Tag: Economy

Housing and Economy Convener wants ‘prosperity for everyone’

Housing and Economy Convener, Cllr Kate Campbell, has sets out her vision to bring prosperity to every neighbourhood in the city:

It is very well known that Edinburgh remains the most prosperous UK city outside London. In my new role as Housing and Economy Convener of the City of Edinburgh Council, my first priority is going to be to ensure that this prosperity reaches everyone, in every neighbourhood of the city.

I recognise that jobs growth alone has not been sufficient to deliver sustained improvements in living standards for everyone and the time has come to take a good look at why there are still people living in Edinburgh who are not sharing in this prosperity. At the heart of our economy strategy is the message that everyone must have the opportunity to benefit from Edinburgh’s success.

Our economy is going from strength to strength and has shown great resilience during tough economic times but we need to be fairer to everyone in terms of wages, opportunity, access to housing, education and good careers if we are to help it to grow further. It is also vital to the city’s economy that housing remains affordable in the city.

The economy strategy, which will be presented in June 2018 for approval, will set out an action plan to tackle inequality and poverty. This is an important shift in the focus of our work.

My passion lies in tackling Edinburgh’s chronic housing shortage.  My first task, as chair of the homelessness task force, is to stop families with children being temporarily housed in bed and breakfasts by June, as we know this can make schooling children and access to cooking facilities difficult.  I will also reduce the number of people being temporarily housed in B&Bs and the time they spend in them. It is also vitally important that we reduce the number of people sleeping rough.

Along with our housing association partners, we are delivering the biggest council-led affordable housing programme in the UK with 20,000 affordable homes planned for the next decade. This will help us to tackle the shortage of good quality homes for people on low and middle incomes in the city. There are currently over 2000 affordable and low cost homes under construction on 31 sites across the Edinburgh.  This will make a big difference, but it’s just the start.

To help support the Capital’s continued growth, as a Council, we are also taking a proactive approach to stimulate development.

One of our priorities is to unlock brownfield sites for house builders and developers so that they can deliver the quality housing that we so desperately need and the space to allow businesses to start up, grow and thrive.

Last month we bought the National Grid site at Granton on Edinburgh’s Waterfront. This purchase is another step towards the delivery of The Granton Masterplan. An ambitious vision that will see the area transformed into a vibrant new community. This is hugely important to us as the Waterfront is one of seven key strategic development areas identified in the Edinburgh and South East City Region Deal, signed by all partners last summer.

In addition to the land for housing, community and business development, the site, set in parkland, includes an iconic last remaining gas holder in the city and the former Granton railway station, both of which are grade B listed buildings. Given the significance of these structures they will form a key role in the development proposals for the land and give a focus and identity to the new community.

Over in the west of the city we built industrial units after carrying out research which identified an increasing shortage of good quality industrial space. These units are now fully let. It is clear that there is a need for quality accommodation for businesses that are struggling to expand. Although all of the units are now let, officers are still receiving enquiries and this is a model we are keen to replicate elsewhere in the future.

The population in Edinburgh is at an all-time high and continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. This growth brings challenges of increased pressure on housing, transport and public services and I look forward to playing my part in ensuring that everyone in the city has the opportunity to access quality jobs and housing in the future.

This article first appeared in The Scotsman on 4th May.

 

 

The UK Government delivers for Scottish businesses, says the UK Government’s Scotland Office

The Scottish Business Taskforce of economic and business leaders came together on Friday to discuss ways to support some of Scotland’s most important sectors. The taskforce, announced by Scottish Secretary David Mundell last year, aims to exert a positive influence on the development of UK Government policy and in turn, advance Scotland’s interests. Continue reading The UK Government delivers for Scottish businesses, says the UK Government’s Scotland Office

Salaries on the rise?

UK Advertised Salaries Grow In Every UK Region

  • UK average advertised salaries up– currently sitting at £33,646; up 3.5% year-on-year
  • Every region in the UK showed year-on-year salary growth
  • Total advertised vacancies at 1,104,236 – down 8.3% over six months
  • Graduate salaries stutter– advertised salaries declined 12.1% over 12 months to £21,400
  • Energy salaries light up – typical sector pay up 10.8% annually to £40,640.

Average UK advertised salaries have increased in the last 12 months, up 3.5% to £33,646, according to Adzuna.co.uk. Growth in advertised wages is in evidence in every on of the 12 UK regions. Continue reading Salaries on the rise?

New tax bands take effect in Scotland today

More than two-thirds of taxpayers will pay less on their current income this year under Scotland’s new tax bands. Changes to the Higher and Top rate tax bands, which take effect from today, also mean an additional £428 million will be available in 2018/19 to invest in vital public services and the economy.

Continue reading New tax bands take effect in Scotland today

Waterfront regeneration ‘on hold’ following discovery of rare tree

The multi-million £ regeneration of Granton’s waterfront has been put on hold once again following the discovery of a rare tree – thought to be the only one of it’s kind – on the Forthquarter site recently purchased by the city council. And the discovery of this unique tree could potentially transform the prospects of one of the city’s most neglected areas. Continue reading Waterfront regeneration ‘on hold’ following discovery of rare tree

Uncertainty weighs on Scottish business confidence, according to regional Business Barometer report

The Bank of Scotland’s Business Barometer for March 2018 shows:

  • Overall confidence for firms in Scotland fell 23 points last month to 12 per cent
  • Firms’ confidence in their own business prospects was 18 per cent
  • Economic optimism remains positive but now stands at just five per cent
  • A net balance of 10 per cent of Scottish firms now expect to hire more staff this year

Business confidence in Scotland fell 23 points to 12 per cent in March, according to the latest Business Barometer from the Bank of Scotland. Continue reading Uncertainty weighs on Scottish business confidence, according to regional Business Barometer report

Scottish businesses plan jobs boost as confidence rises, says Business Barometer report

Bank of Scotland’s Business Barometer for February 2018 shows:

  • Overall confidence for firms in Scotland rose 17 points during February to 35 per cent
  • Economic optimism in the region stood at 33 per cent, 20 points above last month
  • Job creation increased by 23 points to 27 per cent compared to January

Continue reading Scottish businesses plan jobs boost as confidence rises, says Business Barometer report

Edinburgh’s economy: A tale of two cities

“The time has come to take a good look at why there are still people living in Edinburgh who are not sharing in this prosperity” – Councillor Gavin Barrie, Housing & Economy convener 

An Economy Strategy to tackle inequality and poverty in the Capital has been published by the city council. The draft strategy which will be considered by councillors at the Housing and Economy Committee on Thursday, recognises that although Edinburgh remains the second most prosperous UK city outside London, jobs growth alone has not been sufficient to tackle poverty and deliver sustained improvements in living standards for everyone. 

Consultation carried out with all political parties and businesses, as well as local communities and the third sector, revealed a consensus of opinion that Edinburgh’s economy should aim to create jobs and inspire innovation but that it should also do much more to ensure that the benefits of that prosperity are accessible to all residents across the city.

It has been created around three themes – innovation, inclusion and collaboration and includes ten steps to achieve this goal. The council alone cannot achieve this and needs ownership and leadership from other city partners such as the Edinburgh Partnership and Edinburgh Business Forum.

Cllr Gavin Barrie, Housing and Economy Convener, said: “Our Economy Strategy sees an important shift in the focus of our work to help Edinburgh’s economy to grow. It is going from strength to strength and has shown great resilience during tough economic times. The time has come, however, to take a good look at why there are still people living in Edinburgh who are not sharing in this prosperity. 

“We need to grow our economy so that it is fair in terms of wages, opportunity, access to housing, education and good careers. Much of that work has already started through our commitment to build 20,000 new affordable homes in the city and the £1.1b Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region deal, which will provide £300m for world leading data innovation centres, £25m for regional skills programme to support improved career opportunities for disadvantaged groups and £65m of new funding for housing to unlock strategic development sites.

“The strategy also fits in well with the most recent Scottish Government Economic Strategy and UK Industrial Strategy, both of which have placed increasing emphasis on the need for inclusive growth for our economy.

“Locally, the strategy also represents one of the first major practical steps towards achieving the City Vision for 2050 that we have been developing with contributions from people across the city since September 2016.”

Hugh Rutherford, Chair of the Edinburgh Business Forum, said: “To stay ahead of our global competitors, Edinburgh needs a laser focus on our world leading sectors – financial services, tech, life sciences, creative industries and tourism.

“But we need more than sectoral growth – we need responsible and sustainable ‘good growth’, making sure everyone benefits in a way that’s not happened before. Crucial to the success of this will be the private sector, all levels of education, and the third and public sectors working together to achieve this common goal.”

Ella Simpson, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council, said: “I am pleased the Strategy explicitly acknowledges poverty and inequality in the City and highlights actions which aim to reduce the impact on people’s lives.  The strategy needs to recognise the existing communities and people as the bedrock for fair growth in the city and it is important that we provide support to business, from all sectors, to be the best employers they can be.” 

The Strategy’s ten steps, which all have their own actions plans.

  • Establish Edinburgh as the data capital of Europe.

  • Develop Edinburgh as a city of resilient businesses with the space to grow.

  • Create a step change in the growth of green and socially responsible business in Edinburgh.

  • Deliver new approaches to tackling the barriers that reinforce worklessness, poverty and inequality.

  • Reform Edinburgh’s education and skills landscape to meet the needs of our changing economy.

  • Deepen our relationships with employers to unlock good career opportunities.

  • Create a transformational city centre fit to power Scotland’s economy.

  • Build a world class Waterfront, and deliver business and residential growth in West Edinburgh.

  • Build affordable places for people to live and work.

  • Deliver sustainable and inclusive growth in our world leading culture and tourism sectors.