By Mark Mackay

THE 800TH anniversary of the founding of the Royal Burgh of Perth should “fire the starting gun” for the campaign for city status.

Over £300,000 is to be spent on celebrations marking the anniversary of King William the Lion’s grant of the royal charter in 1210.

While they will provide a unique opportunity to showcase everything the town and the wider Perth and Kinross area has to offer, it is hoped that the greatest lasting impact could be upon Perth’s bid for city status.

Receiving such a status can be very lucrative, as Inverness and Stirling have found in recent years.

A perfect opportunity to join them will presented by the Queen’s diamond jubilee in 2012.

City status can only be awarded by the monarch on the occasion of a national celebration and Councillor Willie Wilson told a full meeting of the council yesterday that 2010 represented “a moment in history” to push Perth’s case.

Administration leader Councillor Ian Miller said the 800th anniversary was a hugely important event for the town and one that could prove invaluable.

“The status of Perth as a city is, in my view, undeniable and it is our duty as a council to pursue this matter relentlessly to have this wrong righted.

“I will accept nothing less than the full restoration of Perth’s historic and rightful status as a premier city of the Scottish nation.

“We should all work towards that goal,” he added.

“The 800th anniversary gives us the perfect opportunity to tackle this situation head-on and, with the support of none less than Scotland’s First Minister for our campaign, I am sure we can be successful.”

The 800th anniversary celebrations will feature a year long programme of events celebrating Perth and Kinross as a place to live, work, invest and visit.

A “major programme of commemorative events,” including town centre “regeneration” and a range of arts and cultural activities, are planned.

The programme will extend beyond Perth and incorporate the whole of Perth and Kinross, encouraging communities to get involved in staging their own events.

It is hoped the celebrations will offer lasting economic and community benefits.

While councillors accepted that £300,000 represented a significant amount of money, previous experience has led the council to believe that the estimated economic impact could be over £6 million.

Councillor Jack Coburn said linking the anniversary to events such as the Queen’s diamond jubilee, the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games would “help make this anniversary very special indeed.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Alexander Stewart called for financial backing from the business sector to help support the celebrations.

He told colleagues that the voluntary sector, together with Perth College, primary and secondary schools and community groups must all be involved in the process.

“It is our duty to ensure that we lead from the front and that this event does not become a burden for the tax payer,” he said.

“We must ensure that this is not an event that can only be enjoyed by the few, but one that can be enjoyed by everyone, celebrating Perth’s past and present, its heritage and its culture.”

Councillor Lewis Simpson added, “This is no time for poverty of ambition.”