‘Patience thin’ due to lack of progress with Cities Deal sign-off

The project is yet to be given final sign-off after election delay

Tayside and Fife councillors have aired their frustrations at the lack of progress in the final sign-off of the Tay Cities Deal.

The project is set to bring £700 million of investment to the region.

The initial terms were agreed in November 2018, when funding was committed for major projects such as a third bridge across the Tay north of Perth and developments at the James Hutton Institute, St Andrews University, and in Dundee.

But the final sign-off has been in limbo since the UK general election in December caused delays.

The Tay Cities Region Joint Committee met in Dundee on Friday, but after the meeting Councillor Richard McCready voiced his frustration.

The Labour councillor for the West End ward, Dundee, said: “We are now more than two months on from the general election and we appear to be no further forward. This is not good enough.”

Co-leader of Fife Council David Ross was made convener for the Fife area at last week’s meeting.

He said: “It would be nice if the two governments would finally sign off the City Region Deal.”

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said he is going to push for clarity now he is the vice-chairman of the deal’s delivery group.

He said: “The Tay Cities partners have been incredibly patient up to this point.

“However that patience is wearing thin.”

Mr Alexander recently wrote to then Chancellor Sajid Javid over fears a proposal by the UK Government to “drip-feed” their £150m investment over 15 years would “not deliver any significant boost, nor would it allow for projects to move forward at pace”.

The Courier asked the UK Government’s Scottish Office if a date has been set, but the question was not directly answered.

A UK Government spokesman said: “In the past year good progress has been made on the detailed business cases for all of the projects on the deal.

“All of the partners are working closely on preparations for the full deal signing, which we are committed to doing as soon as possible.”

“The Tay Cities partners have been incredibly patient up to this point. However that patience is wearing thin. JOHN ALEXANDER