Government talks over jobs and investment
THE leader of Inverclyde Council is set to make the case for jobs and further investment in the area directly with the UK Government.
Councillor Robert Moran has accepted an invitation to meet with several high-profile ministers and government officials in London this week to discuss Inverclyde’s challenges but also the many opportunities in a bid to encourage more support for the area.
He will be joined by council chief executive, Louise Long MBE, and director of environment and regeneration, Stuart Jamieson, for talks with Alison McGovern, Employment Minister, Department of Work and Pensions, Kirsty McNeill, Minister for Scotland, Scotland Office, Alex Norris, Minister for Democracy and Local Growth, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, and Michael Shanks, Minister for Energy, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The Inverclyde delegation have also been invited to meet with the Prime Minister’s devolution and local government advisers at 10 Downing Street.
Councillor Moran said: “I said from day one of becoming council leader that I am happy to work with anyone in the best interests of Inverclyde and that is what I am doing.
“It’s extremely rare to have the opportunity to make the case for Inverclyde right at the heart of government so we have to grasp this chance to highlight the many challenges we have but also the huge potential and work collaboratively with the government to improve our communities and the lives of local people.
“We have already secured £40 million worth of investment from the UK Government to improve central Greenock over the last couple of years and that’s a significant amount of money but that is just a drop in the ocean in terms of addressing decades of industrial decline and depopulation right across Inverclyde that has led to many of the challenges we are facing today.
“Creating employment opportunities and attracting inward investment are absolutely vital in allowing us to achieve our shared ambition of making Inverclyde an even better place to live, work, visit, and do business, but we need continued support from both the UK and Scottish governments to allow us to do that.
“These meetings will also allow us to showcase some of the excellent work we’ve done to date which has only been possible with government support, including the progress on the three City Deal developments at Greenock Ocean Terminal, Inchgreen Marine Park, and Inverkip, the Central Greenock regeneration, and the award-winning environmental work being done around decarbonisation through peatland restoration.
“I look forward to meeting with the ministers and officials and would like to thank them in advance for their time and, more importantly, for acknowledging that Inverclyde has a unique set of circumstances and untapped potential.”
Inverclyde MP Martin McCluskey, who helped to organise the meetings, will also be in attendance.
The local delegation will hold talks with government ministers and officials on Tuesday and Wednesday.