HAMMOND SAYS YES TO GIANT STIRLING CITY DEAL
Ambitious plans to cost £500m
Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond’s decision to back Stirling and Clacks’ City Deal bid was yesterday (Thursday) hailed as a“seismic event” for the area.
Mr Hammond’s announcement in his autumn statement is seen as the vital first step in securing public and private investment for a host of ambitious projects designed to create 3000 jobs and boost tourism by 25 per cent.
Stirling Council has been working on a City Deal bid for 18 months and has a drawn up a detailed programme of initiatives costed at more than £500 million.
They include the creation of a digital hub in the Municipal Buildings in Stirling’s Corn Exchange Road, development of a city park, harbour quarter with new council offices and national tartan centre and proposals to exploit the tourism and transport potential of the River Forth.
They hope the regeneration package will help those in disadvantaged communities by improving health and education standards.
In September they agreed to work with Clackmannanshire Council to lodge a joint City Deal
bid embracing the area covered by the two authorities. It was this bid that was given the green light by Mr Hammond.
Stirling and Clacks councils have also asked for City Deal cash from the Scottish Government and an announcement on that application could be made as early as next week.
Stirling Council leader Johanna Boyd said the Westminster Government’s backing for their plans “will be transformational for Stirling and its surrounding areas”.
She told the Observer: “Mr Hammond has committed to the principle of a City Deal for Stirling and Clacks.
“This is the first step towards securing a specific figure of investment in Stirling and it is a commitment to begin negotiations.
“The next step now is for civil servants, representing the Westminster Government, to come here and negotiate the level of commitment they will make to the area.
“There is no timetable for talks at the moment but the detailed business case we have drawn up for Stirling – described as gold standard by the Westminister Government – means we are well prepared to enter these negotiations.”
She added: “We initially focussed on a Stirling City Deal bid but over the course of the last few months it became clear that the Government was interested in seeing a wider area benefit from any significant investment and we were very happy to collaborate with Clacks.”
Councillor Boyd said it is too early to say how the deal will be funded but it is clear the councils hope firm cash commitments from the two governments will prompt investment from the private sector. “The fact that Philip Hammond name-checked Stirling in his statement is an absolutely seismic event for the area,” she added.
“We have a bold and ambitious vision for Stirling that is internationally focussed and this gives us the vehicle to achieve those ambitions, which go way beyond infrastructure.
“They also focus on improving the prospects and quality of life for all our people through developments in skills and employability, social innovation, housing, transport and energy.”
Stirling’s City Deal masterplan, which runs to 124 pages, followed consultation with people across the area, elected members, national agencies, business representatives, University of Stirling and Forth Valley College.
The Stirling deal follows the signing of city deals for Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen and confirmation of a city deal for Edinburgh, which is yet to be signed. Westminster ministers have also signalled a willingness to listen to proposal for a Tayside deal covering Perth and Dundee.