This month marks the three year anniversary of the formal start of the Glasgow City Region City Deal

April 12, 2018

The April 2018 meeting of the City Deal Cabinet, the body responsible for oversight of the programme, presented an opportunity for the eight Council Leaders to reflect on progress to date.

_{* Glasgow City Region Cabinet Chair and Leader Glasgow City Council, Susan Aitken shares her thoughts on progress}

Three years into the twenty year programme, a number of milestones have already been achieved, with significant funding of over £250 million approved and many projects already successfully completed or underway.

The majority of the 21 infrastructure projects are underway, with some even complete. Projects include new roads, bridges and improved transport infrastructure across the region as well as further construction, remediation and public realm works. This investment will help unlock vacant sites in key locations, assisting further housing, retail and commercial development and investment.

All three Innovation projects have been completed, supporting the growth of small and medium sized businesses and enhancing the life sciences’ sector.

Over its lifetime the City Deal is expected to create thousands of new jobs and support many people back into work. The three employablity projects established to target local employment challenges are all underway.

The Cabinet agreed to build on the existing collaboration by creating a new regional partnership group to drive forward the Regional Economic Strategy. The new group will extend current arrangements to include government partners and agencies and representatives from the business community.

In March 2018 the Cabinet responded to the Local Government Communities Committee findings on City Deals, providing information on the review currently underway. The response also noted that the review was not intended to change investment decisions that had already been taken but to ensure that the Programme continues to be fit for purpose as it moves into the delivery phase and to ensure opportunities it offers to support the delivery of genuinely inclusive growth in the City Region are maximised.

Principal areas of focus over the coming months for the City Deal team will involve preparation for the one year out report on the first Gateway Review, an important milestone in the City Deal, and in hand with government partners prioritising the approach and delivery of inclusive growth.