Cities and regions

Cities and their regions make up around two thirds of Scotland's economy. When they thrive, all of Scotland benefits.

That's why we are working with all seven of Scotland's cities – Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth and Stirling - and regions – to stimulate investment and create more effective regional economies.

We want to understand the opportunities for and barriers to inclusive growth in our regions, and to identify actions and activities – tailored to the challenges and opportunities in each region - that we can support. These should be actions that will unlock economic potential, reduce inequality, and contribute to decarbonising Scotland's economy, ensuring the ensuring the benefits of economic growth can be experienced by all of a region’s citizens.

Actions

We are:

• implementing the measures set out in Scotland's Agenda for Cities to support economic growth
• developing projects to make our cities smarter, greener and more productive through the Scottish Cities Alliance
• funding, developing and delivering City Region Deals to attract investment and create jobs
• funding, developing and delivering Regional Growth Deals to attract investment and create jobs
• developing a model for green ports to support sustainable, inclusive growth, fair work, and a just transition to net zero

• developing, promoting and implementing community wealth building as an approach to deliver inclusive growth

• supporting business growth in Enterprise Areas

• publishing bi-annual cities statistics for our stakeholders
• publishing and developing Scotland’s Centre for Regional Inclusive Growth to provide an interactive platform for collaboration

Background

Our cities and their regions play a vital role in delivering the priorities of Scotland’s Economic Strategy: to increase internationalisation, boost investment and innovation, and support inclusive growth.

Our role as Government is to help our cities to realise their city visions and strengthen their partnerships.

Our cities strategy, Scotland’s Agenda for Cities, was originally published in 2011 and updated in 2016.

The update aligns the Agenda with the latest Economic Strategy, particularly in regard to its increased focus on:

• securing inclusive economic growth
• the advent of City Region Deals in Scotland
• the maturing of the Scottish Cities Alliance

Contact

Email: ceu@gov.scot

Phone: 0300 244 4000 – Central Enquiry Unit

The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG