For all of the obvious challenges, there is absolutely
no doubt in my mind that 2015 has been another successful year for the Capital
City of Scotland.
Edinburgh continues to be a hugely attractive
place to live, with an average of an additional 5,000 people choosing to move here
every single year – that’s a 1% annual growth, which will soon see Edinburgh
reach the half-million population mark.
Very few other UK-cities are drawing anything
like this level of population-attraction to them on a yearly basis – and, for
me, it still remains the case that Edinburgh’s overall ‘Quality of Life’ is
what makes us stand out from the crowd.
In addition, our local economy is still
outperforming all of our major UK-competitors; with Edinburgh continuing to
rank as the city with the second highest ‘Gross Value Added’ (GVA) per
resident, after London.
We also have the lowest claimant rate for
Jobseekers Allowance – currently at less than 1.5% - of any major city
throughout the whole of the UK.
And Edinburgh today has one of the most
talented workforces in the whole of Europe – with 2015 seeing the percentage of
the population of the capital, educated to degree level or above, reaching over
50% for the first time.
And dare I mention that even the tram has had
a successful year; with tram
patronage increased by some 12% when compared to last year, and the projected
total of 5.1million passengers for the whole of 2015 meaning that the service
continues to outperform targets set in the business model.
We have also seen the submission of a £1billion-plus ‘City Region Deal’ for the Edinburgh and South East
Scotland City Region; to both UK and Scottish Governments. It’s further
estimated that an additional £3.2billion of private sector investment could be
leveraged, if our bid is successful. And we should know the outcome in the
early months of 2016.
Turning to 2016, there is no question that the overall economic
prospects for the City are positive. But that does not mean we are short of
significant challenges; as perversely the success of the City economy does not
translate to any direct, additional funding for the Local Authority.
Indeed, we face the double-whammy of an increasing population – with
consequential growing demand for our services at both ends of the age-spectrum:
more +80 years olds than ever before, requiring more social care than ever
before; and more 3-5 year olds that ever before, requiring more Nursery and
Primary education than ever before – and the undeniable fact that our revenue-funding
is now declining; all meaning that we will definitely have some difficult
decisions when we set the 2016/17 Budget in the early part of next year.
And inside the Council, as is often the case periodically whether in the
public or private sector, we are seeing the implementation of a new
management-structure; with a new Senior Management Team.
But, being the eternal optimist, these are all constructive challenges
to be facing ... challenges of success and growth, not decline and stagnation.
And with a Scottish Parliament election on the horizon in May next year,
we may even see the beginnings of a return of some fiscal flexibility to Local
Authorities; with a serious debate already raging about the future of the
Council Tax and how Local Government generally is currently being funded.
So clearly, there is much to look forward to but also much work to do in
the year ahead.
And I do wish you and yours, the very best for a happy and successful
2016.
Cllr Andrew Burns
Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council
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