Aberdeenshire councillors have agreed with their neighbouring council to throw their weight behind a 20-year, £2.9billion economic strategy to bolster the north-east economy.
A full meeting of Aberdeenshire Council convened in Woodhill House yesterday and agreed to a joint accord with Aberdeen City Council on the City Region Deal and approved a regional economic strategy for the scheme.
Councillors from across the political spectrum backed plans to focus and invest in Aberdeen City and Shire’s key industrial sectors, including oil and gas, food and drink, life sciences, fishing, tourism and the creative industries.
The council also formally agreed to form Opportunity North East (One) – a private and public sector economic partnership.
This initiative aims to identify opportunities for investment within the north-east’s key industries, as set out in the City Region Deal.
However, one councillor warned the economic strategy should consider that some parts of Aberdeenshire – emphasising the Banff and Buchan area – deserved priority in terms of investment and regeneration.
Independent Fraserburgh councillor, Ian Tait, cl some areas of Aberdeenshire require “more investment than others”.
Mr Tait said: “The document is positive, clearly we must support any positive actions we can take to set good living conditions, good working conditions.
“Royal Deeside needs no marketing imposed where other areas such as the north-east coast need that happening. I’m just wondering if this strategy encompasses enough scope for these changes to be met.”
Co-leader of the council, Richard Thomson, said the local economy was at a “point of transition” and added the strategy would safeguard the oil and gas sector, as well as the north-east’s core industries.
He added: “To have any meaning whatsoever we need to have an action plan. It is imperative we avoid mistakes of the past of becoming to overdependent on one key sector.
“There are clear references in this document for a clear strategy for the north, in this strategy together with the regeneration strategy behind it gives us the best chance we have had in a generation to make these changes.
“There is nothing in here which prevents us from pursuing other economic opportunities.”
Head of the council’s opposition, the Aberdeenshire Alliance – Jim Gifford – said: “The city region deal is an absolutely great opportunity for the north-east of Scotland. We just have to make sure it works for this area.”
Head of the council’s infrastructure services, Stephen Archer, said the importance of the City Region Deal “should not be underestimated”.