POTENTIAL measures to help the Glasgow City Region recover from the impact of Covid-19 have been revealed.

Key areas requiring action have been set out in a report to the City Region’s cabinet, which includes representatives from eight neighbouring councils.

Priorities include speeding up major infrastructure projects, such as a Glasgow Metro, and helping young people to find work.

There is already “relatively high” levels of youth unemployment in the region – over 22 percent of 16 to 19 year olds – and it is predicted to “escalate further”, just as 16,000 young people leave education to enter the labour market.

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City Region cabinet members are asked to agree to the priority areas, which will be the focus of a recovery plan, when they meet on Tuesday.

If approved, the region’s programme management office will develop and cost the actions. Staff identified “common actions” proposed by member authorities and partners.

“In a number of instances progressing these actions will require a change in government policy or significant additional resources to be provided,” the report states.

An estimated 217,000 employees have been furloughed across the region, with potential for job losses to hit 90,000.

Establishing a Glasgow City Region Youth Guarantee to ensure young people, 25 and under, have help to find an apprenticeship or job or to access college, university or other training could be included in the plan.

A regional skills programme, cutting across business, educational institutions, Skills Development Scotland and councils, is also suggested.

Another action proposed is the development of a plan for an energy efficiency retrofit programme to create “meaningful” local jobs and cut carbon emissions.

Other proposals include an enhanced package of support to help workers facing redundancy to find employment and a Glasgow City Region active labour market programme to help those over 25 who are unemployed.

Councils need the process for taking over vacant and derelict land to be accelerated, the report states.

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It adds 16 out of 25 of the most deprived communities in the country are within the region.

“These are communities blighted by vacant and derelict land and poor access to services.

“They are also communities who will equally face the impacts of Covid-19 lockdowns on their high streets.”

One proposed action would see the cabinet ask the Scottish Government to speed up the existing process available to councils for acquiring land or premises.

They would also request the creation of a fund for developing vacant sites and making money available to repurpose empty properties.

The private sector “will be crucial to building our way out of the grand challenges we face”, the report adds.

“New methods of business support need to be developed to facilitate the region’s economic recovery and resurgence.”

Actions could include an expanded package of regional business support and advice services and additional grant and loan funding for businesses.

A ‘Regional Investment Prospectus’ to market key development site should be produced “as a matter of urgency”.

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It is suggested major infrastructure projects should be accelerated and expanded.

This would include prioritising investment in schemes such as the Glasgow Metro and the redevelopment of the Ravenscraig steelworks,

The report states it would also include securing funding for smaller “shovel-ready” projects and a pipeline of “green recovery” projects developed.

Another priority listed in the report is supporting businesses to re-open after lockdown through additional funding to cover the cost of introducing social distancing and additional hygiene measures.