Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council and Prof Martin Tangney OBE, President of Celtic Renewables
Local businesses in the central belt are being called on to help reshape the Forth Valley economy for the 21st century.
They were invited to take part in “Revitalising the Forth Valley Region”, an event to kick-start the development of a new Regional Economic Strategy (RES) that could prove transformational for the area. The Strategy will combine the economic expertise of the public, private and social sectors, to drive improvements in productivity through innovation and promote sustainable, inclusive economic growth.
The event attracted speakers from prominent companies drawn from across the Forth Valley, including; INEOS, ADL, Codebase, Diageo and Celtic Renewables, as well as input from Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Council Leaders and prominent figures from academia and the Scottish Government.
"If, as we must, we are to achieve the goal of net-zero carbon we will need innovation, partnerships and funding. A strong and focused Regional Economic Strategy will allow us to work together across the public and private sectors to deliver on the tremendous potential the Forth Valley has for delivering sustainable economic growth in a new low carbon world."
A new Regional Economic Partnership will be established to oversee the development and delivery of the RES combining the expertise of all three councils and other public sector institutions, including both Forth Valley College and the University of Stirling, with a number of world-leading private sector companies.
The RES is being launched from a position of strength with significant infrastructure investment through the multi-million pounds already secured for the Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal and Falkirk’s Growth Deal delivering a range of projects which will act as the building blocks for inclusive growth.
"This new strategy will ensure that Forth Valley is well placed to secure future funding from both the Scottish and UK Governments and to leverage private sector investment through our innovative approach to driving economic and environmental sustainability.
It will enable us to have real influence between the two big City Regions on the Clyde and the Forth. The cumulative impact of each area combining their efforts is more than the sum of its parts. Forth Valley now has an opportunity to become rightly recognised as the ‘buckle’ in Scotland’s central belt, unequivocally at the heart of Scotland’s economic recovery and renewal."