‘Return of stone would be great statement of our area’s ambition’

Just over a year ago I joined Perth and Kinross Council as its new chief executive – one of the greatest roles in the heart of Scottish public life and the heart of Scotland.

I believe our area, in all its diversity of people, places and history, is truly extraordinary.

I knew before I arrived about the work in progress to make our unique culture and heritage central to our regeneration and economic development plans, and the council’s proposal for the Stone of Destiny to come to Perth as the stunning centrepiece of the £23 million city hall museum.

I firmly believe councils should be ambitious in this way. It is not just our national institutions who are responsible for bringing our culture and heritage to life for everyone. It is sometimes forgotten that Scottish local authorities invest heavily in culture and heritage for exactly that reason.

Our heritage belongs to everyone, and I applaud the royal commissioners who are charged with the care of the stone on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen for carrying out a public engagement to make sure they hear everyone’s views on where the stone should be displayed in future.

And I am excited by the potential to work more closely with Historic Environment Scotland, who currently take care of the stone day-to-day at Edinburgh Castle.

This council was one of the first to sign a formal collaboration agreement with HES in 2016, marking our shared commitment to bringing the heritage of Perth and Kinross alive for local people and visitors alike.

If the stone comes to Perth, it presents a wonderful opportunity to put that commitment into practice. There is an important economic argument for the stone to come to Perth which we must not overlook.

Small cities and large towns across Scotland face big challenges.

Changes in lifestyle and the impact of online and digital services are transforming how we all live, work and shop.

The Tay Cities Region is emerging as one of the most exciting visitor destinations in the UK, with the huge economic and social impact of V&A Dundee already apparent just one year after it opened.

After the first King of Scotland, Kenneth MacAlpin, made Perth his first capital city it transformed rapidly into a medieval powerhouse: a melting pot of different cultures, trades and communities.

I want to see it transform once more, rediscovering our pride and sense of our place and purpose in Scotland and the wider world.

Perth’s story is the story of Scotland.

It should be a place for everyone. Bringing the stone here would be a wonderful, and transformative, statement of ambition.