SCOTLAND'S largest cities need new devolved powers to deal with the “toxic” cocktail of Brexit, Covid and climate change, according to a new report.
The study commissioned by the Aberdeen and Glasgow chambers of commerce has urged the devolution of major new powers so that Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh (AGE) can adapt to a changing urban landscape.
Professor Brian Evans, head of urbanism at the Glasgow School of Art and an adviser to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, led the research and says that Scotland needs the city regions “at the top of their game” if it is to remain globally competitive.
“Cities need to be dynamic, or they decline,” he warns.
However, with an ageing population and the end to freedom of movement brought about by Brexit, one of the key issues that AGE are facing is decreased workforce mobility, the report says.
The study notes that Brexit was motivated by negative public perception of increasing international migration but that “[Brexit] perversely exacerbates the effects of falling birth rates and ageing”.
As a result, one of the study’s key recommendations is that “immigration policy is devolved to ensure our cities and regions have access to the workforce they need to prosper”.
Meanwhile, the study also warns that the shift to more flexible working could have a negative effect on city centres as office requirements could drop by 30%.
The report states: “If 3-4 day in-office working weeks become the norm, the impact on footfall, the viability of businesses serving office workers, the office property market and the public transport system could be profound, especially if it is accompanied by long-term changes in shopping, entertainment and leisure.”
The study recommends that a major focus be put on regenerating residential populations in city centres “to replace the critical mass lost due to technological advances and other social changes”.
The report also found that cities have taken the brunt of the impact of Covid on Scotland since despite accounting for just 22% of Scotland’s land mass, they house 68% of the population and account for 73% of the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA).
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce said: “The updated report considers what has changed in light of the pandemic and the accelerating net zero carbon agenda, and also the many fundamentals which have not.
“It must be used to provide the launchpad to propel Scotland forward in the century of the city. And we ask Scotland’s policy makers to urgently work together with business communities to make the necessary interventions that will shape the next chapter for our AGE cities – and it must happen at pace.
“As agents of positive change, Chambers of Commerce and our project partners stand ready to play our part. Doing, not just talking.”
