Item 10 Glasgow City Region City Deal - Update
West Dunbartonshire Council · 18 June 2025
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer (Regulatory and Regeneration) Council: 18 June 2025 Subject: Glasgow City Region City Deal - Update 1. Purpose 1.1 To provide an update on the Exxon Infrastructure Project, and to report on matters being discussed by Glasgow City Region. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that Council: i) Notes the update on the Exxon Infrastructure Project. ii) Notes the progress of the Glasgow City Region programme. 3. Background 3.1 The Glasgow City Region City Deal Infrastructure programme equates to £1.13bn of investment during period 2015-2035. Projects are progressing and have reached various stages of development. 4. Main Issues 4.1 This report provides information on City Region progress and includes the latest position on Exxon site infrastructure project development. Exxon Infrastructure Project 4.2 Since reporting to Council on 23 April, the main construction works have continued to progress well and remain on programme. Quarterly newsletters will be prepared and shared on the Council’s website with April’s edition now available. 4.2 Negotiations are on-going with Network Rail to secure an access request to undertake works on the eastern overbridge and works to the Network Rail Western Underbridge started in late April. Discussion is ongoing regarding Water Management on the site following recent adverse weather. 4.3 The future marketing approach for the site continues to be progressed and a report on this will be brought to a future meeting. . Glasgow City Region - General Update ITEM 10 Page 27
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4.4 A Glasgow City Region Cabinet Meeting was held on 27 May. Items on the agenda included a report on the Assurance, Governance and Programme Management Framework 2025, on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund year-end report, and an Investment Zone Up-date. 4.5 The Cabinet report on UK Shared Prosperity Fund End of Year Report and Forecast Expenditure covered progress over three years to the end of 2024/25. During this time the City Region managed a budget of just under £74m across the eight member authorities. The report noted the overall spend of 99% of the budget by member authorities. The paper also set out the spend forecast for the extended one-year period covering 2025/26, which is a significant reduction from the previous year. The total 2024 / 2025 UKSPF budget allocation was £1.5bn, the financial commitment for the extension year is £900m, equating to a 40% overall reduction. 4.6 The additional year of UK Shared Prosperity funding will continue to focus on the same three themes of Communities and Place, Supporting Local Business and People and Skills and West Dunbartonshire will receive £1,694m. Clarity on the future of UK Shared Prosperity Fund beyond 2025/26 is not expected until the UK Government Spending Review in June 2025. 4.7 The paper on the Glasgow City Region Investment Zone provided an update on the programme and the work of all shortlisted projects. This work includes the Glasgow City Region Intelligence Hub supporting each of the short-listed bidders in the collation of expected economic impact of each proposal. 4.8 As previously reported, the proposed Scottish Marine Technology Park (SMTP) was shortlisted for up to £20m of potential Investment Zone funding. To-date the Malin Group has invested approximately £3.8m in the site. The Malin Group is working through a due diligence process to support the Glasgow City Region Gateway 4 submission which is due at the end of June 2025. Thereafter, all shortlisted projects will begin work on their Full Business Cases for submission and consideration by Glasgow City Region. 4.9 As part of the Investment Zone, Glasgow City Region has the option to retain the uplift in Non-Domestic Rates across up to three sites, the area of which must be less than 600 hectares. Any retained rates from the identified sites would be for redistribution across the City Region to projects that align with the Investment Zone’s agreed focus of advanced manufacturing and precision engineering. This potential additional revenue would be based on any uplift in Non-Domestic Rates from an agreed baseline with Scottish Government. All member authorities were asked to consider nominating suitable sites for consideration by the Glasgow City Region. Due to on-going discussions around potential funding opportunities there were no sites nominated by West Dunbartonshire Council. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are several senior officers involved in the Glasgow City Region wider programme as noted at City Region Update paper at Council on 26 August 2021. Page 28
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6. Financial Implications 6.1 Spend to date on the Exxon Infrastructure Project for financial year 25/26 is £885,290. Overall spend to-date is £12.25M 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 There are several project risks associated with the development at the Exxon project site, and these are contained within the project risk register and updated by the Project Board on a regular basis. The Project Board is made up of senior officers from all key services. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment 8.1 Previously completed. No further Assessment is needed at this stage. 9. Consultation 9.1 Consultation with all key stakeholders is progressing as we continue to work as part of the Glasgow City Region. 10 Strategic Assessment 10.1 At its meeting on 26 October 2022, the Council agreed that one of its main strategic priorities for the Strategic Plan 2022 - 2027 is ‘A Strong local economy and improved employment opportunities’. 10.2 The proposals within this report are specifically designed to deliver on this priority. Alan Douglas Chief Officer: Regulatory and Regeneration Date: 18 June 2025 Person to Contact: Elaine Troup elaine.troup@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendix: None Background Papers: UK Shared Prosperity Fund Report to Housing and Communities Committee 22 August 2022 Glasgow City Region City Deal- Council 13 August 2014. “City Deal Initiative” Clyde Valley Investment Fund- Council 30 April 2014 (Memorandum of Understanding). Clyde Valley Community Planning Partnership – City Deal Initiative – Council 28 August 2013. Wards Affected: All Page 29