This week at the council
Tuesday, 16th September, 2025
- 10.00 am Governance, Risk and Best Value Committee – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers. One of the matters to be discussed this morning will be the delivery of the Edinburgh’s Christmas and Hogmanay contracts by consortium UniqueAssembly. Events were cancelled due to bad weather last December – including the Torchlight Procession which was abandoned with only a short time to go before it set off. As part of the insurance claim, the Council will receive a return of £208,298 from Unique Events Limited. The GRBV committee asked in June for a full breakdown of all figures. One of those figures is that it was estimated that it would cost £88,462.68 to reinstate the Winter Festivals sites in Princes Street Gardens. Although the council will in future charge for loss of parking fees on George Street for example, there were no charges made to organisers last year – but they will be applied this year. The council has also commissioned an open book audit to ensure that UniqueAssembly was not “enriched” by the cancellation of events – which was covered by insurance. The budget for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is £812,456. The late report is perhaps the most important of all – the 2024/25 Annual Audit Report for the council. A summarised version of the council’s accounts will be published on the council website by 30 November. The council recorded an underspend pf £2.719 million in 2024/25 which will be used to replenish the Innovation (Reform) Fund and to support British Sign Language. A balance of £0.563m will be retained in the Council Priorities Fund on an unallocated basis.
Wednesday, 17th September, 2025
- 10.00 am Development Management Sub-Committee – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers
Thursday, 18th September, 2025
- 10.00 am Finance and Resources Committee – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers. The price for buying 38 homes at Dreghorn has gone up by £330,000 to £6.98 million since the deal was agreed in June 2025. The additional cost reflects that three of the homes have become vacant meantime. The deal with the Ministry of Defence was made on the basis that the vacant price would be higher than the price of any home which had a tenant in it. So the price has increased by £110,000 per unit. There is also a late report about the Visitor Levy – and council officers recommend that the transition period will remain the same. So bookings paid for in part or in full from 1 October 2025 are liable for the levy. It was Cllr Whyte who asked for the transitional period to be extended, but council officers say no extension is required. The Scottish Tourism Alliance also asked for a delay and wrote to the council in July 2025. Since then on 18 August 2025, a document entitled Edinburgh Visitor Levy Scheme: Information for accommodation providers was published on the Council website and circulated to industry stakeholders. The Edinburgh Visitor Levy Advisory Forum has already met in September. If the transitional date is extended then the financial impact is “difficult to calculate”. Projected levy income from August 2026 alone is £6.3million. The report concludes: “Delaying the investment of levy income, as suggested in 8.2, may negatively affect policies and projects which were expected to receive levy investment. It should be noted that there is currently no confirmed programme to spend the levy proceeds. This will be agreed by the relevant executive committees in November and December 2025.
Friday, 19th September, 2025
Sign up to the Poppyscotland Sportive
There are just a few days before the Poppyscotland Sportive riders will take to the roads in East Lothian on Sunday 21 September raising funds for the Armed Forces charity – but there are still a few places left.
There are two types of Sportive over four routes. The Classic is 46,68 and 102 miles long and the Wee Yin is 22 miles long. The rides start in Prestonpans following the coast to North Berwick and beyond.
Classic routes include a timed hill climb and feed stations – over 46 to 102 mile long routes.
The Wee Yin is a family-friendly ride through Gullane and Aberlady coming back to the coast where all rides end – in Prestonpans.
Sponsored by Leith Cycles the support ensures that any minor bike faults are dealt with along the way. Richard Dowsett, owner of Leith Cycles, said it was a pleasure and privilege to support Poppyscotland over the years.
He said: “We are a small, independent business and we are delighted to help once again by providing both manpower and the necessary tools or equipment that may be needed for any bicycle issue on the day. Just being there to help cyclists with any issues they may have is imperative so that participants can complete their Sportive route safely.
“We really enjoy being a part of the Sportive and we continue to help, knowing what a fabulous charity Poppyscotland is in supporting our country’s Armed Forces community.”
Entry for the Classic routes is £40 per rider (minimum age: 16). The Wee Yin route is £25 per rider or £40 per family (2 adults and 2 children). The minimum age is 12, and entry is free for riders under 16.
Entry includes electronic timing, mechanical support, food and water stations, coffee at the start, tea and toast at the finish, the ‘King and Queen of The Heugh’ timed hill climb, sweeper service, and a finisher’s gift.
PhotoDalkeith
Book ahead for Cyanotype, a family workshop for all ages when you will learn how to use a cameraless method of making direct contact images using the sun and plant samples to make vivid blue cyanotype prints. You will experiment with toning these prints to vary the colours using simple ingredients such as tea and wine. No prior experience needed.
The cyanotype workshop with Constanza Dessain run from 11.00am – 1.00pm on Sunday 28 September. Tickets are £20.00 per person for adults and £10.00 per person for children.
Pet Blessing Service
This is a date for your diary if you are a pet lover. Join the Edinburgh Interfaith Association, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home and Greyfriars Kirk at a service to bless those wee animals that bring owners such a lot of companionship and joy. There will be a wreath laying at the headstone for Greyfriar’s Bobby in the Kirkyard.
QDCC Cala Community Chest
Queensferry and District Community Council (QDCC) have an established working relationship with Cala Homes which represents the investment by Cala in the royal burgh in various housing developments.
The house builder continues to support the local community within Queensferry in a number of different ways and are now seeking to deliver a lasting legacy.
A spokesperson for QDCC said: “With the housing developments at Queensferry Heights and Rosebery Wynd now well under way, Cala wish to offer ongoing and continuing support to local interest groups across the community who are situated within in the existing boundary area as covered by The City of Edinburgh Council scheme for community councils for QDCC.
“This funding opportunity, launched earlier this year, is known as the QDCC and Cala Community Chest.
“The QDCC & Cala Community Chest second round of applications is now open and we will accept applications until October 3rd 2025. The panel will sit by end of October to decide on awards and successful candidates will be advised by November 3rd.”
Bodies submitting an application must have a constitution or memorandum and articles of association, the provision of annual accounts or as a minimum a bank statement.
The geographical requirements are that the organisation must be based and operating in or from Queensferry District within the boundary as defined by CEC scheme for Community Councils. A project must be clearly defined and costed. The Pledge funding is not to support day to day running costs.
