POLICY UPDATE
Policy progress for the Edinburgh Chamber Over the last few months, the Policy team have been focused on supporting the work of the Edinburgh Business Resilience Group (EBRG), which we convened in December 2020, and in particular producing the main output of the group: the Prospectus for Growth. This document is intended as a blueprint to help accelerate the capital’s economic recovery from the pandemic, as well as to tackle some of Edinburgh’s long-standing challenges. Over 60 businesses of all sizes and sectors, along with universities, colleges, Festivals and others, have taken part, and have come together to call on the Scottish Government
and City of Edinburgh Council to work with us in genuine partnership. We believe the city needs to unite behind a shared vision and plan, and our Prospectus for Growth delivers practical suggestions to help us get there. A key theme of the Prospectus was the need to ‘re-set the relationship’ between business and policymakers – to collectively face up to the challenge of changing our perceptions, holding an open and honest conversation, and creating the kind of true partnership we need to recover and grow. Beyond that, the ideas put forward by the EBRG come under three themes of Recovery, Growth, and Edinburgh as a Global City:
Recovery Accelerate return-to-work plans and revise social distancing when safe Support for businesses in tackling debt levels that will stifle investment Adopt a more enlightened, transactional approach to business taxation Increase investment in skills and R&D
Growth Create “Edinburgh Means Business” – joint venture involving key stakeholders to help promote and sell the city and, vitally, help to develop and land inward investment Appoint a “Business Champion” for the City to work with the city council and Government Create more diverse business ownership through shared strategy to develop
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entrepreneurial talent from underrepresented groups and areas Simplify and streamline robust planning and licensing processes to encourage more people to do business in Edinburgh Encourage businesses to support our festivals and culture
Global City Do more to promote the city’s ambition to be Data Capital of Europe and enhance our reputation for innovation Better recognise the contribution of our tourism, culture, festivals and events sector to the city’s economy, quality of life and global reputation Develop a comprehensive aviation strategy – Edinburgh needs to remain a global city, and our airport remains a pillar of international trade and the gateway to the rest of Scotland Develop a world-class digital infrastructure Create a shared and coherent branding strategy for the city The Prospectus received a significant amount of media attention, from the Scotsman to Daily Business, and we are now seeking engagement with Scottish, UK, and local policymakers, to discuss how we might work most productively together to deliver what is best for the city. You can read the full Prospectus here, and if you’d like to engage with the EBRG, or learn more about our work, please contact the Policy Team at policy@edinburghchamber.co.uk
