Edinburgh City Region Deal: Midlothian Council leader welcomes board members on new council

Edinburgh city region deal. Pictured at the signing ceremony: Midlothian Council Leader, Councillor Derek Milligan (second from right) with Prime Minister Theresa May, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, City of Edinburgh Council Leader Adam McVey (centre) and other council leaders.

The Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal has appointed a group of experts from the private and third sectors to its Regional Enterprise Council.

The City Region Deal is a £1.3 billion investment over the next 15 years designed to accelerate economic growth across the region. The UK and Scottish Governments have partnered with Midlothian, the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Fife, Scottish Borders and West Lothian councils to deliver the Deal, along with Edinburgh’s universities, colleges, businesses and third sectors.

The new Regional Enterprise Council will advise the Deal’s decision-making body, the Joint Committee, on the delivery of projects across the region. The membership will also be responsible for developing closer working between the public, private and third sectors and championing the City Region Deal nationally and internationally to encourage investment.

Hibernian FC chief executive Leeann Dempster has been named chairwoman of the council. Claire Pattullo of Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network will serve as vice-chairwoman. The other members, who have been chosen to reflect the diverse economic make-up of the South East of Scotland, are: Ewan Aitken, Cyrenians; Robert Carr, Anderson Strathern; Stephen Drost, Codebase; Steve Dunlop, Scottish Enterprise; Gavin Hamilton, Taylor Wimpey; Stephen Ingledew, Fintech Scotland; Nile Istephan, Eildon Housing Association; Angela Leitch, East Lothian Council; Polly Purvis, Scotland IS; David Thomson, Food & Drink Federation Scotland, and Damien Yeates, Skills Development Scotland.

Midlothian Council Leader, Councillor Derek Milligan said: “The appointment of this skilled and experienced group of business and third sector leaders will help the Deal partners deliver inclusive economic growth and encourage greater investment in the region.”