Annie Wells: An investment zone is what we need

Alongside Aberdeen, our city was chosen as the result of a joint partnership between the UK and Scottish governments to receive £80 million worth of funding over the next five years.

This is a massive economic boost for Glasgow during a time when we are facing huge economic challenges.

The UK Government’s Levelling Up strategy is one that I am fully supportive of and is one that is already delivering for our city with £13m invested in the refurbishment of Pollok Stables and a further £100,000 invested through the Community Ownership Fund in supporting Langside Sports Club.

As a Glasgow MSP, I will be continuing to lobby at every turn for further such opportunities to come to the city to boost our infrastructure and regenerate our communities.

The investment zone will bring more high-skilled jobs and future opportunities for Glaswegians and incentives for people to make our wonderful city their home. The zones are also backed up by tax breaks, meaning Glasgow will be an attractive place to invest. As technology continues to develop, it is extremely welcome that the investment zones have such a focus on industries of the future.

These include our universities sector, of which Glasgow is home to so many world-leading institutions who are developing the highly skilled workforce of the future.

The £80m worth of investment will also boost our creative industries, our green sector and the ever-growing technology industry.

As UK Government levelling up secretary Michael Gove rightly pointed out, Glasgow has a rich history of being an economic powerhouse. With this funding our communities can be at the heart of another economic revolution fit for the 21st century.

Michael Gove (Image: Newsquest)

This investment is a prime example of what can be achieved for Glasgow and other places across Scotland when both of our governments work constructively together and focus on the issues that really matter to people.

Instead of the Scottish Government continuing with their relentless push for another divisive independence referendum, it was refreshing that senior figures within the Scottish Government engaged positively with their counterparts in the UK Government to get this deal over the line.

Strengthening our economy and putting measures in place to bring new jobs to Glasgow is exactly one of the priorities Glaswegians want our governments to be focused on right now, especially as they continue to grapple with a cost-of-living crisis.

While concrete proposals are still to be developed, this is a really exciting time for our region and a welcome shot in the arm after the Clyde missed out earlier this year on being named one of the two freeports by the Scottish and UK governments.

I will be closely monitoring details of the projects that are brought forward by industry leaders, the council and businesses to ensure Glasgow and the surrounding area fully reaps the rewards of being chosen as one of Scotland’s first two investment zones. With the Scottish Parliament now in summer recess, it presents an ideal opportunity for me to get out and about more in Glasgow.

I will be spending the next few weeks doing just that, holding local surgeries where anyone can come along to raise any issue they feel I can help them on.

I am also busy arranging visits to many of our local businesses and organisations carrying out so much wonderful work every single day which often goes unnoticed. If you are keen for me to pay a visit to your business or organisation, then do not hesitate to contact my office and hopefully we can get a date in the diary.

And while I will be busy engaging across the city, I will be also making sure I use this period to enjoy some downtime, after what has felt like another relentless period in Scottish politics.

I will particularly love spending time with my two gorgeous grandsons Noah and Freddie. They are growing up so fast and are an absolute bundle of joy.

Spending time with them always reminds me of what is truly important when often you can get caught up in trivial matters in the rough and tumble of the Parliament.

I hope everyone gets some time to recharge over the summer with their families and I’ll see you again in a fortnight for this column.