THE Wee County could land its share of a multi-million investment project, should plans for a Stirling and Clackmannanshire city deal be approved by Westminster.

Ambitious efforts to include Clacks in any major investment programme remain at an early stage, but it is hoped that a number of local projects could be in line to receive funding as a result of the plan.

Among those being targeted could include improvements for Alloa’s waterfront and along the Forth, investment in roads to ease congestion and the re-opening of the Alloa-to-Dunfermline rail link.

Some regions in Scotland have already seen hundreds of millions, if not billions, invested in local economies as a result of city deal initiatives.

Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, MP for Ochil and South Perthshire, has seen similar plans being proposed in other parts of her constituency and will be writing to Lord Dunlop in the Scottish Office in the hopes of securing a deal for Clacks.

She said: “As the local MP, I’ll always fight for a fair deal for Clackmannanshire.

“Councils all across Scotland are currently working in partnership to develop and deliver city region deals for their areas.

“For example, the Tayside city deal would mean that Angus, Dundee, Perthshire and North East Fife would receive a total of £400 million of infrastructure investment.

“It’s clear to me that Clackmannanshire needs to see our fair share of this funding. That’s why I’ve written to the Scotland Office to make the case for Clackmannanshire to be included in any future bid, and to ask to meet the Westminster minister responsible to make our case.

“We simply can’t be left behind when other local economies are benefiting. I want this area to be at the front of the queue.”

She added: “The potential rewards from this are great, and my constituency team and I are already working on drawing up a range of possible development options if we could secure the millions of pounds of investment that other areas are already set to benefit from. I know that we can succeed if the whole community here commits to working together, and so that’s just what I intend to do.”

Discussions between the councils are said to have begun last week, with both Labour and SNP councillors at Kilncraigs supporting the move.

Council leader Bobby McGill said: “[This] city deal has the potential to offer new collaborative approaches focused on long-term, strategic methods to improving the local regional economy.

“The overall aim of this is to make tangible improvements to our communities and economy, provide equity across the region to improve health, access to jobs, connectivity [and] social inclusion, and enhance overall life opportunities through investing, improving the area’s infrastructure and promoting the attractiveness of the Clackmannanshire and Stirling city region.”

SNP group leader Les Sharp added: “I approached Stirling Council several months ago about the prospect of Clackmannanshire becoming involved in Stirling Council’s city deal proposals and was disappointed to be rebuffed at that time.

“I am delighted that Stirling Council has had a change of heart and I look forward to working with colleagues – across both councils and with other partners – to develop potential projects which could provide significant economic and social benefits to the people of Clackmannanshire.”

Glasgow was the first area in Scotland to win a city deal, receiving more than £1 billion for investment for not just the city itself, but for the neighbouring local authorities in the Clyde Valley.

More recently, Aberdeen was awarded £250m as part of a wider £504m City Deal for the North East, including investment in road and rail, and crisis cash for the oil and gas industry.

Proposals for a Tay cities deal, which covers parts of Fife and South Perthshire, could also see a £400m outlay.

In each case, making improvements to transport links had been highlighted as one important area for investment.