Grangemouth Future Industry Board minutes: July 2021

Attendees and apologies

Attendees:

• Scottish Government
• Falkirk Council
• Forth Valley College
• Skills Development Scotland
• Scottish Enterprise
• Scottish Futures Trust
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Transport Scotland

Items and actions

Purpose

The meeting covered two substantive items:

• an update on the Conventional Infrastructure Progress
• an Interactive Session with SEPA led by Terry A’Hearn and his team, looking at SEPA’s role in Transitioning Grangemouth and our Regulatory Hub Workstream

Key Board decisions/points raised at GFIB 5

Secretariat to continue to progress strategic indicators and present final product to board when ready.

Infrastructure Working Group to work with Secretariat on GFPS advice to ministers and feedback progress/outcomes to the board.

For the conventional infrastructure workstream to continue to make progress, it is essential that SFT, Falkirk Council, Transport Scotland and the GFIB team staying connected.

Discussion point for next or thereafter GFIBs: what is the message we are communicating to investors and Grangemouth businesses? 

Conventional infrastructure workstream lead and Secretariat to look at 12 month plan and ensure that what we're doing is consistent -- if we're not in line, then we need to have a robust approach setting out why we've taken a different approach.

Environmental compliance is non-negotiable but SEPA won’t stop there, they will support and work to ensure as many Scottish businesses as possible will go even further to explore all possible opportunities and encourage innovation.

A net zero Grangemouth Area will look like a strategic industrial asset that supports industry to transition, a community that is a hub for green jobs and skills. 

A regulatory hub should facilitate engagement, allow innovation, build a community and encourage collaboration.  

Due to time constraints, the third question was not covered. At a future GFIB meeting board members should discuss: How does the Grangemouth Regulatory Hub connect to other GFIB workstreams? 

Secretariat to liaise with SEPA to ensure that there is alignment on record of the meeting and the actions agreed before publishing.

Board members to contact Secretariat with suggested discussion items for September meeting.

Actions summary

• Secretariat to continue to progress strategic indicators and present final product to board when ready - date for completion: tbc
• Infrastructure Working Group to work with Secretariat on GFPS advice to ministers and feedback progress/outcomes to the board - date for completion: tbc
• discussion point for next or thereafter GFIBs: what is the message we are communicating to investors and Grangemouth businesses? - date for completion: tbc
• conventional infrastructure workstream lead and Secretariat to look at 12 month plan and ensure that what we're doing is consistent -- if we're not in line, then we need to have a robust approach setting out why we've taken a different approach - date for completion: tbc
• discussion point for future GFIB meeting: How does the Grangemouth Regulatory Hub connect to other GFIB workstreams? - date for completion: tbc
• Secretariat to liaise with SEPA to ensure that there is alignment on record of the meeting and the actions agreed before publishing - date for completion: 7 October 2021
• Board members to contact Secretariat with suggested discussion items for September meeting - date for completion: 7 October 2021