City and Regional Deals in context

Over the next fifteen years City Region and Growth Deal investment from the Scottish and UK Governments, Local Authorities and the private sector, is set to reach £5bn. Every area of Scotland now has a City Region or Growth Deal in place or in development. As well as making major improvements to Scotland’s infrastructure in excess of 70, 000 new jobs are expected to be created. Each plan is based on local priorities and focuses on investments to support new business opportunities and markets in a wide range of industries from aerospace and aquaculture to tourism and technology.

Annual grant offer letters agreed between the Scottish Government and CRDs commit them to “…work(ing) with the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and others to explore opportunities to maximise the impact of the Programme to allow the benefits of growth to be shared by all and to advance overall equality of opportunity under the Equality Act 2010 including the new socio-economic duty that came into force in April 2018”.

The Scottish Government is committed to achieving economic growth in Scotland that is inclusive. This means growth that combines increased prosperity with greater equality, creates opportunities for all, and distributes the benefits of increased prosperity fairly. To achieve this CRD Partnerships will need to consider how their investment decisions will advance equality of opportunity and decrease socio economic inequality for Scotland’s most deprived communities, for women, ethnic minorities and disabled people.

To assist CRDs to achieve this the Scottish Government has seconded in a member of staff from the EHRC who will provide support and advice on equality and inequality issues.