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Key players look at securing Argyll and Bute’s future

Ellen Morton
Ellen Morton

Building a prosperous future for Argyll and Bute and looking at ways of increasing the population will be the focus of an economic summit next week.

Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP, and Mr John Swinney, the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Economic Growth, will be the keynote speakers.

The Argyll and Bute Economic Summit takes place in Dunoon on Wednesday.

Argyll and Bute Council’s Leader, Councillor Dick Walsh, will be joined by high level representatives from numerous other local and national agencies including Visit Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Mr Carmichael will discuss partnership working and economic development in the wider United Kingdom context, while attendees will have the opportunity to take part in a question-and-answer session with Mr Swinney.

The summit, chaired by journalist and broadcaster Mark Stephen, will bring together the business, public and voluntary sectors to discuss how to tackle population decline. It will draw on the expertise of some of Argyll and Bute’s business successes, glean knowledge from the academic sector, and reinforce the proven track record of working together which is in evidence across Argyll and Bute.

Deputy Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, Councillor Ellen Morton, said: “The Argyll and Bute Economic Summit will provide a springboard to take forward new ideas, new projects, new investments and new ways to bring more people to live, work and visit in Argyll and Bute.

“Progress has already been made in key sectors like tourism, renewable energy, service industries and aquaculture, to name a few. The summit will explore the potential for growth in these areas as well as the many other possibilities of which Argyll and Bute can – and will – make the most.”

An overview of the current picture in Argyll and Bute from Councillor Walsh and Paul Connelly, vice chairman of the community planning partnership, will be followed by sessions on doing business in the area, opportunities for further growth, tourism, population change in rural areas and partnership working. There will also be an opportunity to hear from local young people on why they choose to live and work in the area.

Councillor Ellen Morton will introduce the Argyll and Bute Sustainable Economic Forum – a group which will keep the momentum going, working together to drive forward economic growth and create jobs.