Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 14 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to work with local authorities to develop an interlinked strategy for tackling any problems facing Scotland’s town centres, in light of the recent Economy and Fair Work Committee’s Inquiry into Retail and Town Centres in Scotland.
The Scottish Government welcomed the report of the Economy and Fair Work Committee and agrees with the recommendations to focus on coordination, partnership working and long term funding.
The Scottish Government is working with COSLA, local government and partners including Scotland’s Towns Partnership to deliver our joint Town Centre Action Plan (TCAP) to support transformation of our town centres and promote our Town Centres First approach. TCAP sets out a range of cross sectoral and cross policy actions under the priority themes of better planning, taxation, town centre living, enterprising communities, climate action, digital skills and support, funding and demonstrator towns.
We recently established with COSLA the Town Centre Action Plan Forum to bring together expertise from local government and public, private and third sector partners to help progress key actions.