West Lothian has the lowest number of empty council homes in years after a targeted programme which saw more than a thousand homes re-let in this financial year. 

The council has 251 mainstream properties without a tenant. That equates to 1.7% of the council stock. In November 2023 more than 500 were empty – or voids.  

Executive councillor for housing George Paul said bringing down the number of empty homes was a “key priority.”  

The news comes as a national survey shows the average waiting time on the 11,000 strong housing list is 2.6 years in West Lothian – better than most neighbouring councils. In Edinburgh it is 3.8; South Lanarkshire 3.9 and East Lothian 3.6.  

Only Falkirk, 2.2 and North Lanarkshire, 1.1 years, are lower than West Lothian.  

Every councillor has faced questions on voids and the subject has dominated local area committees for several years.  

The number of re-lets after focused work to bring down the numbers of voids was 1,167 an increase of 111 compared to the same period last year. 

Demand for housing is influenced by a number of factors. These include sustained tenancies, people who secure tenancies tend to stay in them, so stock turnover reduces.  

The council’s building services department has faced a growing list of problems, not least the growth of Category C homes, abandoned by tenants who have damaged the property.   

All council homes that are returned to the council are classified as being ‘void’ and all are in need of some degree of repair work or maintenance checks. 

This can range from a simple electrical safety test to a complete refurbishment including new kitchens, bathrooms, central heating, electrical and plumbing.  

The condition of void properties determines how quickly the council can turn them over and have them available to re-let.  Some homes take longer to repair and re-let, if there are significant repairs required, issues relating to utility companies, a requirement to engage with contractors to complete repairs or difficulty in sourcing materials to complete repairs. 

Homes that are returned to the council in an extremely poor state, are classed as ‘C’ class. These require a significant level of repair which is often complex and time consuming to repair.  

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed in December the number of homes in ‘C’ Class has nearly doubled since 2020/21.  

Where significant repairs are required, these homes can be out of action for a prolonged period of time. It can cost around £10,000 a house to bring such homes back to a lettable standard. 

Councillor Paul told the LDRS: “This is a key priority for the council. A significant amount of effort and resources have been deployed to ensure that we reduce the number of empty (void) properties locally, and ensure they are re-let as quickly as possible.” 

“West Lothian Council has repaired and brought over 1,300 council properties up to lettable standard since April 2024, 251 more than this time last year and we have had 1,144 properties returned to the council as tenancies ended.”     

Julie Whitelaw, Head of Housing, Customer & Building Services said: “Properties are handed back to the council for a variety of reasons, such as the death of the tenant, someone gives up their tenancy or they are evicted.  

“What is key is that we turn around the homes as quickly as possible – both in terms of building work and then the re-letting process. We are certainly making progress in that area, but there is still work to be done. It’s our aim to reduce the 1.7% to 1% or below, which we believe would be one of the best performances in the country.” 

Even when homes are ready for a new tenant, the majority of first offers are turned down by the next person on the waiting list. This can be due to a number of factors including; an individual turning down a home, the type of home available, or individuals simply not turning up for appointments with housing officers to view the property. 

When someone turns down the offer of a home, the house is offered to the next person on the waiting list until someone agrees and signs a tenancy agreement. However, it does mean that there will never be 0% of void homes. 

Responding the to the national survey  on waiting  lists a West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “ Demand for social housing in West Lothian remains high, with over 10,800 applicants on the Common Housing Register for West Lothian Council, Almond Housing Association and Link Housing Association at the end of July 2024.

“We strive to meet our duty to provide everyone with a permanent, suitable home as quickly as possible, but the demand for housing locally far outstrips our supply. The council continues to invest in the creation of additional homes and measures have been implemented to help bring more void council properties back into use to help reduce the housing waiting list.

“We would encourage anyone who is considering applying for social housing in West Lothian to ensure that they register not just with the council, but with all Registered Social Landlords who operate in West Lothian to ensure you maximise your housing options.”

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

East Lothian Councillors are set to approve a 10% council tax rise next week despite additional funding from Scottish Government.

A cross party budget paper due to go to elected members for final approval includes the increase for the year ahead – with further 5% hikes annually for the next four years.

The move will mean an increase of more than £3 a week for more than one in three households in the county next year.

A report to a meeting of the full council next Tuesday says that despite an increase in the funding from national government, the increase is still needed.

It says: “Income from council tax covers approximately a quarter of the council’s annual running costs. The proposed budget includes a council tax increase of 10% in 2025-26, aligned to previous planning assumptions along with indicative annual increases of 5% in the subsequent 4 years.

“Despite seeing an uplift in revenue funding through the settlement, the council continues to face significant demand and pressures which have resulted in budget overspends in recent years.

“Council tax increases are applied in order to balance the budget after taking account new funding and planned savings.”

The report from officers goes on to say a residents survey carried out last year found the majority of people preferred a moderate council tax increase to cuts to services with 61% indicating that they would support a council tax increase of not more than £3 per week.

It says the increase will mean for an average Band D property a weekly rise of £3.76, however it acknowledges that a third of residents live in higher band homes.

The report says: “Approximately 37% of households fall within bands E-H for council tax purposes, and will therefore see an increase to the standard charge which is in excess of £3 per week.

“However, 2,671 of these households are eligible for reductions or exemptions which reduce the weekly increase below this level, meaning that just under 68% of households will see an increase in their council tax bills of below £3 per week.”

The budget proposals set to go before councillors next Tuesday, February 18, have been drawn up with cross party approval.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Scotland’s most common and striking songbirds, the blackbird is disappearing from the nation’s parks and gardens.

The Scottish Terrestrial Breeding Bird report, published by NatureScot, shows that blackbirds in urban areas like Edinburgh almost halved between 1994 and 2023.

While blackbird numbers overall increased by 17% over the period, this is attributed to a 10% increase in woodland habitats and a 39% increase in the farmland population.

Blackbirds in urban areas including parks and gardens suffered a 48% decline.

It is thought the alarming loss over almost three decades could be driven by issues such as a loss of urban green spaces suitable for the species, the “tidying” of parks and gardens and climate change, which could influence soil moisture and affect the birds’ feeding.

Simon Foster, NatureScot Trends and Indicators Analyst, said that the blackbird had suffered one of the most significant long term losses among all the urban species studied.

He said: “The data shows a modest long term increase in blackbirds in woodland sites and a rather stronger increase in farmland. However, in contrast, in urban areas there has been a much larger decline.

“We’ve lost nearly half of our urban blackbirds in that time (1994-2023), which is a large number when you consider this is one of the most common species you can see in gardens.

“There is perhaps something happening in terms of habitat quality, whether there is a change across urban environments that’s not really suitable for them, not just in parks but also gardens.

“Looking at the trends it is clear that more action is required to understand what is driving these changes and make sure that green spaces are actually delivering for the species.”

He added: “Blackbirds need safe areas for roosting and feeding. We’re really good at tidying up the green space environment so there are fewer rough areas that form an important habitat for these birds. That could be something to look at – not just providing green spaces but the quality of it, not just for people but to support wildlife as well.”

The blackbird is one of Scotland’s most common birds, found all year round in most habitat types except the highest peaks. Studies have consistently placed them in the top five birds spotted in gardens.

The male is easily recognised by its black feathers and bright yellow beak and ring around the eyes, while females and juveniles have brown feathers and beaks. Its song is also distinctive.

The species even has its own registered tartan.

In addition to their long term decline in Scotland’s towns and cities, the species’ urban population also showed a 4% decline in the year 2022-23.

David Noble, Principal Ecologist for the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), which contributed data for the report, said: “Conditions are getting worse (for blackbirds) in urban and suburban areas.

“Loss of suitable habitat, drying out of soils and the cleaning up of parks and gardens, thinning of bushes and all that kind of thing will be something that really affects these birds.

“Blackbirds rely on having good moist soil and in a lot of parks where there isn’t much canopy cover this contributes to loss of food.”

The report showed that, as well as the blackbird (-48%), the greenfinch (-82%), swift (-71%), collared dove (-47%) and starling (-31%) all suffered long term declines in urban areas, amid a variety of suspected drivers.

There were some winners among Scotland’s urban birds, however. The report reveals an increase of 14% across all species, largely due to an increase until the mid-2000s, which was followed by a slow decline.

The best performing species long term included the jackdaw (+246%), magpie (+225%), goldfinch (+142%), woodpigeon (+134%) and great tit (+132%).

Foster added: “Some species are doing quite well in urban environments. We are seeing quite large increases in housemartin (131%) for example, which are struggling further south.”

Scotland’s drug driving epidemic is leaving toxicology labs snowed under, forcing police chiefs to effectively ration roadside testing.

The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) provides Forensic Services to the criminal justice sector and carries out analysis of blood samples after positive drink or drug roadside tests by Police Scotland.

In a report, Forensic Services director Fiona Douglas said there had been a sustained increase in demand for three months and warned they will be “unable to meet the increasing drug driving demands without the delivery of a sustainable long-term solution”.

Critics have called on The Scottish Government to ensure the battle against the growing drug driving menace is properly funded and resourced.

Police Scotland and Forensic Services have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to “manage” capacity regarding samples of 250 cases a month stretching to 270 when required.

Data showed Forensic Services received 352 samples in October, 312 in November and 294 in December, pushing them 148 over the agreed outer limit for the three month period with processing subject to a six-month legal deadline.

Scottish Conservative shadow minister for community safety Sharon Dowey MSP said: “The public will be seriously concerned that forensic services appear unable to meet the growing demands placed upon them.

“SNP ministers need to urgently address these issues and ensure resources are in the right place to punish those who drive under the influence of drugs.

“They should start by ensuring police are properly funded so they can properly prioritise safety on our roads.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “People using drugs while driving pose a very real threat to road safety.

“The Scottish Government should be taking that threat seriously and removing any loopholes that could see perpetrators escaping prosecution.

“Ministers need to look closely at what more can be done to stop drug driving and support forensic services working on cases.”

Capacity issues also mean large numbers of samples are having to be outsourced to a private company with 1094 processed by an external testing lab in the last year.

There are limits on numbers that can be outsourced due to budget constraints and concerns that private testing capacity is also limited.

Ms Douglas estimates outsourcing costs for the year ahead as between £250,000 and £1million assuming demand stays roughly the same.

The SPA says a long-term solution had been developed with a view to creating a new laboratory to expand capacity with talks about funding the next step.

A spokesperson said: “The costs of the long-term sustainable model are still being finalised and will be presented in a full business case to the SPA later this year which will, in turn, inform an ask to the Scottish Government for 2026/27 budget — and beyond.

“However, the costs will require Forensic Services to build a new lab, purchase the required equipment and recruit new people.”

The spokesperson added that until that becomes a reality Forensic Services will “continue to require to work with Police Scotland and the Crown Office to manage the demand and utilise outsourcing to meet it”.

Roadside Drug Wipes were unveiled in Scotland in 2019 but are currently restricted to road policing officers and give an instant result for cannabis and cocaine.

A six-month pilot extending their use to local policing officers has been ongoing in Shetland since December.

Police Scotland says it will be evaluated as they continue to work closely with SPA laboratories to “ensure testing capacity can be managed” and say all officers can “use other legislation to deal with potential drug drivers”.

That many Scots are ignoring the drug drive message was underlined by 522 positive results from 963 roadside drug wipes during the festive period.

According to road safety charity IAM Roadsmart, its research shows one in two motorists pulled over on suspicion of drug-driving in Scotland failing roadside drug tests.

Stewart Mackie, Road Safety Manager for Scotland, said: “We urgently need a new approach to combat drug-driving which focuses on both greater enforcement and establishing rehabilitation courses to reduce reoffending.

“The evidence shows that those taking equivalent drink-drive courses are almost three times less likely to reoffend than those who don’t.”

Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, head of Road Policing, said: “Being able to use roadside drug wipes has significantly enhanced our ability to detect drug drivers and keep the public safe.

“We continue to work closely with the Scottish Police Authority to ensure testing capacity can be managed.

“Police Scotland is committed to our role of enforcement and we will take action against people who take drugs and drive.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We support the enforcement efforts of Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority in tackling the scourge of drug driving and continue to work closely with SPA and criminal justice partners to ensure that testing capacity is resilient and able to meet demand.

“While testing falls within the remit of the SPA, the Scottish Government has since 2018-19 allocated additional funding of more than £2 million to assist SPA Forensics in delivering testing for drug driving.

“This has paid for capacity to be built in SPA Forensic Services, as well as outsourcing to ensure statutory time limits are met.”

Spiralling costs in adult social care have driven a £7.3m overspend in West Lothian health and social care partnership. 

A meeting of the Integration Joint Board heard that costs have beaten the allocated budget across services.  

Adult social care alone contributed more than £5m to the overspend. The ongoing £12m budget shortfall means that more savings and service cuts are likely in the coming financial year, the IJB heard this week. 

Chief Financial Officer Hamish Hamilton told councillors, voting and non-voting members of the Board: “The budget position has remained extremely challenging due to the increase in demand for health and social care services coupled with high inflation and increasing complexity of care required for individuals in the community.” 

Sickness absence costs and the demand for agency carers has also pushed the cost of providing adult social care services across the county. 

The Board agreed a recovery plan on 17 September 2024 which was to share the adult social care overspend on an equal basis with West Lothian Council. This proposal was agreed by West Lothian Council at the Council Executive meeting on 5 November 2024. 

The final amounts will not be confirmed until the financial year end but based on current projections the IJB share of the adult social care overspend is £2.669m.    

The Board can only achieve break-even in 2024/25 because of West Lothian Council agreeing to make an additional payment to the IJB to the value of 50% of the year end overspend in social care and then drawing down significant amounts of funding from IJB reserves to meet the residual health and social care overspend.  

The current budget position will deplete the Board’s usable reserves and increase the requirement to make unprecedented cost reductions to remain financially sustainable. 

Both council and IJB will not issue their budget officers reports to the Board until February and March.  

A report to the IJB concluded: “Based on current projections it is assumed that the IJB will face a budget gap of £12m next year which is a 4% budget gap. As this budget gap follows several years of delivering significant savings it is highly likely that the savings measures required to balance the 2025/26 budget will affect service provision.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

The Hibs Women Assistant Coach, Stewart Hall as full of praise for Queen’s Park and the difficulty they gave Hibs at Ochilview Park on Sunday. 

First-half goals from Kirsten Reilly and Tegan Bowie extended the Hibees’ unbeaten run. 

Speaking after the final whistle Hall told Hibs TV: “Clean sheet first and foremost is what we said we wanted and we’ve come here and we’ve done that.  

“We need to give credit to Queen’s Park. The new guys have come in and have changed the way they’ve played and made it really difficult for us and made us work for our three points today. 

“Queen’s Park were very structured, they worked together, they closed gaps off and they were ruthless in terms of any mistake they made sure they were there to clean up and we struggled for that we showed wee glimpses and flashes of what we can do but they did make it difficult for us.” 

“Most importantly we got the two goals and we got the three points today and a clean sheet at the same time.” 

Hall reflected on the chances Hibernian had and admitted they probably should have won the game by a clearer margin.  

“We definitely had plenty of chances, Tegan (Bowie) scored one but then had one five minutes later where it bounced right in front of her and she made a connection but it went over the bar.  

McGovs (Kathleen McGovern) had a few chances, she had one off the bar from a great header, Eilidh (Adams) had a few as well in the box and put one just wide with her left foot.” 

“So, we did create chances and we should have scored more than we did but we said from the word go that we need to keep a clean sheet and we will see where that takes us from there and hopefully get us three points which it has done today.”, Hall told HibsTV.  

Stewart Hall is now looking ahead to the rest of the season and what is to come in the next few weeks for the Hibees.  

“I think every game from now on is really difficult everyone is going to make sure that they’re doing their best and what we need to do is focus on ourselves we need to make sure that we’re ready for the next game, make sure we’re prepped for it and make sure we are in the right frame of mind to go win each game as it comes.” 

Reilly added: “We’re delighted with the three points. It’s what we came to get so we’re happy with that, the performance wasn’t up to the standards we demand of ourselves but three points are most important and that’s what we got and also a clean sheet. 

“Yeah definitely (on the disappointment on the amount of missed chances) I don’t think we made as many chances as we would have liked to and a lot of the ones we had we couldn’t put away, but we scored two goals, got the clean sheet and the win so we’re happy with that.” 

Reilly gave her praise to 15-year-old academy talent Isla Taylor who made her First Team debut for the Club at the age of 15.  

“Yeah, I think she’s buzzing (on Isla Taylor making her debut). She’s a shy girl so she doesn’t really show it but I’m sure she’s going to go home and tell all her family and friends.  

“It’s really good to see that we have got a pathway here at Hibs and she took her opportunity and she did really well and she nearly scored as well so I’m really happy for her.” 

The midfielder is now looking ahead to next weekend’s match away at Montrose. 

“We’ll obviously go back and analyse and we’ll get on the training pitch again and we will travel up there (to Montrose), hopefully, get three points that will be the aim.” 

East Lothian Council has one of the longest waiting times for a house in Scotland, a new report has claimed, with delays of nearly five years.

The average waiting time for social housing in the county is 4.95 years, compared to neighbouring council areas Edinburgh, who have delays of 3.8 years and West Lothian, where people are waiting 2.2 years.

The local authority was among 218 UK councils who responded to an FOI from unoccupied housing insurance experts Alan Boswell Group, who placed the council sixth in a national list of waiting times – with only Aberdeen higher in Scotland with a six year wait.

It found the UK average wait was 2.9 years – however eight of the Scotland’s 32 local authorities did not respond to the request for the information.

East Lothian Council also had 307 empty council houses at the time the information was requested although a spokesperson said that figure had been reduced to 228.

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said: “East Lothian Council declared an affordable housing emergency last year due to the extreme pressure on our social housing sector.

“We have developed an action plan to try to tackle some of the key issues, recognising the huge demand for social housing and lack of availability of one bedroom properties in particular.

“We have also introduced measures across the council to bring empty homes back in to use and our number of void council properties has reduced to 228.

“The situation in East Lothian remains challenging due to various factors including the popularity of East Lothian as a place to live, high demand for and low turnover of social housing and our relatively low rent level for council housing properties coupled with an expensive and relatively small private rented sector. We also note that the figures provided in this report are incomplete as they do not include every Scottish local authority.”

Heath Alexander-Bew, director of Alan Boswell Group, said empty homes along with long waiting times should be an urgent concern for local authorities across the UK.

He said: “Vacant council homes pose risks such as property deterioration and security threats, which impact local governments’ resources and finances. These challenges require urgent attention but once addressed, can turn empty council properties into immediate homes for people on long waiting lists.”

And AI technology experts AIPRM urged councils to look into using artificial intelligence to provide a solution to the housing crisis.

Christoph C Cemper, founder at AIPRM said: “By leveraging AI, councils can analyse applicants’ preferences, past refusals, and housing availability to make smarter, real-time allocation decisions. AI can also help identify patterns in refusals, enabling councils to set reasonable limits on the number of offers an applicant can turn down before reassessing their housing needs.”

He said using technology-driven allocation systems could weed out cases such as one in Aberdeen where an application remained active for 17 years while the applicant rejected 13 house offers.

He said: “By integrating technology-driven allocation systems with clear and fair refusal limits, councils can significantly reduce waiting times and ensure that available homes are occupied faster, benefiting both applicants and local authorities.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Around 50 people gathered recently to discuss what action Pilmeny Development Project (PDP) can take against the threatened cuts by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB).

The mood in the building on Buchanan Street was quietly determined. The group set up a physical petition on the day which almost everyone signed. There is also an online petition which anyone can sign in support here.

Those attending the meeting heard from local councillor, Jack Caldwell, who having explained the challenge of making the EIJB sustainable given its financial set up from the start.

He said that two years ago the council put an extra £12 million into the EIJB, and £3.4 million in the following year to cover wage increases. He said that it is not acceptable for organisations such as Pilmeny to be told mid-year that their funding would be cut and that is something which a stand must be made against.

Representatives from the offices of Tracy Gilbert MP and Ben Macpherson MSP also attended to hear about possible cuts to PDP funding and offer their help.

Everyone was encouraged to write to their political representatives either on email or as a letter. Style letters were offered to copy or adapt.

The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board meets next at the City Chambers on 25 February.

The EIJB is a collaboration between NHS Lothian and The City of Edinburgh Council, and it was set up with a deficit of just over £32 million. It is little surprise then that the last time the board met they reported a deficit of upwards of £51 million.

But in a surprising move by the board late last year, just ahead of Chief Officer, Pat Togher quitting his £180,000 a year post to return to Glasgow, was to suggest making cuts to 60+ third sector organisations of £4.5 million in an effort to bring their budget under control. All of these organisations depend on this core funding which they use as a springboard to getting more money from other sources. With a £900 million budget most third party organisations have commented that this is a drop in the ocean to the EIJB, but essential funding for all of them.

Phil Attridge (PDP Chairperson) said: “Our main goal is to protect vulnerable local older people and stop the loss of their much needed services in this area. We informed local folk about the impact of the 100% loss of funding at the meeting and asked for their support to fight the cuts -which included signing our petition, participating in our social media campaign and contacting their local councillors.”

Anne Munro (Manager said: “This was a unique opportunity to hear from local older people who are most directly affected by these extremely short-sighted decisions to cut all funding. We hope the Council and EIJB will listen to us and try to help us find solutions in these challenging times for all.”

Neil Critchley put the nerve-tingling qualification, after a 4-2 shootout success, for the quarter-final of the Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup behind him, and is now concentrated on his next William Hill Premiership match, a clash with Rangers at Tynecastle on Sunday (noon).

The English-born boss (pictured by Thomas Brown) admitted that the cup tie at St Mirren on Monday in front of the BBC TV cameras was “a bit of a war of attrition” and added: “First ball, second ball, long play, lots of set pieces to defend, and long throw ins.”

Critchley did not think Hearts played brilliantly in the first half and added: “We were not competitive enough without the ball, but you have to compete with the ball as well and we did not do either, really.”

The changes made helped give Hearts a foothold in the game, he argued, more momentum, and Critchley added: “We grew into the game.”

He was particularly pleased for Aussie midfielder, Calem Nieuwenhof, who scored the vital equaliser six minutes from the end of normal time, and the head coach said: “He’s been really patient, he’s worked hard, and he’s has been out for a long time.

“Terrific kid. I thought he played really well when he came on, showed lots of composure on the ball and the reason we put him on because he has the ability to arrive in the penalty area and score.

“He got a little bit of luck, but he is in there and it has fallen for him and he has kept it down. He has finished this off brilliantly.”

Critchley felt Hearts threatened without creating clear opportunities, but praised the substitutes who game on. They all contributed, he said, and the former Blackpool boss was delighted for Michael Steinwender who come on and played well, and also for Sander Kartum who also played a part in the win.

Critchley said: “It is about getting in the hat. We were off it and we needed more from everybody, we did not rise to the challenge, and that was the message before the game. Prepare to win but be prepared to do what you need to win.

“Everybody needs to be up for the challenge, and we weren’t first half, that is not like us.

“We improved in the second half and became more competitive, made it more of a cup tie and, in the end, in penalties, anything can happen. Thankfully for us, Craigie has pulled off a couple of saves and we took some really good penalties.”

Critchley said that Hearts players do practice penalties and added: “Craig (Gordon) anticipates really well and is so quick along the line. I fully expected him to make a few saves. That is a big compliment to him and I thought we took some good penalties.

“You could say it (penalties) is a bit of a lottery, but there is also a lot of skill involved and, thankfully for us, we have done the job.”

Now it is Dundee on March 8 (15.00), a team Hearts turned over 6-0 at Dens Park recently, and Critchley said: “It is nice to get a home tie and that is in a few weeks. We have a big game coming up on Sunday (against Rangers) and we can concentrate on the league and look forward to a cup game at home in about a month.”

The organisation behind one of Scotland’s booming travel trends wants to recruit Gen Z board members — to help “put the youth back into hostelling”.

Hostelling Scotland has said it wants to capitalise on a recent surge in interest amongst Gen Z travellers and make hostelling “even more appealing to future generations”.

Each year, more than 350,000 people visit the 29 youth hostels and 24 affiliate hostels located around Scotland, generating more than £9 million in turnover for the not-for-profit charity and contributing £25 million to the economy.

Hostelling Scotland said interest has soared among 18-24 year olds since the Covid-19 pandemic, signalling a “revitalised hunger for affordable, social travel options”.

They say the 18-24 year old age group – part of the Gen Z cohort born between 1997 and 2012 also known as “Zoomers” – is narrowly behind only the 25-34 age group.

Hostelling Scotland now wants to appoint three volunteer “adventure curators” to its board of 12 trustees, to help improve its offering for younger people even further.

Crucially, the appointments would also improve the charity’s efforts “to communicate and connect with Gen Z travellers”.

Margo Paterson, CEO of Hostelling Scotland, said: “We want our board to reflect the communities we serve.

“Young people bring fresh perspectives, creativity, and energy, and a more representative board will help us evolve.

“This is a great opportunity to develop leadership skills, gain governance experience, and shape the future of sustainable travel in Scotland.”

The role involves attending four to five board meetings per year, with some in person, and participating in a sub-committee.

Applications are invited from individuals “passionate about sustainable travel and community”.

No previous board experience is required, and successful applicants are offered training in charity governance, finance, and strategic leadership.

Hostelling Scotland was founded in 1931, as the Scottish Youth Hostel Association. The charity was rebranded as Hostelling Scotland in 2018 and is now one of Scotland’s leading accommodation providers.

The hostelling experience is very different from that of almost a century ago. An image change in recent years has been driven by a programme of modernisation in the face of a more competitive market amid the rise of budget hotels and short-term lets.

As the tourism industry bounces back following the pandemic, young travellers have responded to new-look hostels with high-quality facilities including private en-suite rooms and stylish communal spaces.

Sophie Bell, 28, who joined Hostelling Scotland’s board in 2018, said: “Hostelling is hugely popular among young people across Europe, but in Scotland, it’s often seen as outdated or only for the countryside.

“The reality is very different – modern hostels have great facilities, private rooms, and are in cities as well as rural areas.

“The biggest challenge is awareness. More young voices on the board will help shape the way we reach Gen Z, whether through social media, influencers, or other modern approaches.”

Players of all ages took part at the annual Edinburgh and Lothians Table Tennis championships held at The Royal High School.

Winners and finalists are pictured below.

Morag Wallace, a member of the Scottish Ladies Fly Fishing team, is organising a fund-raiser in Fife to raise cash to help fund the trip to the Home International in Ireland in May when the squad aim to go for gold.

The date is Sunday, March 23 and Fife-based angler is the person to contact on Facebook but you can also call the venue, Parkview Fishery, which has a postcode of KY15 7UT, to book your slot.

The fishery telephone number is 01337 831810 and fishing is from 9am to 4pm and the entry fee of £30 includes bacon rolls on arrive, tea/coffee and lunch.

Wallace, the Scottish Ladies fly fishing champion, said: “Please come and support us in our quest for gold.”

ON PARADE: Scotland ladies with the flag. Courtesy of Scottish Ladies Fly Fishing team

HNH Partners which is a financial advisory firm is looking to grow with a move to a new larger Scottish headquarters on Hanover Street.

The company already has 30 staff in Edinburgh and Belfast.

Advisers at HNH Partners, ranked among the Top 10 busiest financial advisers in Scotland by Experian in its most recent UK and Ireland M&A Review, worked on numerous multi-million-pound deals in 2024, and on some of the most high-profile transactions in the region over recent years.

This has included advising Scotland’s largest window and door company Sidey Solutions on its sale to Swedish giant Inwido AB, and Livingstone-based electronics manufacturer CB Technology on its acquisition by Elite Electronic Systems in Northern Ireland.

Neal Allen, Partner and Head of Deal Advisory at HNH Partners in Scotland, said:“Following a record year with a steady increase in both the volume and size of deals that our advisers have worked on, we anticipate 2025 will be our busiest yet.

The move to our new headquarters is not only a celebration of our recent successes, but a strategic investment in the future, giving us room to grow our team yet further as we continue to recruit across all levels.

Our modern office environment is designed to foster collaboration and innovation, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of the financial advisory sector, providing enhanced services that continue to place our clients at the centre.”

It has been suggested that a hoard of Viking-age treasure buried in Scotland more than 1,000 years ago may have been owned by a religious community – thanks to the discovery of an ancient spelling mistake.

Researchers have been trying to decipher who once owned the Galloway Hoard since it was discovered in a field near Kirkcudbright by a metal detectorist in 2014.

Anglo-Saxon runes on three arm-rings suggested they belonged to different individuals, but a fourth had remained undeciphered as there was no recognisable direct translation, leaving experts “confounded”.

Now, a team at National Museums Scotland (NMS) in Edinburgh has suggested confusion over the runic inscription “DIS IS ЇIGNA ˑFˑ” on the inside of the ancient accessory may have been caused by spelling errors and variations of ancient pronunciation.

While the word “ЇIGNAF” does not correspond to any language spoken in early medieval Britain or Ireland, the discovery that the final “F” was marked out with dots to either side suggests it could be the name of the F-rune itself “feoh”, meaning wealth or property.

The word “ЇIGNA” could then be interpreted as the Old English word “higna” or community, with the first letter spelled in an unusual yet still comprehensible way.

The first word also seems “misspelled”, they believe, as it seems likely it represents the word “this”, possibly pronounced “dis” by its wearer.

As a result, the full inscription can be translated as “this is the community’s wealth/property”, with “higna” often used elsewhere in Anglo-Saxon documents to indicate a religious community.

Martin Goldberg, Principal Curator of Early Medieval and Viking Collections at NMS, said: “This is another really interesting and significant development in our understanding of the Galloway Hoard.

“The idea that the wealth this hoard represents would be communally held is fascinating. It does still leave us with unanswered questions around the circumstances in which a community’s wealth would come to be buried, and also which particular community.

“Some material within the hoard, such as the pectoral cross and the rock crystal jar made for a Bishop Hyguald, would support this being a religious community.”

Leading runologist Dr David Parsons, from the University of Wales, who has previously translated other runic inscriptions from the Galloway Hoard said: “This is a difficult and unusual inscription, and the proposed translation is challenging.

“There are a number of things which are technically ‘wrong’ when we compare it with what we know about ‘correct’ runic writing.

“However, if we think about both spoken and written English today, there are a huge range of regional and idiomatic variations and, if we allow for this, then it becomes possible to accept this as a plausible reading. And in the context of what (we) can deduce about the Galloway Hoard it becomes really quite compelling.”

The new finding comes at the conclusion of a three-year research project, “Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard”, led by NMS in partnership with the University of Glasgow.

It was announced ahead of the first leg of an international touring exhibition, Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard, which is currently on in Adelaide, Australia.

The exhibition shows how the Hoard was buried in four distinct parcels, with a top layer of silver bullion and a rare Anglo-Saxon cross, separated from a lower layer of three parts.

These comprised, firstly, another parcel of silver bullion wrapped in leather and twice as big as the one above and, secondly, a cluster of four elaborately decorated silver “ribbon” arm-rings bound together and concealing a small wooden box containing three items of gold.

Finally, a lidded, silver gilt vessel wrapped in layers of textile and packed with carefully wrapped objects including beads, pendants, brooches, bracelets, relics and other curios, often strung or wrapped with silk. 

It was recently revealed that the origins of the vessel itself could be traced to the Sassanian Empire and indeed to a specific mine in modern-day Iran.

Buried around the end of the 9th century, the Galloway Hoard is the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland.

It was acquired by NMS in 2017 with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, and the Scottish Government, as well as a major public fundraising campaign.

Since then, it has been undergoing extensive conservation and research at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh.

Through careful conservation, painstaking cleaning, and cutting-edge research, a team of experts has revealed decorations, inscriptions, and other details hidden for over a thousand years.

Many of the objects have been found to be types never seen before in Britain and Ireland. Some had travelled thousands of miles to reach Scotland.

Further venues for the international tour will be announced, as well as plans for the hoard’s future display after the tour’s conclusion, including in Kirkcudbright. 

https://www.nms.ac.uk/discover-catalogue/a-runic-revelation-who-owned-the-galloway-hoard

Edinburgh-based learning provider, Direct Partners has more than 120 modern apprentices working in a range of sectors including childcare, business skills and tech. 

Founder of the company, Debra Tracy, said: “We don’t just offer training – we craft futures, focusing on skills valued by employers and aligned with digital transformation.” 

Learners supported by Direct Partners are empowered through a pre-employment programme, developed with partners which include SDS Careers, Capital City Partnership and the Department for Work and Pensions, offering two weeks of industry training and guaranteed interviews. 

The interview process is much less formal and stressful with hands on play and stay sessions for childcare apprenticeships which offer employers genuine insights. 

There is also one-to-one support for people with additional learning needs, and scribes for those with English as a second language. 

Debra said: “Some of our learners come to us with no confidence or unsure how to navigate the working world. The programme helps them make an impact from day one because they’re prepared with prior learning. 

“One of our first candidates started in an entry-level job and is now a manager at 25.”  

Modern Apprentice

A childcare Modern Apprentice at an Edinburgh nursery, who felt “defeated” until engaging with Direct Partners, said: “I’m a migrant woman who had given up on the possibility of working in my profession. I was supported throughout my learning, even on a personal level. Now, I embrace my future with gratitude.” 

Beyond qualifications, Direct Partners builds a sense of community through Saturday Play workshops for childcare apprentices who need additional support.  

The workshops, scheduled to accommodate full-time workers and parents, are aligned with training and cover themes like teamwork and health and safety, promote learning and best practice and allow the apprentices to socialise. Apprentices have face time with assessors and develop meta skills through group activities on numeracy, communication and problem solving.  

Debra said: “Our workshops have become a place for community and growth. Apprentices return long after completing their training because they cherish the connections they’ve made.” 

Since 2016, the eight-strong team has trained 590 apprentices with employers including Visit Scotland, Skanska, Enjoy Leisure and Daddy Day Care. 

Apprentices are guided through individual learning plans and quarterly reviews, which support industry and apprentice needs and allow feedback and collaboration with employers.  

More than 12,000 employers support Scottish Apprenticeships, which are work-based learning opportunities or jobs with industry-recognised qualifications.  

Scottish Apprenticeships are made for business, developed with employers to ensure they are demand-led and responsive to workforce skills needs. 

Debra said: “Apprenticeships are a ‘win-win’ – apprentices earn while they learn while employers cultivate a loyal, skilled workforce. 

“The learning from apprenticeships is gold standard. It’s a phenomenal way to develop your career and keep abreast of industry expectations and tech changes in the workplace. 

“Apprenticeships also ensure employees remain at the cutting edge – we have schoolteachers, NHS staff and senior managers on our tech apprenticeships.” 

Debra’s team also leads by example as they have all embarked on Modern Apprenticeships. Debra said: “We’re delighted to be a finalist in the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards, helping to demonstrate the impact and value apprenticeships bring to industry.” 

The winner of the Leading in Learning Provision category will be revealed at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards, which takes place on 27 February in the run-up to Scottish Apprenticeship Week (3 to 7 March).  

apprenticeships.scot/awards

Official figures show that Police Scotland is investigating more than 100 officers over race and homophobia complaints, and the number of allegations against officers is rising.

Police officers faced a slew of discrimination allegations last year with combined race and sexual orientation allegations alone totalling 103 compared with 76 the previous year.

Data shows that allegations rose in relation to three out of the six protected characteristics – race, sexual orientation, gender – included in Scotland’s Hate Crime legislation.

Claims of discriminatory behaviour linked to disability and faith showed slight declines while those of age discrimination remained the same as the previous 12 months.

Figures from a force conduct report show 88 officers were accused of alleged race discrimination in 2023/24 – up by a third compared to the previous year (66) and by just over half compared to the five-year average (58).

There were 15 claims relating to sexual orientation, up by 50% on the previous year and 108.3% compared to the five-year average (7).

A further 29 officers are being investigated for alleged gender discrimination, an increase of 45% from the previous year.

There were 22 disability allegations, one fewer (-4.3%) than the previous year, while allegations relating to faith dropped by one to four. There was no change in age discrimination claims with only one allegation recorded.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said that “tougher action” to tackle racism and misogyny within the culture of Police Scotland was “long overdue”.

He said: “There are more than 16,000 officers within Police Scotland so it is important to remember that these allegations relate to only a small proportion of the service.

“Likewise, until the claims have been properly investigated there should not be an immediate presumption of guilt.

“However, bad apples can spoil the batch and do enormous damage to community relations.”

Mr McArthur added: “It would be a step forward if people who have had bad experiences with the police could feel confident enough to come forward and trust that their claims will be properly investigated.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats have been clear that tougher action to tackle racism and misogyny by, for example, implementing the recommendations of recent reports into the culture of Police Scotland, is long overdue.”

As women were specifically excluded from protection under hate crime laws, data on allegations of sexism, misogyny and harassment claims were not included in the Police Scotland breakdown. None were available on request.

Data showing discriminatory behaviour allegations on the rise makes uncomfortable reading for Police Scotland whose job it is to enforce the country’s tough hate crime laws.

The figures also show Police Scotland still has work to do after former chief constable Iain Livingstone described it as “institutionally racist and discriminatory” shortly before he retired in August 2023.

He said at the time: “It is right for me, as chief constable, to clearly state that institutional racism, sexism, misogyny and discrimination exist. Publicly acknowledging these issues exist institutionally is essential to our absolute commitment to championing equality and becoming an anti-racist service.”

Mr Livingstone also said that acknowledging the issues existed was vital for real change to happen, with a subsequent review uncovering first-hand accounts of racism, sexism and homophobia by serving officers.

It also heard cases where staff had been “punished” for raising concerns with female officers describing Police Scotland being marked by a “boys club” culture.

EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL

Former firearms officer Rhona Malone won almost £1million in compensation from the force after an employment tribunal found she had been victimised when she had raised concerns about sexism.

Ex-officer Gemma MacRae accused Police Scotland of failing to tackle a systemic culture of sexism after a former colleague was convicted of sexually assaulting her almost five years after she reported him to bosses and accused police chiefs of paying “lip service” to the public.

Police Scotland is also under pressure due to the ongoing public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh who died in May 2015 after he was restrained by police officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife. The inquiry is investigating the circumstances of the 31-year-old’s death and whether race was a factor.

Police Scotland launched its “Policing Together” strategy in September 2022 to tackle discrimination in the ranks and in the community, with a mandatory leadership programme rolled out to 5000 officers and staff to improve workplace culture.

They say it provides a focal point and platform for the action they are taking to “champion equality, diversity and inclusion”.

Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: “We take all allegations of discrimination seriously and every report is fully investigated.

“We have seen an increase in reports of hate crime as people become more aware of what isn’t acceptable, and our officers and staff are not immune to that.

“We are committed to building an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory service and our Policing Together programme drives action for meaningful change across four strategic pillars – leadership, training, professionalism and prevention and communications.

“The police officer job is unique and we look to recruit people who will live by our values of integrity, fairness, respect, and are committed to upholding human rights. Those who do not uphold these values have no place in Police Scotland.”

Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup, quarter-final draw made on BBC Scotland:

Livingston v St Johnstone

Celtic v Hibs

Aberdeen v Queen’s Park

Hearts v Dundee

Hearts battled to a penalty-shootout win at St Mirren to claim a place in the quarter-final of the Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup, with a home tie against Dundee.

The Tayside team last won the cup in 1910 and were thrashed 6-0 by Hearts at Dens Park recently.

It was the first time that goalkeeper Craig Gordon had saved two penalty shots in a shootout and he told BBC Scotland that it was good to have a home tie.

The 42-year-old stopper said he was not nervous during the shoot-out and feels there is not much pressure on the goalkeeper.

He added: “Saving the first two takes the pressure off your team-mates.”

And James Penrice said that it was a tough clash at Paisley and they tried to keep the ball on the ground.

He added: “The lads were brilliant and we move towards Hampden. Our aim is to go as far as possible.”

Man of the Match was Beni Baningime.

PICTURE: James Penrice (left) in training with Hearts at Riccarton with James Wilson (right). Also pictured is former Hearts player Kye Rowles. Picture by Nigel Duncan

Hearts squeezed into the last eight of the Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup, but they left it late to level after St Mirren took the lead, and they survived a nerve penalty shootout in which Craig Gordon saved twice.

Earlier, St Mirren, who have struggled for form in 2025, and Hearts, with five wins and a draw since New Year, squared-up in the freezing SMISA Stadium in Paisley for the final tie in the fifth round of the competition.

The past record between the two clubs shows three wins each and four draws and Saints manager, Stephen Robinson, made two changes while Neil Critchley, Hearts’ head coach, made one, Alan Forrest in for Musa Drammeh, his first start since late December, looking for extra energy.

Both teams struggled to find any real rhythm in a game watched by Scotland manager, Steve Clarke, but a long ball found Saints danger man Toyosi Olusanya driving towards the Hearts goal. He gambled on the bounce of the ball but the 27-year-old, quicksilver striker prodded the ball over the bar. A great chance gone.

St Mirren continued to press, forcing the Tynecastle defence to turn, but Alex Gogic had to sweep up after a deep cross from James Penrice, and, seconds later, at the other end, Cammy Devlin clashed with Olusanya on the edge of the Hearts’ box and the St Mirren player fell to the ground.

VAR was called in but play continued and Devlin then pinched the ball from a St Mirren player. He fed Elton Kabangu who let fly with his left foot only for Zach Hemming to dive to his right and send the ball for a corner which came to nothing.

Hearts won another corner in front of their big travelling support and Penrice played it short. The ball was cleared to Spittal on the edge of the box and his shot into traffic trundled wide of Hemming’s right-hand post.

At the other end, Beni Baningime had to rescue Hearts after a free kick 35 yards out, three St Mirren players beating the offside trap. The ball was cleared for a corner and Hearts had another scare with Olusanya breaking free on the six-yard, line but the striker was marginally offside, much to the relief of the Gorgie men.

A back pass down the right had Gordon racing from his goal but Jamie McCart was there to clear as St Mirren looked the more likely to score. The Buddies were knocking at the door and Gordon had to tip the ball over the bar after a long throw on the left.

Mikael Mandron eventually made the home side’s pressure tell on the Men in Maroon by tapping in from close range to break the deadlock after Gordon parried a shot from the left. Time: 22 minutes.

Kabangu had other ideas. He took the game to St Mirren, forcing a corner, but Hemming dealt with the set-piece, but Hearts continued to struggle against lively St Mirren who kept up their high tempo, with Olusanya always a threat.

Gordon was beaten by a corner kick as the Buddies looked for a second goal, and the Jambos failed to pick up men from St Mirren free-kicks around the box, causing them some anxiety.

The Jambos were also finding it difficult against the physical Saints players who gave them little or no time on the ball but Hearts, at last, found a move to threaten.

Adam Forrester drove down the right after Baningime had won the ball in midfield but Forrest failed to test the opposition goalkeeper. It did signal a period of Maroon possession, but the visitors continued to struggle to break the uncompromising Saints down and the home side were denied by a last gasp McCart block just before the break as the home side threatened again.

Neither side made any changes at the break, but it was Saints who threatened first, Olusanya breaking down the left and firing wide of Gordon’s left-hand post. A warning to Hearts.

Critchley had much to ponder as St Mirren continued to close down Hearts, making it difficult for the Jambos to threaten, but Lawrence Shankland had a sight of goal but failed to connect properly.

Then Spittal fired from range over the bar. Better from Hearts but Lewis Neilson went down with a leg injury and Austrian defender Michael Steinwender was sent on to make his Scottish cup debut after his recent signing from Swedish football.

His first touch sent the ball out for a long throw delivered by Killian Phillips which came to nothing and Hearts worked their way forward, patiently, but the ball broke and Phillips was fed from the left after Gordon had miss-kicked an attempted clearance. The midfielder rose but failed to connect properly and another golden chance was gone.

Kabangu then forced Gogic to defend as Hearts broke and seconds later Spittal worked an opportunity but his shot was partly blocked and Hemming grabbed the ball. There was, however, more urgency from the visitors who prepared to introduced teenage striker James Wilson and another new signing, Norwegian midfielder, Sander Kartum, who made his debut.

Penrice had sight of goal while they waited on the touchline but fired wide and Devlin left the field along with Forrest as Hearts struggled to find a way through. Gogic mopped up again after Hearts won the ball in Saints half, but this was not a vintage performance from the Capital combine.

St Mirren made their first change with Elvis Bwomono coming on and Ryan Alebiosu departing, a move to counter Hearts’ change of shape, and Forrester found Shankland who worked some space and fired a right foot shot towards Hemming who grabbed the ball much to the relief of home fans.

Mandron was the next player to threaten, forcing a corner, as The Buddies maintained their hold on the narrow lead, and Hearts fans became more and more agitated as their favourites failed to test the Saints rearguard.

Indeed it was Mandron who again threatened as the rain poured down before Declan John fired in a low left-foot shot which Gordon dived to his right to divert the ball for a corner, a great shave and one much needed by the Jambos.

Midfielder, Calem Nieuwenhof, out of action with injury for 11 months, and another long-term injury victim, Gerald Taylor, were sent on to salvage something from the game with seven minutes left and the Australian’s first touch struck gold for the Jambos.

The 23-year-old picked up a fortunate flick from Penrice and fired home with his right foot to level, time 84 minutes, from near the penalty spot after Saints failed to clear. Hearts fans were jumping and it was game on. The drummer upped his decibel rate.

Steinwender and Taylor were in the wars as the clock ticked down, but they played on as Hearts looked for game-winner. Saints replaced Olusanya with 17-year-old midfielder Evan Mooney and eight minutes of injury time was posted.

Mooney had a fleeting chance as Hearts struggled to clear the ball, another real scare for Critchley’s men, but they survived and this bruising battle raged on with Hearts in the ascendancy.

Taylor launched a long throw from the right but it was eventually cleared with goalkeeper Hemming commanding. At the other end, Phillips launched a throw into the Jambos box. The ball was cleared.

Another long throw and Shankland cleared to bravely headed the ball on to Kabangu – the teenager needed treatment after being clattered – who sped upfield. He beat the goalkeeper before going wide and firing for goal but midfielder Caolan Boyd-Munce made up ground to clear at the near post. Still deadlock. Gogic was booked for a foul on Wilson during the move.

One last chance and Penrice swing the ball into the box. The ball came out of the box to Kartum who blasted over. Level at the final whistle after 90-plus minutes and now extra time.

Robinson made more changes, Greg Kiltie and Oisin Smyth came on and Boyd-Munce and Mark O’Hara went off, and Saints won an early corner, but Taylor galloped down the right to put pressure on Saints but his ball in was poor.

Kabangu then won a corner down the left but the ball from Kartum into the box was cleared, and Saints’ defender Marcus Fraser tried his luck from the edge of the box. Corner, cleared then another and Hearts bundled the ball away.

Danger over for a few seconds before Monney was fouled. From the free-kick Mandron was fed by an inch-perfect pass from young Mooney but he put the ball over. However, he was in an offside position.

At the other end, Penrice sliced wildly wide from the edge of the box with his left-foot, as play raged from end-to-end and Saints won another corner and Gordon blocked from Gogic and Phillips at the near post.

Referee Don Robertson signalled the end of the first-half of extra time, so still all to play for.

Critchley introduced Jorge Grant and Kenneth Vargas, replacing Shankland and Kabangu, as penalties loomed and Hearts patiently probed, leaving Saints to chase the ball on tired legs, and The Buddies retreated, looking to hit the Jambos on the break.

Nieuwenhof drove for goal and eventually the ball fell to Grant whose shot was blocked and then Vargas who shot wide, and Saints made two more changes, James Scott on for Mandron, and Phillips was replaced by Luke Kenny.

Kartum won a controversial corner and Vargas blasted over. The Costa Rica striker had a shot blocked as tension mounted.

Vargas was floored by Kelly, giving Hearts a real chance from a free-kick, and Penrice had his shot tipped over by Hemming. It was a testing free-kick but the subsequent corner was grabbed by Hemming.

It was the last real chance as referee Robertson signalled the end of the game. Now penalties.

The nerve-jangling penalties were towards the Hearts travelling support and it was young Wilson who stepped up first. Short run, high into the net. Smith next and Gordon got down low to his left to tip the ball wide of the goal.

Vargas was up next and he blasted the ball low into the net to the left hand side. Next up James Scott and 42-year-old Gordon saved again, this time to his right.

Grant came next for Hearts and Jorge found the net despite Hemming getting a hand to the ball. Hemming will be disappointed.

Mooney stepped-up for Saints and he took a long run before sending Gordon the wrong way and burying the ball into the other corner.

Now Gerald Taylor. He could seal victory for Hearts and his shot was saved by Hemming. A poor penalty from a short run.

The drama continued. Fraser next and the skipper found the net to make it 3-2. Now Penrice to send Hearts through and he side-footed the ball into the net with his trusty left foot.  

PICTURE: Craig Gordon (right) in training.

A Fife based company supplying ingredients and professional equipment for home bakers has predicted the new trends this year.

CFW provides all kinds of gadgets to create all types of doughnuts, cakes, waffles and other treats.

The business also supplies the professional dessert trade, with many customers who own and run dessert parlours, cafés, hotels and restaurants.

Callum Bond, Sales & Business Development Manager, is currently attending a number of UK trade shows to show all of the firm’s products, which include well known brands such as Nutella, Callebaut and Lotus Biscoff. He said that he believes that there will be a surge of “innovative offerings” in 2025.

Callum said: “Expect to see unique waffle variations such as mini waffles and croffles which are coming into vogue at the moment.

“There are also exciting new flavour combinations, some which combine sweet and savoury. Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and there’s also a huge influence from the USA where consumers certainly love their waffles, croffles and doughnuts.

“We’re looking forward to taking our products to Scothoc at the SECC in Glasgow, from 26 to 27 February

“We can’t wait to show off our products at this show. Our customers rely on us to bring them the latest innovations. We will also be demonstrating our exclusive Nutella dispensers which are available in both an electric and manual formats.”

The three day event welcomes more than 7,000 buyers in hospitality, food service, public sector, retail, leisure and tourism all assemble to see what the latest trends are.

www.cfw.co.uk

Councillors have agreed to mothball a village school for a second year as the community awaits the delivery of a new school. 

Dechmont’s Infant School- the last infant school in Scotland- shut its doors at the end of the school year in June last year with children transferring to Kirkhill Primary in Broxburn at the start of the school year last August. 

Children attending the Dechmont Infant School will be accommodated within Kirkhill Primary School for the duration of school year 2025/26. This will now extend to the summer holiday in June 2026. 

Dechmont  school only took classes up to P3, with older primary children being bussed to Kirkhill. 

Plans are in place for a new full primary- classes P1 to p7- and associated nursery school for Dechmont within the development of 1,000 new homes on the Bangour hospital site.  

Though a specific date for the new school has yet to be confirmed it will likely be when a specific number of homes are completed at Bangour and applications for school places start to rise. 

In a report to the Education Executive this month officers said:” The closing date for applications for Dechmont Infant School was 31 December 2024. To date, four applications have been received for the P1 stage at Dechmont infant school, with two received before the closing date, and two after.  

“All applications contain second and third choices, and in each case, it is anticipated that the second-choice school can be granted. The closing date for applications for Dechmont Infant School Nursery Class is 15 March 2025. To date, no first-choice applications have been received for Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) at Dechmont Infant School Nursery Class.”   

The report added: “Mothballing” a school is a temporary closure which does not lead to a requirement for consultation under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. 

“This decision was taken as a result of a falling roll, falling applications for the school and nursery, and planning forecasts showing that this position was anticipated to continue until the opening of the new Primary School.” 

The Education Executive agreed, at its meeting of 26 June 2024, to approve the proposal to mothball Dechmont Infant School and Dechmont Infant School Nursery Class for the duration of school year 2024/25, and that these arrangements would be reviewed annually. 

Villagers are keen to see the school building retained for community use. 

By Stuart Sommerville Local Democracy Reporter 

LOVE IS ON THE HORIZON(S) AT PETTYCUR BAY THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

Horizons, the stunning in house restaurant at Pettycur Bay Holiday Park & The Bay Hotel has released details of its fantastic Valentine’s Day

Menu which is available on Valentines Day night from 6.00-8.30pm.

With a wide choice of starters, mains and desserts on offer in this menu, with starters affordably priced from just £6, you can treat your loved one to a romantic night out which won’t break the bank.

For starter, choose from cream of tomato & basil soup, a warm crab, ginger & applewood smoked cheddar tart served with saffron aioli, or toasted brioche with Stornoway black pudding and poached egg, served with hollandaise sauce.

Moving onto mains, the choices are fillet of cod topped with mussel and vegetable broth, a Ballantine of chicken with haggis and pancetta mousse, served on a whisky cream, or for vegetarians, a baked asparagus and caramelised red onion tart served with a balsamic glaze.

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without an indulgent dessert, so treat yourself to warm sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce, light strawberry vanilla cheesecake on a duo of sauces, or a passionfruit and mango mousse with all butter shortbread.

“With multiple Taste Our Best Awards for its food, Horizons is known for its welcoming staff, its sweeping views across the Firth of Forth, and, of course, the quality and affordability of its dishes. We’ve made it easy to enjoy a Valentine’s treat here, so book up now to secure the table of your choice,” said Janet Murray, General Manager at Pettycur Bay Holiday Park & The Bay Hotel.

“Entertainment is also laid on in the form of popular singer Chris Wainwright performing in Images.”

Further details www.pettycur.co.uk

The Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) can confirm the last of the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League matches selected for broadcast up to the conclusion of the pre-split phase. The games selected across BBC ALBA and BBC Sport Scotland are as follows: 

Sunday 2 March 2pm kick off Rangers v Heart of Midlothian on BBC Sport Scotland then 4.10pm kick off Hibs v Celtic BBC ALBA 

BBC ALBA have selected the top of the table clash between Hibernian and Celtic. In the reverse fixture earlier in the season, the sides could not be separated in a goalless draw. Both sides will be hoping to go one better this time around as they vie for advantage in the title race with only two points separating the two teams currently sitting in 2^nd and 4^th in the League. 

BBC Sport Scotland have selected what promises to be a hotly contested match between Rangers and Hearts. The Jambos will be hoping to reignite their title tilt while Rangers will be looking to emulate the 2-0 victory over Hearts earlier in the season and maintain their own challenge for the top spot. 

Fiona McIntyre, SWPL Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to announce these live broadcast matches which will showcase all the drama from these key matches in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League title race. 

 T”his season continues to be the most competitive to date, and these final fixtures before the league split will shape the table ahead of what we expect to be an incredible post-split run-in at both ends of the league as clubs battle it out for the title, top six and to avoid relegation. 

“The partnerships with our broadcast partners continue to provide a vital platform for showcasing the excitement of the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League and we encourage fans to get out to as many games as possible or to tune in to the action with BBC ALBA and BBC Sport Scotland.” 

The owner of a short term holiday let  just a few steps from the beach has lost their fight to keep renting it out to families.

Julie Nulty said her top floor flat in North Berwick was popular with families and golfers and was in an area surrounded by holiday flats and B&Bs.

East Lothian planners rejected her bid for a Certificate of Lawfulness to allow her to operate the rental flat, which she bought three years ago and now an appeal to Scottish Ministers has also been thrown out.

Despite recognising that the flat was 50 metres from the beach and surrounded by holiday accommodation in the popular seaside town, the Reporter ruled it had a “residential ambience”.

In Ms Nulty’s appeal her agent said she bought the flat with her husband with the intention to use it as a holiday let describing the areas as “a residential neighbourhood with a large number of holiday lets”.

And they said signs were put up in the communal stairwell of the property reminding guests to be respectful to neighbours.

They applied for the certificate, which would mean there is no need to apply for a change of use of the property from residential to short term holiday let, arguing that the holiday use was no different to if their were long term tenants in the property.

However objectors to the application said the signs only served to back their claims the short term holiday use was a problem for them.

One said: “These signs should not be taken as evidence of short-term residents’ compliance with the needs of long-term residents but rather the opposite: a response to frequent occasions when they are ignored.”

The Reporter declined to visit the flat, which houses up to six guests, ahead of making their decision saying they had enough evidence to investigate the claims.

Rejecting the appeal, they said: “I consider that the use of the property as short-term let visitor accommodation entails a pattern of activity beyond that which is consistent with its occupation by permanent or long-term residents and exceeds what may reasonably be considered to be ancillary or incidental to its main authorised residential use.

“I conclude that it amounts to a material change of use which requires planning permission. As no planning permission has been granted, I find that use is not established and is not lawful.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University, John Mortimer, is trying to expand the British Sign Language (BSL) library by expanding it to include industry terms.

He believes that identifying phrases which need their own sign will make animation, visual effects and gaming more inclusive.

This is being pioneered by the community project Animsign which Mr Mortimer leads, and he recently took his research to industry events to seek out suggestions from professionals, educators and signers. Recently he compiled a list of 74 terms which need a new sign.

He was inspired to learn BSL by his four year old son, but he also lectures in 3D animation and modelling.Jon is now inviting members of the deaf community, educators and animation and games professionals who are interested in being involved with Animsign to reach out, and work towards developing a BSL glossary of animation and gaming terminology.

Jon said: “Gaps in language can put people starting out in animation at a major disadvantage. It is like looking up a technical term in the dictionary and finding a blank page.

“Our aim with Animsign is to create a bridge between the animation and games sectors and the deaf community.

“My family and I have been learning BSL to support my son, who currently has limited language. Learning sign language has allowed him to express himself so much more than before.

“I think it is so important that we work with people from the deaf community and not for them, which is what I have aimed to do throughout this project, while also working with deaf artists.

“The hope is that with support like this we can make the process of learning about animation more accessible.

“You don’t need to be an animator to work in animation. This could open up a whole range of careers to talented people who have stories to tell.”

Last year, between 31^st March 2023-April 2024, independent charity Crimestoppers Scotland and their youth programme Fearless received a record 18,000 contacts about crime from the Scottish public. 

The charity’s annual impact campaign, supported by Network Rail Scotland, saw the highest number of pieces of information in 36 years of Crimestoppers. 

In the run up to Valentine’s Day, Crimestoppers Scotland want to thank the Scottish public who are at the heart of their success, by trusting the charity with their information. 

The campaign will be shared across social media, and thanks to Network Rail Scotland, look out for Crimestoppers at railway stations across Scotland. The charity, partners and volunteers will be distributing special thank you cards and chocolates. 

As a result of anonymous information from communities across Scotland, over 350 (357) people were arrested and charged, including two with murder. A record £6.5 million in the street value of drugs was also recovered 

Information from the public has achieved the following: 

• A record 18,000 people contacted Crimestoppers about crime and criminals in Scotland – an increase of 7% on 22/23. 

• 350 (357) criminals were arrested and charged by police due to Crimestoppers information in Scotland. 

• Two people were arrested and charged with murder/unlawful killings 

• 6 Wanted Persons were arrested and charged 

• 61 drink/drug drivers arrested and charged. 

Thanks to police action after receiving Crimestoppers reports, nearly a thousand positive outcomes followed (944). Good outcomes, as a result of information to Crimestoppers, can mean a referral to a health or social support agency or a positive intervention was made. 

Angela Parker, National Manager for Crimestoppers Scotland, said: ‘People and community safety are at the heart of Crimestoppers in Scotland. It’s vital we thank the Scottish public for continuing to trust our charity and let the people know how their information is helping to keep Scotland safer.  

The record number of contacts to Crimestoppers Scotland not only took criminals off our streets and solved crimes, but created over 1,000 good outcomes for thousands of people. These include ensuring justice for victims of crime or helping the most vulnerable in our communities engage with support agencies. 

“Crimestoppers is the only charity that offers a unique ‘100% anonymous. Always’ guarantee. Our charity has never broken this promise, so please continue to contact us if you know or suspect who is committing crime.” 
 

Innis Keith (Health Safety & Environment Director) said:  

“We’re delighted to see the public’s support of Crimestoppers and we’re encouraged by the results the charity generates across Scotland. 

“The railway plays a vital role in connecting Scotland, and our support, alongside partners at the British Transport Police and ScotRail, will continue, so we can help to make sure everyone feels safe whilst travelling by train. 

“Communities across Scotland have been at the heart of the success, and it’s great to see Crimestoppers visiting our stations to say thank you.” 

 Victims and Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “Crimestoppers are an important partner in our aim to have safer communities. 

“This report demonstrates the significant role members of the public play through anonymously reporting crime and how their contributions have helped make a difference. 

“A record 18,000 people contacted the charity over 2023-24 and I encourage anyone who feels they cannot contact the police, to continue to use Crimestoppers to report and help stop crime. This can be done anonymously and without fear of any comeback.” 

Police Scotland’s Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: “The annual report makes it clear that our communities remain confident in using the service Crimestoppers provides. 

“Crimestoppers is an essential independent partner for Police Scotland, providing people the opportunity to submit information anonymously and allowing that information to be shared with us in a timely manner. All reports are taken seriously and we carry out thorough investigations into incidents or crimes that may be reported. 

“We also want to acknowledge the support that Fearless provides to the young people in our communities. 

“We continue to work with Crimestoppers to encourage those who may be concerned about getting in touch with police directly to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit its website to make a report anonymously.” 

Staff at West Lothian’s Burgh Halls have been reassured they will be part of a solution for the council owned Linlithgow wedding venue and its financial woes. 

The venue is facing a projected overspend of £100,000, first highlighted in November. The figure is actually an income target which the venue didn’t reach. 

At this month’s meeting of West Lothian’s Executive councillors heard updates on  dire financial forecasts as the end of the financial year looms. 

Lib Dem Linlithgow councillor Sally Pattle asked: “We have a forecast overspend of £100,000 at the Burgh Halls. I know there’s ongoing work. I’d like some reassurance that it’s being done with the staff at the Burgh Halls?” 

Alan Colquhoun, Strategic Partnerships Manager, told the meeting: “That is the case. It is being led by the head of service, supported by myself and the venue team, and supported by officers across the council.” 

 There has been debate over the future of the Burgh Halls for almost a year. The building is marketed by the council as a wedding venue and exhibition space. It also houses a small cafe. Despite its central position in the heart of the Royal Burgh it has struggled to meet expected income targets. 

In Linlithgow critics of the council’s ownership say the Burgh Halls occupies a backwater within the council’s Education Services portfolio, where officers are concentrating on schools and early years learning provision.  There are some  in the town who believe it could be better run independent of the council as a stand-alone venue.  

All three Linlithgow councillors have backed a wider review of the way the venue is managed and marketed. 

When the £100,000 overspend was first revealed in November councillor Pattle defended the staff at the wedding venue, telling a meeting of the Executive at the time: “They really are experts at what they do. The packages they deliver really are top class particularly in the context of West Lothian.” 

Veteran Labour councillor Tom Conn, who earlier in the year had demanded education officers carry out a review of the use of the Burgh Halls with a “more holistic approach”, said of the £100,000 at the November meeting: “This is a target which is assigned and not met. If targets are increased and the previous target has not been met, are we not creating the problem? 

“If the targets are failing then it has nothing to do with the facility, it is to do with the expectation of the targets.”  

The SNP’s Councillor Pauline Orr had asked what education officials were doing to address the issue. 

Greg Welsh, head of primary education, within whose remit the Burgh Halls sits, told the November meeting: “Officers are currently undertaking work to look at a longer-term business plan for the Burgh Halls and that is set to come before the Corporate Policy PDSP by the turn of the year.” 

The report is expected to go before councillors in the coming weeks. 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Edinburgh councillors have voted to try and claw back millions of pounds per year set to be taken by the Treasury in tax from the city’s new visitor levy.

Of the around £50m expected to be brought in annually by the new charge, about £8m is set to be lost to the UK Government per annum through VAT.

SNP councillor Kate Campbell introduced a motion asking the council’s leader to write to the UK Government asking for the cash back, saying: “The visitor levy has clear principles attached to it – it’s about raising money locally that should be spent locally.

“VAT is a reserved tax, and decisions about VAT are completely within the remit of the UK government.

“There were discussions about VAT in terms of the impact of paying additional VAT on [the levy] when this legislation went through the Scottish Parliament, but they can’t decide whether or not VAT is paid on it because that is a reserved matter.

“What we’re asking for is that they consider giving us a rebate, because it’s quite a significant amount of money. So 20% VAT amounts to around £8m pounds we think.

“If we think of the significance of that over a long period of time, for example, that could equal half a billion pounds worth of investment in council housing, if that’s what we agreed to spend it on.

“It is a very significant amount of money that could be spent locally in Edinburgh, rather than being some strange Treasury bonus that would get spent across the UK when it is effectively a tax on a tax.”

Edinburgh’s visitor levy – the first of its kind in the UK – will charge almost all visitors staying in overnight accommodation in the city 5% of their rate per night, for up to five nights.

From the funds raised, £5m per annum will go to housing and ‘tourism mitigation’, while £2m broken up over 3 years will go towards participatory budgeting.

Some  2% of funds raised will be returned to accommodation providers to deal with administrative costs involved in running the scheme.

The remainder will go towards city operations and infrastructure (55%), culture, heritage and events (35%), and destination and visitor management (10%).

It was officially approved in January of this year, and the scheme will take effect from July 2026.

Conservative councillor Phil Doggart said: “I love the fact that a couple of weeks ago we had this debate about how wonderful this scheme was, and now we’ve got the SNP group complaining about how wonderful this scheme was, given that it was the SNP that took this through Holyrood, designed the scheme, worked it through parliament.

“All of a sudden, the SNP group in Edinburgh has worked out, ‘oh, there’s VAT being charged on this’. If only someone had thought about that before the visitor levy was introduced, or indeed designed and given approval in Parliament.”

Cllr Campbell replied: “It’s very simple, it’s very straightforward. We think this money should be raised here, and it should come back to Edinburgh. It wasn’t in the legislation, but we’re saying that, sometimes, legislation can be improved after the fact.

“We believe that there would be the power within the UK Government to do so, and we think that would be of benefit to our residents.”

By Joe Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

With dining available in its romantic Sea View restaurant, the Old Manor Hotel at Lundin Links has revealed what’s on its special Valentine’s Day Menu, which will be served 5.30pm to 8.30pm on 14 February.

This delicious menu offers a choice of four different starters, four main courses, and four desserts.

Choose from spiced butternut squash soup to start, or a fried haggis fritter with parsnip crisps and whisky sauce. Other starter choices include a goat’s cheese spring roll, or a delicious garlic roasted King Prawn, smoked salmon and dill cucumber salad.

Then it’s onto a choice of slow cooked pulled beef with fondant potato, green beans and wild mushrooms jus, a Welsh rarebit baked cod, with tomato chive salad, a mushroom rosti, or grilled seatrout – after all, the Hotel is beside the coast!

The most tempting selection of desserts are available, as it is Valentine’s Day after all, so treating yourself is most definitely on the menu. A decadent chocolate brownie torte, with dark chocolate thyme sorbet is the first choice, along with a Raspberry & Lemon posset, served with a raspberry mint salad and shortbread.

The final dessert choice is everybody’s favourite – sticky toffee pudding, served with toffee ice cream and toffee sauce.

Savoury lovers can enjoy a Scottish cheese board with oatcakes, frozen grapes, and chutney.

“Book a table for Valentine’s Day and enjoy your meal in Operations Manager Christina Kennedy   

“Our Head Chef Anthony Sturge, and his team, have come up with a variety of appealing dishes with modern flavours & local sourcing to get your tastebuds dancing. We will complement this with the finest wines and spirits.”

“A thriving part of the Lundin Links social scene, we are ready and waiting to welcome both local guests on the doorstep, and those from further afield who may want to give us a try.”

Further details: www.theoldmanorhotel.co.uk.

Please book by calling 01333 320368.

The ‘significant’ damage caused by Storm Eowyn led to a huge surge in calls to West Lothian Council and has seen ‘thousands’ of trees lost, it has emerged. 

Livingston North Local Area Committee heard that the council’s countryside service received 800 calls in four days from 24 January. 

Simon Scott from the NETs Land and Countryside team said: “To put that in context we received 37 inquiries [for Livingston North] in the last three months of last year.” 

Livingston councillors praised the council teams for their work making fallen trees safe across the town during the storm, which saw a red ‘danger to life’ weather warning issued for the area. 

Teams were out during the storm and in the immediate aftermath clearing roads and paths of debris. 

At a recent meeting, David Lees from the NETs team told councillors on the Livingston South Local Area Committee: “West Lothian did suffer a significant amount of damage to the tree stock across the county. 

He added: “The council’s own arborists and contractors carried out work initially to clear trees that were blocking roads and footpaths or causing other dangers. They have cleared the dangerous stuff and will have to revisit quite a few sites. 

“In the last week the team has been carrying out surveys of woodland sites.” 

Councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick, chair of the Livingston South committee thanked staff for their work. “I know the team has been flat out and officers were out on the day of the storm and the weekend after it. We are aware that damage has been done to a number of properties and we are responding as quickly as possible.” 

Councillor Maria MacAulay said: “I just wanted to praise the work that’s been done with all the trees that have come down. Being out in the storm was just exceptional.  Thank you. 

Speaking to the North Livingston Local Area Committee on Friday Mr Scott said: “We have lost thousands of trees. It was a unique event. The particular number has not been fully quantified yet. In context, we have hundreds of thousands of trees that the council is responsible for maintaining.” 

He assured the meeting that trees on private land would be attended to if they were overhanging public footpaths in Eliburn, and landowners such as the Woodland Trust had been contacted. 

Councillor Alison Adamson said: “I know the efforts put by the arborists anybody connected with the clean-up operation after the storm damage.  It was absolutely incredible. I know that there’s still work to do,  to go back and clear things, but I think everybody can see that there was a huge effort put in. 

“Thank you to all the teams that were involved especially the fact that they were going out in some of the worst weather to actually deal with things. That’s above and beyond” 

Chair of the Livingston North Committee Labour’s Anne McMillan told committee: “The work that has been put in has been tremendous.  If it is possible, we could get an idea of what has still to be done. That in itself would be a programme of works.  It’s probably created an added burden on the service.” 

Mr Scott said: “I would say that would be straightforward enough to compile a report. Where we are right now, we still have some issues to deal with dangerous trees. By and large they are secured and fenced off”.  

He added that ongoing work would be carried out to cut up and clear fallen trees across the new town before planning a next stage. He suggested it would be helpful to compile a report of the situation for all local area committees. 

Councillor McMillan said: “That would be great, and I think would also help manage expectations.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Ireland recorded another victory in Edinburgh as Scotland came up short in a bid for back-to-back Guinness Six Nations home wins. 

The greens opened the scoring in the 8^th minute when Calvin Nash touched down following a Sam Prendergast looped ball. The conversion was good. 

Moments later Finn Russell and Darcy Graham clashed heads as they were trying to thwart James Lowe’s attacking threat.  

Russell went off for a Head Injury Assessment, while Graham’s extended medical attention saw him replaced for good by Jamie Dobie. 

Ireland added another three points in the 24^th minute from a Prendergast penalty after Scotland had not rolled away. 

The visitors extended their lead to 17-points in the 33^rd minute when skipper Caelan Doris, touch down was converted again by Prendergast. 

However just before the break Duhan van der Merwe touched down in the corner to give the fans some hope. 

Three minutes after the restart Blair Kinghorn dispatched an easy penalty to bring the arrears to nine points.  

The another Kinghorn penalty six minutes later reduced the deficit to six-points, 

But the defending champions quickly added daylight when James Lowe muscled his way over the whitewash and the try was converted once more by Prendergast. 

And the die was cast on the hour mark when Jack Conan helped himself to the bonus point try. 

With 10-minutes remaining Prendergast got himself into double figures with a long-range penalty after a scrum collapsed 45 metres out. 

Some consolation came in the form of a late Ben White try, the scrum-half nipping over from close range, which Kinghorn converted. 

Full-time: Scotland 18-32 Ireland  

Scotland: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Huw Jones, Tom Jordan (both Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby); Finn Russell (co-captain) (Bath Rugby), Ben White (Toulon); Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Cherry (Edinburgh Rugby), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Bordeaux-Bègles), Grant Gilchrist, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge (co-captain), Jack Dempsey (all Glasgow Warriors). 

Replacements: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Cherry, 48 mins), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Sutherland, 48 mins), Will Hurd (Leicester Tigers) (for Z. Fagerson, 68 mins), Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors) (for Gray, 48 mins), Sam Skinner (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Gilchrist, 68 mins), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Dempsey, 60 mins), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors) (for Graham, 22 mins), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) for Russell, 22 mins HIA). 

Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Finaly Bealham, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain). 

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Garry Ringrose.  

Referee: James Doleman (NZR) 

Assistant referees: Ben O’Keefe (NZR) and Pierre Brousset (FFR) 

Television Match Official: Richard Kelly (NZR) 

Fair Play Review Officer: Andrew Jackson (RFU) 

Guinness Player of the Match: Sam Prendergast (Ireland) 

Attendance: 67,144