• The City of Edinburgh Council has shared views with the Scottish Government on the country’s economic recovery plans
• It calls for a collaborative approach across national and local government while recognising that plans have to be shaped at a local level to ensure the best action is being taken for the city
• Response echoes and builds on measures set out in Edinburgh’s Adaptation and Renewal Programme, published last month

Scotland’s economic revival must be led from a local level and backed up by collaborative support across all levels of government for the country to recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is according to a report detailing the City of Edinburgh Council’s views on Scotland’s economic recovery which will be presented to the Policy and Sustainability Committee this Thursday (11 June).

The report was created in response to a call for views from the Scottish Government’s Advisory Group on Economic Recovery (18 May). It includes feedback from service areas as well as findings from recent engagement with businesses and partners as part of the Council’s own Sustainable Economic Recovery strand of the Council Adaptation and Renewal Programme.

Council Leader, Adam McVey, said:

“It’s important to recognise the significant challenges we face and also that business as usual isn’t an option.

“We’re taking a ‘Team Edinburgh’ approach to our city’s recovery and working with the Scottish Government and national partners to do the same for the country. By collaborating with government and authorities at national and local levels we are doing everything possible to develop our economic and social recovery in the fairest and most sustainable way.

“Our Capital is in many ways Scotland’s gateway to the rest of the world and a driving force for the country’s economy, so it’s crucial for our city’s interests to shape the national plans.”

Depute Leader, Cammy Day, said:

“This is a shared view shaped by the discussions we’ve been having right across the Council and with sectors from all corners of the city. We’re all working to one common objective and we’re collectively responding to the challenges of the pandemic.

“The measures set out in our Adaptation and Renewal Report form Edinburgh’s roadmap out of the COVID-19 crisis and they form the basis of the response that we’ve provided to the Scottish Government. We know that Edinburgh can recover from this and do its part in helping Scotland recover on a national scale.”

The Scottish Government’s Advisory Group on Economic Recovery is charged with providing recommendations on how Scotland can recover from the crisis while supporting the country’s economy and is due to publish its findings later this month.

The Council’s response highlights how the Capital plays an incredibly important part in Scotland’s economy and this central role will continue as the country moves through recovery, requiring input on a national, regional and local level to ensure the strengthening of the city’s economy. Our response calls for a collaborative approach shaped at a local level to ensure each individual area’s best interests are in mind.

The response drew substantially on the Adaptation and Renewal Programme that was agreed by Councillors on Thursday 28 May and outlines how the Council will approach Edinburgh’s own city recovery. It recognises that the economic impact of the crisis will be felt for a considerable time to come, and that its recovery will depend on the protection and strengthening of core assets that are already in place, such as a highly skilled workforce, world-class heritage and an innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem, among others.

The council has already identified the need for a strong central vision throughout the city’s recovery and is using the findings of its City Vision 2050 consultation to guide the long-term ambitions, values and priorities of Edinburgh’s recovery.