No mayor, but Edinburgh closing in on devolution deal
Growing confidence as talks progress on new powers for city-region
Work towards creating devolved powers for an Edinburgh city region that could help resolve and fund some of south-east Scotland’s biggest infrastructure challenges – from transport to housing and health – is moving forward.
The new Prime Minister’s pledge to increase regional decision-making throughout the UK to create “growth in every postcode” may have further focused minds, but in Scotland the work on de-centralising much decision-making pre-dates the emergence of “Manchesterism” to when First Minister John Swinney pledged greater local powers if the SNP was re-elected in May.
Finding new ways to fund big projects, incentivising local and regional economic growth for local authorities through innovative business rates initiatives, and creating much more tailored skills development are all key aspirations.
The potential in Edinburgh and its environs is enormous. The Capital, Midlothian and East Lothian are three of the four areas where population growth is expected to be highest in Scotland over the next decade. The city is now the most productive per capita in the UK, outstripping even London, and punches well above its weight in delivering economic growth in Scotland and the wider UK.
So, what might a new regional entity look like? Unlike south of the Border, there is little political appetite for any kind of Mayoral authority, and an additional layer of local government – such as a return to former regional authorities – is similarly viewed a non-starter.
