism and business innovation, while also overcoming barriers to growth like housing supply and digital connectivity.
‘It was really encouraging to hear the UK Government is looking forward to receiving our proposals and seeing them go through the process over the coming months.’
Councillor Morton added: ‘Our next steps are further meetings with the Scottish Government at both ministerial and MSP level, scheduled to take place in September.’
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Mundell said: ‘It’s a really exciting prospect. We have been doing these deals in other parts of Scotland as city deals, but we’ve moved on to rural areas. I think the council has done a good job in drilling down into what are the really important economic factors in Argyll and Bute and what areas would benefit from investment and further development.
‘Of course it’s about the UK and Scottish governments working together on a deal. If we do it together we get the most benefit for the local area. There is a good working relationship in terms of these deals, but they do take time and it has to stack up financially. A lot of detailed work will still have to be done after a proposal is submitted, so it’s not going to happen overnight. But I’ve been impressed, in the months we’ve been discussing it, with the solid work that’s been done by Argyll and Bute Council and partners.’