Signing of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal

Theresa May, Prime Minister | Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister | Leaders, Regional Councils | Charlie Jeffery, Professor of Politics and Senior Vice-Principal, University of Edinburgh

Scott Black attended the signing of this historic deal yesterday representing FWB Park Brown, The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and The Scottish Chamber of Commerce.

Prime Minister | Leader, City of Edinburgh Council | First Minister

The City Region Deal is a major government investment for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland region and is designed to accelerate growth through funding infrastructure, skills and innovation.  The funding from the UK and Scottish Governments will be complemented by investment from the partners to the City Region Deal. These partners include six local authorities of Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian, West Lothian, Fife and the Scottish Borders, plus universities and colleges in the region.  In July 2017, an in-principle agreement was reached that all partners together would invest up to £1.1bn in activities designed to accelerate economic development and inclusive growth.  These activities include employability and skills, housing, transport, culture and research, development and innovation.

At the heart of the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal is a Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) Programme.  The University of Edinburgh will lead the DDI programme, which has attracted significant Government funding, in close collaboration with partners in the public, private and third sectors.   FWB Park Brown has been working closely with the University of Edinburgh to appoint a credible, experienced and energetic leader to deliver the investments and activities of the programme over the next 15 years.

Charlie Jeffery, Professor of Politics and Senior Vice-Principal, University of Edinburgh

The aim of this Programme is to establish the region as the Data Capital of Europe over the next 15 years, attracting investment, fuelling entrepreneurship, and delivering inclusive growth.  Five hubs across the city will use data technology to support research and development activity in sectors of the future, from Health & Social Care, Public Sector, Financial Services, Fintech, Critical Infrastructure, Creative Tech, Agritech, Robotics & Autonomous Systems, Space & Satellite and Digital Tech.

The Programme will enable the transformation of the City region DDI ecosystem over the next 15 years by addressing five key development themes including Talent, Research, Adoption, Data and Entrepreneurship.

The City Deal will put Edinburgh at the cutting edge of this work and the investment will open up additional future possibilities for growth.