NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Use 6 January 2010a MOTION SUPPORTS PERTH CITY STATUS BID A parliamentary motion has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament which celebrates the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Burgh Charter to Perth and also calls on MSPs to back Perth in its quest to gain official city status during The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The motion was lodged by Mid-Scotland & Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser and reads as follows: “That the Parliament notes that 2010 marks the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Burgh Charter to Perth; welcomes the launch of Perth 800, Perth and Kinross Council’s year-long programme of events and activities to celebrate this monumental anniversary; believes that the celebrations will allow Perth to showcase to the rest of the United Kingdom that Perth is one of the best places to live, visit and do business; further welcomes Perth 800 being used to progress Perth’s bid to gain official city status; considers that official city status will reflect Perth as being one of Scotland’s leading places for business, education, art, culture and sport, and supports Perth’s bid to become a city during HM the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.” The “Setting up the City” campaign was originally launched by Perthshire Conservatives in December 2004 for Perth to gain legal city status. The campaign acknowledged that, despite Perth being a historic city, it did not have legal city status on a par with Scotland’s other six cities Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Stirling. Commenting, Murdo said: “It is excellent that there will be celebrations and activities throughout 2010 to mark the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Burgh of Perth in 1210. Perth 800 will be a year to remember for Perth. The rest of Scotland and the United Kingdom will be looking in at this historic city as it celebrates 800 years of history and looks forward to an exciting future. “I have lodged a parliamentary motion in the Scottish Parliament to mark the Perth 800 celebrations and to gather MSP support from across Scotland to back Perth’s bid to become a city. It is clear to me that Perth needs official city status as Perth and the surrounding area is a distinctive area. I believe that the whole of Perth & Kinross will see benefits if Perth gets city status. “The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 means that bids from other potential cities will come in from across the United Kingdom. Perth already has the political-will and support for it to gain city status and we must keep the momentum up at all times. 2010. 2010 is Perth’s year to celebrate and I hope that we will be celebrating again in 2012. “I am pleased that politicians from all sides are now behind the bid to give Perth city status. It is excellent news for Perth and Perthshire because we must have politicians from all parties backing the campaign to gain city status for Perth as well as support from local businesses and local community organisations.” ENDS   back to top of page