Policy Scotland is engaged in rethinking the sub-national governance of economic development policy in Scotland, including the future landscape of potential structures, partnerships and in particular, the role of the new Regional Economic Partnerships (REPs).
Within Scotland there are multiple policy narratives currently in play for shaping the economy including growth and productivity, environmentally sustainable development, inclusive growth and wider wellbeing.
With a view to informing future policy departures in the ‘next’ phase of place policies in Scotland, a number of senior policy officials involved in the delivery and formation of regional policy in Scotland from the past and present, took part in a small policy colloquium in February 2020.
As Scottish policymakers strive towards more integrated and effective spatial policies, the event provided the opportunity to reflect on what worked in past policies, how and why they evolved and whether there are significant path dependencies in Scottish regional and place policies that will shape future choices.
A discussion paper has been produced to reflect on key lessons from the past Scottish experience of regional and place policies and will be available in the coming months.
Image credit: Inverness from the air. nikonflickr2. Published on Flickr | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
