Question reference: S5W-35870
- Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 9 March 2021
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure there is community engagement with the Grangemouth Future Industry Board, and whether it plans to have representatives from the local community attending board meetings on an ad hoc basis.
Answer
The Grangemouth Future Industry Board, announced in the 2020 Programme for Government, has recently moved from an initiation phase to a delivery phase, bringing together key decision makers across the Scottish public sector, strengthening alignment and co-ordinating activity to best respond to the opportunities at the Grangemouth cluster.
The Board has completed an important period of collective agreement between partners on its purpose, remit and focus - as well as establishing systems of good governance and communication, including how the Board engages contributors who are external to the Board. Supporting a vibrant and sustainable future for the Grangemouth industrial cluster is at the heart of the Board, and actions taken will undoubtedly require input from a range of stakeholders including industry experts, business representatives, local residents and the community groups that represent them.
To this end, officials recently met with representatives of the Grangemouth Community Council to inform them of the Board, its workplan and the opportunities to become involved. Whilst the Board will continue to function as a public sector facing group, it will strive to maintain and strengthen channels of communication with the community council - and other vital stakeholders - to ensure that their perspectives are considered and reflected at key decision points.