100,000 NEW JOBS SET FOR GLASGOW
Ambitious plans to boost city’s economy
ANEW plan has been launched to create thousands of jobs and homes over the next two decades.
It hopes to get 95 per cent of young people into training, education or employment.
MORE than 100,000 new jobs are set to be created in and around Glasgow over the next 20 years, according to a new economic report.
The plans will also see the creation of more than 6500 new businesses and 110,000 new homes.
The Glasgow City Region Cabinet unveiled their ambitious new plan which hopes to create a more prosperous economy for Glasgow and the surrounding seven wards by 2035.
Frank McAveety, the leader of the council and chairman of the city region cabinet, said: “The Glasgow City Region is already the powerhouse of the Scottish economy – but, as council leaders, we are absolutely united in our determination to aim higher on j obs, skills and growth that benefits every community.
“This strategy and action plan represents a stepchange in our approach.
“We are collaborating more closely than ever before and want to extend that strong, open partnership to the Scottish and UK Governments, the business community and other agencies, such as our colleges and universities.
“Only by working together will we build a more resilient and dynamic city region that delivers homes and jobs for a skilled workforce and prosperity for all its people.”
Along with the jobs, housing and business goals, organisers want to see 95 per cent of school leavers enter employment, education or training.
It comes after the Evening Times announced a joint City Deal launched in 2014 which will see £1.13billion ploughed in to the city and surrounding areas.
A further seven local authorities are set to benefit from the plans, which will see the councils working “more closely than ever before”.
North and South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, East and West Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire will all be taking part.
The project will also be assisted by the Scottish and UK governments, and businesses.
Funding for the project will come partly from the Scottish Government which says it will invest £500million over the lifespan of the deal. Members of the city region cabinet also said that the project is hoped to be bolstered further by private investment.
Robert Pollock, director of programme management, who presented the report, said: “As we see from the action plan they are ambitious targets.
“But targets drive behaviour and the economic development partnership can now begin to work towards achieving these.”