SCOTLAND'S MOST IMPROVED TOWNS

That this House welcomes the introduction by the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum of an annual award for Scotland's most improved small or medium-sized town; recognises that Barrhead has undergone a major transformation in recent years with its town centre benefiting from a £100 million council-led regeneration, with investments including Barrhead Foundry multi-purpose learning, leisure and business centre, new offices for East Renfrewshire Council, a health and care centre, a town centre supermarket and other improvements such as new street furniture and signage; looks forward to the continued improvement of Barrhead, with plans for a wide range of further initiatives including retail, business and leisure projects, a new residential development and the provision of a new railway station; and notes that for communities in need of improvement, especially those emerging from intensive industrial activity, public sector investment, such as that in Barrhead, can play a vital role in providing private sector investors with the confidence to contribute to the regeneration process.