McMillan to Meet Infrastructure Secretary over Regeneration Strategy

Tory Lib Dem UK Budget cuts of £1.3bn affect Scottish budget

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP) has today (Wednesday) reacted to the announcement surrounding the funding of the Urban Regeneration Company (URC), Riverside Inverclyde (RI).

Mr McMillan has been a supporter of the work of Riverside Inverclyde since his election in 2007 and regularly meets up with RI representatives to keep fully abreast of progress with the URC. Stuart recently met up with RI to discuss renewable opportunities and the promotion of Inverclyde as a place with renewable opportunities.

Mr McMillan said;

"It’s clear that the UK Government budget cuts are having an effect on every part of the UK. Their slashing of the Scottish Government budget by £1.3billion makes the task of trying to keep the economy working even more challenging.

"The Scottish Government have difficult choices to make with £1.3billion less to spend. The current Scottish Budget process is underway and it is proposed that the regeneration budgets were to be amended with a new regeneration strategy to be announced later in the year.

"This morning during the Economy Energy and Tourism Committee budget meeting, Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary, Alex Neil MSP was giving evidence. I asked him about the future of the URC’s and Riverside Inverclyde in particular. He acknowledged that there are challenges facing the URC’s and that work is taking place on the new Regeneration Strategy.

"The Cabinet Secretary has agreed to meet me to discuss the situation facing the URC’s and also to provide an update on the new Regeneration Strategy.

"It is important to acknowledge the vast sums of finance from the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise that RI has received so far – over £39million since 2006. This is in addition to the £2.2million from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

"The current proposals are of course a surprise but I will be pressing the case yet again for RI as I have done consistently over the last 4 years.

"I would hope that elected members of all sides act in a constructive manner to press the case for RI and to ensure Inverclyde gets a good deal when the new Regeneration Strategy is announced. This is a time for a measured response not the histrionics of a bygone era."