1. ‘A Competitive Business Environment for
Sustainable Economic Growth – Strategic
Priorities for Scotland and Fife’ OR
‘Making Fife the Easiest Place to do
Business’
John Kilgour
President, Fife Chamber of Commerce
Managing Director, Fife Group
Making Businesses the Top Priority

2. Key Priorities for Businesses
• Procurement
• Transport
• Business Rates
• Education and Skills
• Planning & Construction
• Finance for Business
• Plus a little bit on Scottish Independence
Making Businesses the Top Priority

3. Procurement
• A simplified system – use the rules for local
benefit
• Driven by Economic Development aims
• Consultation with businesses – need to
listen
• Performance Information
Making Businesses the Top Priority

4. Transportation
• Complete new Forth Crossing by 2016
• Upgrade routes linking the M90 to Kincardine
• Upgrade the Redhouse Roundabout at Kirkcaldy
with improved access to Levenmouth
• Dualling of the A92 Trunk Road through
Glenrothes
• Air Passenger Duty
• Expanding Heathrow Airport
Making Businesses the Top Priority

5. Business Rates
• 2010 re-assessment & Transitional Relief
Withdrawal
• 5.6% increase in April 2011
• Small Business Bonus Scheme
• Reduction of Empty Premises Relief from
100% to 10% - impact on Town Centres
and Business Centres
Making Businesses the Top Priority

6. Planning & Construction
• Planning Gain/Section 75’s
• Need to kick start the Construction industry
• Morrisons proposal first started in 2009 when
B&Q closed in Kirkcaldy
– £30 million Investment & 300 jobs
– Widespread Support - few objectors
– Contrary to local plan
– 3 years plus in Planning stages – not yet complete
Making Businesses the Top Priority

7. Education & Skills
• Greater Dialogue between Business and
Educators
• School leavers NEED to have basic skills and
correct attitudes
• Fife needs to work together to support a
successful College merger
• Adequate funding for the new college
• Provision for 25 plus to meet the needs of
business
Making Businesses the Top Priority

8. Finance for Business
• Businesses confirm lack of finance is
holding them back
• State backed Business Bank is proposed
• Need for funds to kick start construction
sector
Making Businesses the Top Priority

9. Making Fife the Easiest
Place to do Business
“Fife Chamber of Commerce wholeheartedly
supports the principal aim of the Fife Economy
Partnership, which is to make Fife ‘the easiest place
to do business’. However, we know that that much
more needs to be done to achieve this aim and we
believe that putting business at the top of
everyone’s priority list will go a long way towards
making this happen.”
Making Businesses the Top Priority