PERTH AND KINROSS BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP WELCOMES INVESTMENT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN COUNCIL BUDGET

Perth and Kinross Council met today (26 February 2025) to set its budget for 2025-26 and provisional budgets for 2026-27 and 2027-28.

Responding to the budget measures, Jackie Brierton, Co-Chair of Perth and Kinross Business Partnership, said: 

"Strong businesses are critical to achieving our collective ambition for a prosperous and sustainable region, and a positive future for local people and our communities.

 "Despite the challenging funding environment, we are pleased to see Perth and Kinross Council invest what will amount to £10million over four years in measures to boost our economy. This will help the regeneration of our city and town centres, build the skills of our workforce, support new and existing businesses to grow, and show our region is open for business.

"We welcome the additional funding and recurring commitment to continue the successful Adapt Your Property Scheme, which will help to bring empty buildings across the region back into use. 

 "The £9 million Commercial Property Investment Programme will support new and growing businesses in gaining access to serviced land, addressing an issue that is often a drag on taking enterprises to the next stage of their development.

"We also know the critical importance of businesses having access to skilled employees, and helping our young people, the next generation workforce. 

"Council funding over the next three years to enhance apprenticeships, provide tailored training, deliver a Rural Skills Academy, and support pathways into land-based employment, is a further positive step for our economy.

"These measures will support the delivery of the new Perth and Kinross Economic Action Plan for 2025-2030, as we work together to grow local businesses, attract jobs and investment, tackle inequalities, and maximise the opportunities from the transition to net zero.

 "Recent research has shown the huge potential for our region, identifying Perth and Kinross as the top area in the UK for growth potential among its businesses.

"But delivering on our plans and potential is only partly about the council and its spending. We need bold actions by all stakeholders and real partnership working, delivering solutions at pace, getting our communities behind our vision, and looking beyond our regional borders to make a powerful case for inward investment."

 ENDS