Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has written to First Minister John Swinney calling for a Programme for Government that puts economic growth and energy pragmatism at its core.
In a detailed submission ahead of the policy agenda’s publication on Wednesday, the Chamber - which represents over 1,300 member organisations employing more than 100,000 people - urged Mr Swinney to listen to the region’s business community and “get domestic policy right” in the face of global economic headwinds.
Top of the Chamber’s agenda is the need for a pragmatic energy policy that recognises the continued importance of oil and gas to both energy security and regional prosperity.
It calls for the First Minister to endorse the findings of the North Sea Transition Taskforce and back major new developments like Rosebank and Jackdaw, warning that the sector is “in significant jeopardy” due to punitive taxation and planning delays.
The Chamber pressed the Scottish Government to make full use of devolved powers to reduce the burden on businesses, highlighting growing concerns about the impact of Non-Domestic Rates and rising employer costs.
AGCC Chief Executive Russell Borthwick said: "Our members are overwhelmingly clear that the business environment has become significantly more difficult. The cost of doing business has risen sharply, and confidence has been shaken.
“This Programme for Government is an opportunity to reset - to back the sectors and policies that will grow our economy and deliver the transition to net zero in a sustainable way."
The submission calls for greater ambition on transport and infrastructure, particularly around road and rail connectivity in the North-east.
It highlights the long-delayed improvements between Aberdeen and cities to the south, and urges urgent progress on reopening rail links to Peterhead and Fraserburgh, which are now the largest towns in the UK without access to the network.
The Chamber also calls for a clear plan to maximise the offshore wind opportunity, ensuring Scotland leads in floating wind by investing in port infrastructure and speeding up the consenting process.
Elsewhere, it warns that the Just Transition Fund is falling short, with less than 20% of the 10-year funding package committed and project activity in the North Sea slowing. A soon-to-be-published survey from the Chamber suggests that progress on the transition has “all but stalled” in the region.
It also echoes national calls to ramp up housebuilding, and urges the Scottish Government to drop proposals for a new Building Safety Levy, warning it could act as a brake on development.
Mr Borthwick added: "This region stands ready to help deliver economic growth for Scotland – but only if policy matches potential.
“We urge the First Minister to back the North-east, to restore business confidence, and to work with us to turn shared ambitions into action."
Click here to read the full letter.