Perth’s bid for city status has received a major boost after the case was made directly to the Prime Minister.
The Courier can reveal that Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson urged David Cameron to ”look favourably” on the application during his visit to Scotland last week.
Although the decision which is understood to be scheduled for April will ultimately be made by the Queen, it is expected Her Majesty will consult ministers before making her final choice.
The honour has been bid for by communities the length and breadth of the United Kingdom as part of a competition organised for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Perth Scotland’s first capital is the only contender in the race north of the border and believes it has a strong claim for city status.
It would provide a major economic boost for the wider Perthshire economy, stimulating the job market and attracting tourism.
Ms Davidson, who briefly lived in Perth, has now followed up her conversation on the matter with a letter to the Prime Minister.
She wrote: ”I know at first hand how vibrant Perth is as a place to work, study and live.
”While much will be rightly made of Perth’s remarkable history as a centre for mercantile exchange, religious reform and royal patronage, it is its place as a modern, urban centre which recommends itself to this honour.
”A transport hub, Perth rightly styles itself ‘the perfect centre’ and is unique in housing direct routes to all of Scotland’s six other cities.”Restoring statusThe letter also notes that Perth attracts thousands of visitors each year and is ”an administrative, leisure and retail centre for the surrounding area”.
It adds: ”A vibrant economy with a healthy mix of sectors, Perth is a superb place to do business as major companies such as Stagecoach and Scottish and Southern Energy, who both have headquarters there, would attest.
”It is an attractive place to live and raise children with good schools, excellent leisure and cultural facilities and impressive surrounding countryside.
”Perth recently celebrated its 800th anniversary and it would be fitting if Scotland’s first capital were to have its city status restored in the Queen’s jubilee year.
”I would urge ministers to look favourably on its application.”
Ms Davidson’s intervention comes after supporters of the bid were given encouragement by the news the Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will come to Perth in July as part of the jubilee celebrations.
Supported by The Courier, the bid is unusual in that, if successful, it would see restoration as a city a status that, along with the right to use the title lord provost was removed in 1975 local government reorganisation.
A bid document was prepared by the council last year and sent to the government ministers who will in turn make a recommendation to the Queen.
As Scotland’s only bidder, Perth’s claim has enjoyed widespread support from the leaders of all the political parties in the Scottish Parliament and by the lord provosts and provosts of the existing cities of Scotland.
A total of 26 towns are applying for city status.