North-east businesses will be urged to get onside with Aberdeen’s City Region Deal bid at a breakfast event in Europe’s energy capital later this month.
The area has long been recognised as an economic powerhouse for Scotland, despite cyclical downturns in the oil and gas industry, and it is hoped a City Region Deal could support the delivery of new infrastructure to maintain this success.
Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils are currently negotiating a deal with the Scottish and UK governments.
The Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce business breakfast at the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa on Tuesday, November 17 puts the initiative in the spotlight.
City Council chief executive Angela Scott and her shire counterpart, Jim Savege, will be there to explain what the deal could mean for its four key policy areas of housing, connectivity, innovation and internationalisation.
They will also give an update on the bid process and outline how the deal will progress over the coming months.
Both councils expect it to open up new opportunities for economic growth, but they fear some of the potential benefits could be lost if businesses are not on board.
Also speaking at the event will be Stephen Phillips, of law firm Burness Paull, who was directly involved in the early stages of Scotland’s first City Deal – Glasgow and Clyde Valley.
Mr Phillips will discuss how to build into the deal features that will help attract support from the private sector and to encourage investment.