P&K Growth Needs Infrastructure

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P&K Growth Needs Infrastructure

Perth & Kinross will see the biggest increase in its population of Scotland’s 32 local authorities over the next 25 years, and MSP Murdo Fraser believes that the Council and the Scottish Government must start planning now so that the appropriate infrastructure is in place to allow this growth to occur.

The report ‘Projected Population of Scotland’ was issued by Duncan Macniven, the Registrar General for Scotland . It finds that Scotland’s overall population will increase by about 5% between 2006 and 2031, with Perth & Kinross likely to grow more than four times as much at 22%.

Other findings include that the population of 15 of the 32 council areas in Scotland are projected to increase, while the population in the other 17 are projected to decrease. Also, the number of children aged 0-15 years old is projected to increase in only 8 council areas, with the biggest increases projected in East Lothian (+15%) and Perth & Kinross (+14%).

Commenting, Murdo said: “The report into Scotland’s projected population states that Perth & Kinross will see the biggest percentage increase in population growth of all of Scotland’s local authorities. There are many parts of Scotland that will see a decrease in its population and it is heartening to see that Perth & Kinross will develop and that the local population will increase. This is good for the future of the local economy and shows that our area is vibrant.

“However, Perth & Kinross Council and the Scottish Government must take on board the findings of this report and prepare for the future. If Perth & Kinross is to see a population increase, then we must have a local infrastructure that can cope with this increase. I do not want to see local services stretched and the Scottish Government must make sure that new jobs are created in Perth & Kinross.

“Not once since devolution has Perth & Kinross received a single job from the civil service job dispersal programme, and our area must be considered for any future relocation of government jobs.

“I believe that this report is further proof that Perth & Kinross must become its own City-Region, which would allow Perth and the surrounding area to set its own agenda and not be an add-on to the development of Dundee or Stirling.”

The full report is at: http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/popproj/projected-population-of-scotland-(2006-based)/index.html