GLASGOW’s City Deal projects are making progress with young people helped in to work and businesses awarded contracts politicians have said.

The £1.1bn deal with cash from the UK and Scottish Governments has led to 27 projects selected.

Some like the Airport rail link have hit snags and further detail is awaited but others are well underway and some are complete.

One of the projects was Youth gateway to help young people get jobs.

The figures show that 8000 have been helped across the city region.

Another employment based programme, Working Matters, after some initial problems with the DWP has helped thousands of people with health issues and long term employment begin to get ready for work again.

Susan Aitken, chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet said benefits are being seen.

She said: “The Glasgow City Region Deal is one of the most advanced in the UK and we are now delivering projects at pace, providing a real boost to Glasgow City Region.

“Communities across the city and the region are now seeing this investment on the ground and there is a real visibility around City Deal projects.

“Thousands of jobs are being created through construction works underway and our employment schemes. Local businesses are benefitting from contract opportunities and from our new business support schemes.

“Infrastructure investment for new roads, bridges, remediation and public realm works is helping to unlock vacant sites in key locations for housing, retail and commercial development.”

Businesses have won £22m worth of city deal contracts.

The City Deal has also been invested in two national innovation centres in medicine and advanced manufacturing in Renfrewshire and new masterplan proposals for Ravenscraig in North Lanarkshire.