Workstreams

The Scottish Cities Alliance provides a useful for forum for the partners to work together to inform key policy discussion to ensure that Scotland’s cities and their regions have the levers and collaborative working arrangements to allow them to compete, innovate and support inclusive growth. Through discussion and the sharing of expertise and resources, the partners will give impetus to innovation and fresh thinking to ensure Scotland’s cities reach their economic potential and are best placed to meet the big challenges that lie ahead.

The Alliance’s policy work is informed by the Fraser of Allander Institute’s Scottish Cities Outlook report which highlights the critical contribution the cities make to Scotland’s economy. The report identifies five key intertwined issues that will require greater collaborative working not only between the cities but also with all tiers of government, enterprise agencies, higher and further education and the private sector in order for the cities to remain economically competitive.

After extensive consultation, and having taken an overview of existing activity, the Alliance worked with cities, government and national agencies to develop co-designed project plans which respond to 4 of the thematic areas of the Committee for Climate Change proposals as well as the Transition to Net Zero Carbon challenge in the Scottish Cities Outlook report. Collectively called the “Transition to Net Zero Carbon Action Plan” the project plans detail opportunities to work collaboratively as cities, government and national agencies in the short, medium and longer term to ensure that the Scottish cities cumulatively play their part in meeting the 2045 carbon reduction targets whilst maximising economic and well-being outcomes across the cities.

Over the course of 2021-2022 the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, Kate Forbes MSP worked with the City Leaders to consider the specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on city centres, and identify the immediate priorities to support city centre recovery. The report of the Taskforce was published in March 2022 and will form a key element of the Alliance’s operational programme over the next period.

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