Glasgow City Council has today started a body to stimulate private sector growth and has recruited former council regeneration director Steve Inch to lead its infrastructure work.

The council has recruited a panel of private and public sector business and economic development leaders to run the commission, which will look to find areas for investment in the city.

Inch (pictured), who retired from the council earlier this year, will run the investment and infrastructure advisory group to the commission.

It will update the city’s economic development strategy, called A Step Change for Glasgow, which was launched in 2006.

It will also make recommendations on which regeneration assets are most important to the city and should get investment over the next five years.

Gordon Matheson, leader of the council, said: “There are a vast number of people who live and work in Glasgow who have a great amount of expertise, knowledge and ability to influence.

“This commission will tap into this enormous reservoir of talent, to help our great city and its citizens through these current difficult economic times.

“We are sure that the Glasgow Economic Commission will enable our city to think outside the box, come up with new ways of doing things and drive forward Glasgow’s continued renewal and future economic prosperity.”

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