Chamber News
Investment in Moray is being targeted at the right areas, says Leader of Moray Council, Cllr Graham Leadbitter
1 October 2019 • Sarah Medcraf
Confidence in the local economy is strong, cemented by the £65m Growth Deal announcement, which has seen the Scottish and UK Government’s pledging £32.5m each for Moray in what’s been described as a “game-changer” for the region.
It’s an incredible achievement which has seen business sectors from all over Moray come together to champion the case for investment, with support from partners including Moray Council, UHI, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Moray Business Assembly, RAF Lossiemouth and Kinloss Barracks, and many more.
It comes as Moray Council confirms it has facilitated investment in capital projects in the 2018/19 financial year totalling £27.9m - £27.3m of which was funded from grants. Here’s a snapshot of what that investment has done for Moray:
Cllr Graham Leadbitter, who is also the authority’s Chair of Economic Development and Infrastructure, said: “Every year we target millions of pounds of grant funding to meet our corporate priorities. Looking at what was achieved in 2018/19, I’m confident we are investing in the right areas to meet our pledge to Moray residents.
“Our work in securing a Growth Deal for the region reaffirms our commitment to promoting economic growth; we invested almost £15m in schools to work towards a sustainable education service; street lighting and road safety improvements will make sure our communities are healthier and safe; and we continue to work towards a financially stable council, offering valued services.
“In addition to the figures above, we’ve invested more than £19m in our council housing stock, including much-needed new build homes for our residents.
“This investment will deliver long-term benefits, and it’s this planning that’s vital for Moray; though we set budgets on a year-to-year basis, we can’t just focus on the here and now.
“I’m also proud that our investment in our industrial portfolio is reaping rewards. High occupancy rates and increased rent will enable us to continue investing and expanding our industrial portfolio, in a time where demand is outstripping supply.
“It’s clear business sense to forward plan, look at what we need to achieve in the medium to long-term and how we plan for it, both in financing projects and how we resource them. I look forward to ensuring we maintain the momentum in ploughing much-needed and much-welcomed investment into improving Moray’s infrastructure and services for our residents.”
You can find more Council news on their website: moray.gov.uk/newsroom
Cllr Graham Leadbitter, who is also the authority’s Chair of Economic Development and Infrastructure, said: “Every year we target millions of pounds of grant funding to meet our corporate priorities. Looking at what was achieved in 2018/19, I’m confident we are investing in the right areas to meet our pledge to Moray residents.
“Our work in securing a Growth Deal for the region reaffirms our commitment to promoting economic growth; we invested almost £15m in schools to work towards a sustainable education service; street lighting and road safety improvements will make sure our communities are healthier and safe; and we continue to work towards a financially stable council, offering valued services.
“In addition to the figures above, we’ve invested more than £19m in our council housing stock, including much-needed new build homes for our residents.
“This investment will deliver long-term benefits, and it’s this planning that’s vital for Moray; though we set budgets on a year-to-year basis, we can’t just focus on the here and now.
“I’m also proud that our investment in our industrial portfolio is reaping rewards. High occupancy rates and increased rent will enable us to continue investing and expanding our industrial portfolio, in a time where demand is outstripping supply.
“It’s clear business sense to forward plan, look at what we need to achieve in the medium to long-term and how we plan for it, both in financing projects and how we resource them. I look forward to ensuring we maintain the momentum in ploughing much-needed and much-welcomed investment into improving Moray’s infrastructure and services for our residents.”
You can find more Council news on their website: moray.gov.uk/newsroom