City Deals ‘must deliver’ for towns

Action is needed to ensure towns in Fife benefit from Scotland’s City Region Deals, the Federation of Small Businesses is insisting.

The group was commenting on the findings of Deal or No Deal, a report by the Scottish Parliament’s local government and communities committee highlighting issues in need of tackling as a matter of urgency.

It concluded there is a need for greater transparency in measuring the economic impact of significant local investments – and on why projects are or are not included.

Regarding the Edinburgh City Region Deal, which covers Fife, FSB development manager for east of Scotland Garry Clark, said: “We welcome the publication of this important Scottish Parliament report which recognises the significant investment which City Region Deals are bringing to Scotland, but also notes the concerns we have raised on behalf of local small businesses that the deal must not only deliver for businesses in the capital but also in the likes of Kirkcaldy, Bathgate, Loanhead, Dunbar and Melrose.

“More than nine out of 10 businesses in the City Region are small businesses and these provide over a third of all jobs in the area.

“The Scottish Parliament is right to call for more scrutiny to ensure that all of these businesses benefit from economic investment, no matter where they are based in the region.”