4e Candidate Eurocities executive committee GLASGOW Eurocities AGM 2020 1 of 19 4e EUROCITIESEurocities AGM 2020 2 of 19 Glasgow’s candidacy for the Executive Committee Glasgow Manifesto – Eurocities ExCom 2020 4e Eurocities AGM 2020 3 of 19 2 People Make4 Glasgowe Dear colleagues, Glasgow, in our native Gaelic language means “a dear, green place”. As the host city for the UN Climate Conference COP26 next year we fully intend on living up to that description. We want to ensure that the voices of cities and citizens shape our collective green future, a future of environmental and social justice, a future where less carbon and more fairness are delivered together. Through our EUROCITIES activity and bilateral dialogue with peers, we have been able to contribute to a pan- European and global call for urgent change. And we will continue to do so, working with EUROCITIES to ensure that Glasgow and our peers are frontrunner cities in the race to carbon zero. We proudly joined peer cities in giving evidence to the European Parliament Environment Committee chair Pascal Canfin MEP at the EUROCITIES ‘City leadership for climate’ event prior to the launch of the European Green Deal. This was a bittersweet event for us, taking place just as the UK confirmed its damaging Brexit intentions, that will strip away the rights of our majority remain-voting citizens. Collaboration between cities is more important now than ever. EUROCITIES has led by example, moving city dialogues online, fertilising the appetite for partnership and knowledge exchange – a sisterhood of solidarity cities. Since our election in 2017, Glasgow’s City Government has made engagement within the EUROCITIES Network a key priority. We have regularly contributed off and online and ensured good practice was shared across our services, informing our immediate response and frontline practice. Our learning from EUROCITIES has also helped inform our longer-term planning, reprioritising commitments to ensure the delivery of a just urban future with the common good at its heart. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought home to us all just how inextricably linked humanity’s impact on our planet is and how acute is the need to act on the climate and ecological emergencies. As President von der Leyen stated in the 2020 State of the Union address on 16 September, the fragility of our planet and values has been exposed, but Europe has shown vitality in response. Strong collaboration between all levels of government has been key and will continue to be to ensure a greener, sustainable economic recovery. Glasgow faces the double disasters of Brexit and COVID-19. But we are committed to being an exemplar European city, enshrining and upholding values and working actively and collaboratively in EUROCITIES to future- proof cities, from local neighbourhoods to metropolitan regions. As the host city for COP26, it is even more incumbent on us to be a beacon, shaping national and supranational policies. We commit to keeping the light on for Europe and our shared planet. Our city’s unofficial anthem is about belonging – it ends with the words “Glasgow belongs to me”. That phrase sums up the spirit of Glasgow –everyone is welcome to belong and has a stake in Glasgow’s future. We hope that our friends and neighbours welcome the contribution we would to make to EUROCITIES via ExCom, as outlined in our Ten Point Pledges. 3 Eurocities AGM 2020 4 of 19 Glasgow Manifesto – Eurocities ExCom 2020 4e Priorities Planet To promote nature-based solutions and protect biodiversity; safeguard and nurture our cities As a Fair Work City, Glasgow is committed to agile, ecosystems; be frontrunner cities in the race adaptive economic development & investment focused to carbon neutrality to combat the climate and on inclusion, decarbonisation and empowerment. ecological emergencies; and advocate for a just We are committed to sharing our learning from transition and improvement in the environment, Universal Basic Income pilots with European and wider quality of life and wellbeing. international peers. Building on our two Pledges to the EU Pillar of Social Rights - Principle 19: housing and assistance for the homeless, and, Principle 14: minimum income - Glasgow promises to work together positively and collaboratively with the EUROCITIES network team 03 and members to embody and progress the following policy pledges: Progressive To be an exemplar European city and good global citizen. Glasgow is a welcoming city, our slogan being ‘People Make Glasgow’. We commit to continuing to be a progressive beacon and Europe’s no 1 city for trust, Proactive openness and tolerance; to treasuring our To take a prevention and early intervention ‘special relationship’ with the EU, to challenging approach, protecting the public against potential Euroscepticism, isolationism, racism; and future pandemics; invest in health promotion both promoting inclusion, integration and the values that physical and mental; integrate health and social have brought peace to Europe. care and aim for equal access and equitable outcomes in policy, planning and provision of health 01 services and healthy food, air, and water. 04 People Participate To strengthen municipal democracy, open To leave no one behind by power-sharing and government, transparent processes, participative the codesign and creation of policy to encourage decision-making, to ensure that cities respond solidarity; promote diversity and foster community to citizens’ voices regarding quality of life in all connections, coexistence, resilience; actively its dimensions, such as access to public space, include easy to ignore communities, ensuring that mobility, housing, education and lifelong learning each individual has the opportunity to flourish. and the workplace. 02 05 Eurocities AGM 2020 5 of 19 4 @GlasgowCC @glasgowlife @peoplemakeGLA People Make4 Glasgowe Prioritise Partnership Through policies, planning, procurement, public To engage in ongoing global dialogue; listen to services, and our practice, to promote place-based each other and our citizens; share best practices; approaches and quality of life; our citizens’ health promote active collaboration between cities, and wellbeing at the heart of what we do. local and national governments, civil society organizations, academic institutions and business organisations, amplifying the urban voice around the world and the need for a just, sustainable, wellbeing ecosystem. 06 09 Pioneer Party To develop inspiring, inclusive, and innovative Glasgow puts the ‘art’ in Party! Let’s celebrate initiatives centred around wellbeing and Europe, its cultures and urban living and enjoy its community wealth-building; ensure that our cities diversity and vibrancy; harness our citizens’ energy and citizens are empowered; and set expectations and creativity whether they are daydreamers or for industry, business and the private sector to drive the night-time economy; building 15 Minute actively contribute to – rather than detract from – Cities, making places and spaces for reflection as the wellbeing and prosperity of communities. well as fun. 07 10 Prosperity To seek to understand and influence the future of work - robotics, automation and digitalisation - to ensure the 4th Industrial Revolution benefits citizens and communities; collaborate with employers and workers to improve the quality of employment, encourage enterprise and innovation; and collaborate with businesses so that they thrive as we move to more sustainable and circular economies. 08 Eurocities AGM 2020 6 of 19 @GlasgowCC @glasgowlife @peoplemakeGLA 5 Glasgow Manifesto – Eurocities ExCom 2020 4e Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council Susan Aitken became Leader of Glasgow City Council in May 2017 when the SNP became the largest party on the Council, forming the City Government. She was elected as a councillor for the historic Langside ward, where she lives, in 2012 and has been leader of the SNP group since 2014, having previously served as the Group Spokesperson on Health and Social Care. Before being elected, Susan worked in a variety of policy and research roles in the Scottish Parliament and the third sector. A member of the National Union of Journalists, she also worked as a freelance writer and editor specialising in health and social care policy. She is a graduate of both Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities. Susan was awarded 2019 Local Politician of the Year. Judges cited as the reason for her win her successful battle to ensure female council workers -who were paid up to £3 less per hour than their male counterparts for doing the same work - received an equal wage and compensation for past discrimination. [email protected] +44 141 287 3751 @SusaninLangside Eurocities AGM 2020 7 of 19 6 @GlasgowCC @glasgowlife @peoplemakeGLA People Make4 Glasgowe Current positions – assignments and engagement + Leader of Glasgow City Council + Citizens Theatre – Member (Board) + Convener of the City Administration Committee + University of Glasgow Court – Member + Convener of the Emergency Committee + Scottish Cities Alliance – Member + Chair of the Glasgow Economic Recovery Group and + Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) Glasgow Economic Partnership and co-chair of the Convention Leaders – Member Glasgow Economic Leadership Board + Core Cities UK Cabinet – Member + Chair of the Sustainable Glasgow Partnership + OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth (& 7th OECD + Chair of the Global Glasgow Group Roundtable of Mayors and Ministers) - Representative + Chair of