A Scottish Government debate on the Agenda for Cities took place in the Parliament recently.

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Nicola Sturgeon set out a motion in which she set out the Scottish Government’s Cities Strategy as proposed in Scotland’s Cities: Delivering for Scotland.

The Cabinet Secretary outlined the role of the Scottish Cities Alliance as being to support collaborative projects designed to strengthen connectivity, sustainability knowledge and liveability within Scotland's six cities. During the debate she defended the Government's initial policy focus upon projects which will deliver "sustainable economic growth and attract large-scale private sector investment".

An additional £2m in funding to boost sustainable investment in the low carbon economy through the Cities Investment Fund was also announced by Nicola Sturgeon.

In the course of the debate it was suggested that more should be done in the way of developing policies geared at maximising the potential of cities in the fields of tourism and the knowledge economy.

The discussion was, however, lacking in some of the more radical policy proposals put forward in the UK Government Cities Strategy, which includes a "menu of options" detailing potential support for devolving local transport major funding and a commitment to creating directly elected mayors in the 12 largest English cities.

There was widespread, cross-party support for a collaborate approach in developing the Governments Agenda for Cities, with lessons to be drawn from best practice experience as well from positive engagement between cities and with public, private, voluntary and education bodies.

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Kirstin MacLeod