A new Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Aerospace Stakeholder Group met for the first time this week and committed to having an active and ongoing role in ensuring the airport and its aerospace cluster prosper for the benefit of the local and national economy.
[Pictured: Representatives at the first meeting of the
Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Aerospace Stakeholder Group.]
The group – chaired by the Leader of South Ayrshire Council – has been created to support the commercial turnaround of Glasgow Prestwick Airport (GPA) and renewed development of the surrounding aerospace sector to help achieve the maximum economic benefits.
It brings together key representatives from both the public and private sectors who are invested in ensuring a successful and sustainable future for the airport.
The group’s remit is to support the airport business to achieve its aims and objectives; support related economic development such as links to tourism or infrastructure improvements; and support the development of the surrounding aerospace sector.
One of the first decisions made at this week’s meeting was to agree that a supporting operational group would also be established to implement and drive forward the decisions and considerations of the strategic group.
South Ayrshire Council Leader, Councillor Bill McIntosh said: “This first meeting is a real milestone in bringing together all the parties interested in making Glasgow Prestwick Airport and its aerospace cluster work.
“It’s great to have direct input from the aerospace industry and see the public and private sectors working together on a collective basis with a real sense of purpose.
“Every member of the stakeholder group believes in the airport as a vital economic asset for the whole of Scotland – with 1,400 people employed there and a further 3,200 jobs linked to the site – and are fully committed to achieving the ambitions we have for this vital transport hub.
“We all want to make a positive difference and the Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Aerospace Stakeholder Group is the ideal vehicle to drive our support for the airport and make sure we play a full and active role in the development of the airport and the wider aerospace and engineering economy in Ayrshire.”
South Ayrshire Council is a Founder Member of the Elite Ayrshire Business Circle.
