Edinburgh council should pull out of a partnership with other Scottish councils to get the best settlement from the Scottish Government, it has been suggested. 

At present, Edinburgh’s funding from Holyrood is settled through negotiation the government holds with Cosla, a partnership between Scotland’s 32 local authorities. 

But Edinburgh’s Conservative group says in its budget motion that what Edinburgh gets from these negotiations is not enough – and that leaving the body could give the city more flexibility in other areas. 

This year, Edinburgh is projected to get the lowest amount of funding per person of any council in Scotland, with the city set to receive £2009.2 per head – just 73.5% of the national average. 

Conservative councillor Phil Doggart said: “Edinburgh is not well funded – we do not get what we need. We’re also a special case. 

“It’s not dissimilar to the relationship between London and the rest of England – housing costs are higher, there’s a massive centralisation of some professions. You’re the centre of law, centre of government, financial services, a lot of it is based in Edinburgh. 

“I think if we’re not bound by the restrictions that we’re under when it comes to Cosla, then we could probably get a better deal out of this.” 

Cosla negotiates with the Scottish Government every year to determine how much each council will receive from Holyrood. 

Four Labour-run councils – including Glasgow City Council, Scotland’s biggest – left the body in 2015, but rejoined in 2017. 

Doggart says this is proof that departing from Cosla “can be done”, continuing: “I think if we were willing to have confidence in our ability to negotiate with the Scottish Government, then I think that it would give us a different perspective.” 

He also said that leaving Cosla, even if it did not lead to increased funding settlements from Holyrood, would have benefits in letting the council pay staff different rates than those that come from agreements with the organisation. 

Doggart said: “It would allow us to pay people what we think we need, because at the minute, we’re in competition with all the local authorities around Edinburgh. 

“If I were a social worker bringing up a family, I would probably go live in East Lothian or Midlothian, because it’s an awful lot cheaper to live there. 

“I would also get a job with that council, because I’m going to get paid the same – so why should I live in the place that’s going to cost me an awful lot more? 

“Or why would I travel to the place that’s going to incur traveling costs when I can do the job and have lower living costs, and a higher standard of living, just outside the city?” 

By Joseph Sullivan, Edinburgh Local Democracy Reporter 

Commercial cleaning specialist Perfect Clean has invested in a fleet of new electric vehicles.

The Edinburgh-based firm has a made a significant six-figure outlay as its starts to overhaul its pool of vans, introducing 10 brand new ones to replace older models.

The majority will be based at the company’s Edinburgh headquarters, while the remainder will operate in the north east, and in particular Aberdeen, to service a growing client base, including Langstane Housing Association, who have appointed Perfect Clean to provide comprehensive stairwell cleaning services across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray regions

The new fleet comprising VW ID, Buzz, eBerlingo and Toyota Proace models also boasts a new-look design, the previous traditional style replaced by a more modern look.

“As we grow across Scotland, we’re proving you can look after business and the planet at the same time,” said Perfect Clean managing director Emilia Ferenc. “It’s vitally important that businesses do what they can to help the environment and this investment in a fleet of new electric vehicles demonstrates our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint.

“They are an ideal addition to our fleet as we start to phase out the older models which have served us well. The new vehicles are so quiet and efficient to run and are ideal for covering our clients in the centre of Edinburgh as well as those further afield. With no emissions and no engine noise, we are helping make Scotland cleaner in more ways than one.”

It’s been a successful start to 2025 for Perfect Clean, the Langstane contract coming just weeks after signing an agreement with the City of Edinburgh Council to provide periodic cleaning services and specialist emergency cleaning to around 2800 staircases across council housing blocks throughout the city.

“Being an Edinburgh-based company, we know our city inside out and what makes us particularly proud is the opportunity to make an even bigger difference in our local community,” said Emilia.

“Clean and well-maintained staircases mean safer, more comfortable living spaces for Edinburgh residents. These significant partnerships highlight our continued growth, reinforcing our position as a leading cleaning service provider in Scotland and we are committed to delivering a consistent, high-quality service across all sectors.”

For more information see https://www.perfectcleanltd.co.uk/

Integrated digital platform to enhance responsiveness for older residents.

ONE of Scotland’s leading housing and care providers is the first in Scotland to join the Shared Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in Scotland to better support independent living for older people.

Bield Housing and Care has partnered with Chubb Fire and Security Limited and Skyresponse AB to improve the operations of its 24-hour response systems for Bield Housing & Care tenants and its range of local authorities, health, social care and housing partners.

The Chubb Cloud Care Control platform, powered by Skyresponse AB, operates as part of the Shared Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) in Scotland, led by the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government.

Designed to provide a unified solution for service providers across Scotland, the system delivers a robust and data-driven approach to care and improving service delivery.

Bield is the first housing association in Scotland to adopt the Shared ARC in Scotland platform, leveraging digital solutions to improve services for the country’s increasingly older population.

Debbie Collins, Interim CEO at Bield Housing and Care, said: “Bield is proud to be the first housing association with an alarm receiving centre to join the Shared ARC Platform in Scotland, working alongside our valued partners at the Digital Office, Chubb Fire and Security Ltd, and Skyresponse AB.

“This collaboration is fully aligned with our corporate strategy, reinforcing our commitment to placing tenants at the heart of our services.

“By embracing cutting-edge digital solutions, we are not only enhancing safety and well-being but also supporting ageing in place – ensuring that more people can live their best lives at home, surrounded by a supportive community.

“This marks a significant step forward in our mission to innovate and improve the way we deliver services for our tenants and customers.”

Following a competitive procurement process, Chubb Fire and Security Limited was awarded the contract to deliver the Shared ARC in Scotland platform, further reinforcing confidence in its capabilities and innovative approach to telecare.

Bringing together data across a range of sources, the system gives the Bield Response 24 (BR24) teams even quicker access to critical information, enhancing efficiency and responsiveness for customers across Scotland.

Shaun Moscrop, General Manager at Chubb Fire and Security Limited, commented: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Bield Housing & Care to deliver cutting-edge technology that enhances safety and peace of mind for their residents.

“Our Cloud Care Control platform is designed to provide reliable, efficient, and intuitive monitoring that empowers care providers, aligns with their operational needs, and ensures residents receive the best possible care.”

Bield’s move to a cloud-based telecare infrastructure will unlock several operational benefits, including improved efficiency for staff, streamlined data management, and enhanced digital connectivity across its network.

The new platform will reduce administrative workload, allowing BR24’s team to respond to alarms faster, store and access essential information more efficiently, and improve data-sharing capabilities with partner organisations.

The transition process is already underway, with full implementation expected by the end of 2025.

As part of its broader commitment to technology-driven care, Bield has been investing in a range of initiatives, including telecare projects that reduce hospital visits and enhance digital inclusion for older people.

This latest partnership is an example of Bield utilising innovative opportunities in housing and care services, ensuring that it continues to meet the evolving needs of Scotland’s ageing population.

https://www.bield.co.uk/

Heart of Midlothian will have a new technical kit sponsor from this summer with hummel and the iconic chevrons return to the maroon jersey after a gap of 20 years.

The manufacturer will produce match kits, warm-up tops and training gear for the men’s, women’s and Academy teams all of which will retail to fans.

Andrew McKinlay, Hearts’ CEO, said the chevrons were synonymous with the likes of Rudi Skacel, Paul Hartley, Craig Gordon and, of course, the Scottish Cup.”

Neil Burke, CEO of hummel UK, said: “We are incredibly proud to bring hummel back to Heart of Midlothian. Some of the club’s greatest moments were achieved in hummel kit.”

Fast rising Edinburgh tennis ace Jacob Fearnley, the world No 78, has been named “male player of the month” for January by the Lawn Tennis Association.

The 23-year-old overcame strong competition from the likes of former junior contemporary Jack Draper who pulled off a series of lengthy back-to-the-wall wins at the Australian Open.

Australian Open performances were integral to Jacob’s citation which reads: “It was a month to remember for Jacob Fearnley – an appearance in the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time and a maiden Davis Cup call up make him a worthy winner of the men’s singles crown.

“Off the back of his meteoric rise last season, Fearnley secured himself a spot in the main draw of the Australian Open and a first round clash against home favourite Nick Kyrgios. After upsetting the Aussie on his home turf, the British No.3 defeated Arthur Cazaux to reach the third round in Melbourne where he lost out to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev.

“His good fortunes didn’t stop there though. After receiving his first call up to join the Lexus GB Davis Cup team for their qualifying tie against Japan, Fearnley went on to secure a first win for his country against former world No.4 Kei Nishikori and become Colour Holder No.328.

“He also reached the semi-final of the ATP Challenger event in Canberra.”

Female player of the month is Katie Boulter.

Having pulled out of the Marseilles ATP event which followed the Australian Open Jacob has set sights on competing in the highly prestigious Indian Wells tournament which runs from March 2-16 and regarded as one step below a “major”.

Rangers arrive at Tynecastle on Sunday (kick-off noon) with manager Philippe Clement under severe pressure following their shock exit from the Scottish Gas, Scottish Cup, by second-tier club, Queen’s Park.

The Belgian admitted it has been a long week but he continues to parry the media and fans on social media.

Clement said he has been “wounded” by the abuse he has received since Sunday’s 1-0 defeat, but he wants to fight on.

And star midfielder Ianis Hagi indicted to the media that Ibrox is not a “happy place right now”, but he added that everybody is in this together.

However, a bad result at resurgent Hearts could edge the manager closer to the exit door.

The Jambos have won four of their five William Hill Premiership games since the New Year, but Rangers have also won their last four league games and Hearts are without a win in their past 17 meetings with the Glasgow club.

Neil Critchley hopes combative midfielder Cammy Devlin will be fit for the clash after he was substituted in the second-half of Monday’s shootout win over St Mirren in the Scottish Cup.

Concussion protocol was implemented and the midfielder has not trained since the trip to Paisley but the 26-year-old, who have proved a key man in the club’s recent revival, may be involved on Saturday, and the head coach said that Rangers will come along the M8 looking to put the cup shock behind them.

Young defender Lewis Neilson has recovered from the leg knock he suffered at Paisley and Critchley told the media: “They (Rangers) have good players and they are a good team. The lads think we are a good team and it has the makings of a good game.”

FLASHBACK: Cammy Devlin with a Jambos fan during the club’s pre-season training abroad. Courtesy of Heart of Midlothian FC

A 10% council tax rise, more funding for education and an end to free tram travel are among some of the proposals from Edinburgh Council’s opposition groups ahead of a budget showdown on Thursday. 

No party has a majority in the city chambers, meaning groups will have to come to some kind of agreement in order to finalise a budget. 

For the SNP, Edinburgh Council’s largest group, the biggest budget priorities are education, road safety and housing. 

SNP group leader Simita Kumar said: “Labour have not actually thought about what things we can do differently, what are the things we can innovate on? 

“The only thing they’ve done is take the officers’ recommendations and moved some tokenistic amount around. 

“Our budget is a wellbeing budget. We know we have a cost of living crisis, we want the best wellbeing for our children, our young people, our communities, and for everyone. 

They want to ensure that transition teachers – educators who help pupils experiencing changes in their education or who face tough times – remain funded, which is not the case in the Labour administration’s budget. 

To accomplish this, they propose using some remaining Covid relief funding. 

Further, they want to see the Holiday Hubs scheme – which gives families of additional support needs pupils respite – maintained. 

And for the Greens, they propose big investments in active travel, housing and the third sector, but it would all come with a hefty price tag. 

They’re eyeing a whopping 10% increase in council tax to help fund their goals – a significant increase over the other groups, but not out of line with the current plans of some other councils in Scotland. 

Labour’s most likely partners in coming to a budget consensus are the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, who all together have a one seat majority in the council. 

For the Liberal Democrats, the biggest priorities are education and road safety. Like the SNP, they have concerns over the plans to axe transition teachers. 

Group leader Kevin Lang said: “Liberal Democrat councillors have always been clear. We cannot and will not support cuts to schools. 

“It’s why we are completely opposed to proposals currently in the Labour budget to remove transition teachers and a number of pupil assistants. If Labour want our support then they simply have to find the money to save these vital posts. 

“We also think more money is needed to improve road safety, especially around schools. Just two weeks ago, 53 parent councils from across the city wrote a joint letter to say more needed to be done. 

“Liberal Democrats agree, which is why we want to increase the road safety budget to a record level this year. 

Meanwhile, the Conservative amendment eyes a lower council tax rate of 7%, and axing free tram travel for under-22s and people over 60 to make up for some of the revenues lost. 

They also want to see council officers move quickly with plans to slim down the amount of property owned by the city, and also want to see officers explore ways of reducing staffing levels. 

They further propose a departure from Cosla, a partnership between Scotland’s 32 local authorities to allow coordination and cooperation on a range of issues. 

One of its main functions is negotiating with the Scottish Government for council funding. Cosla and Holyrood work out an agreement every year on how much each council will receive. 

They say that Edinburgh has failed to get good deals through Cosla in recent years. Edinburgh is projected to get the lowest amount of funding per person of any council in Scotland, with the city set to receive £2009.2 per head – just 73.5% of the national average. 

Four Labour-run councils – including Glasgow City Council, Scotland’s largest – left the body in 2015, but rejoined in 2017. 

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have each filed empty amendments to the Labour administration’s budget motion, which can be amended with each party’s requests if they come to an agreement. 

By Joe Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

A 36-year-old man has been sentenced in connection with an attempted murder in Edinburgh in 2023.

Terence Reilly was arrested and charged after the attack on a 63-year-old man in Loaning Road on Sunday, 6 August, 2023.

He was jailed for eight years at the High Court in Edinburgh on Thursday, 13 February, 2025.

He was found guilty of assault to severe injury, endangerment to life and attempted murder at the same court on Thursday, 16 January, 2025.

Detective Sergeant Sophie McWhinnie said: “This was a random attack on a stranger and Reilly now faces the consequences of his violent actions.

“His victim played a vital role in achieving this outcome and I would like to thank him for his support and hope that he can now begin to move on from this experience.

“Violence and endangering the lives of others will not be tolerated and we will rigorously pursue those responsible of such crimes and ensure they are brought to justice.

“We would like to thank the community for their assistance with this enquiry, particularly those who stopped at the time to help.”

East Lothian Council will receive less national funding per person than almost all other local authorities in Scotland over the coming year despite an increase in grants.

The Government research SPICe report has said additional funding expected to be passed to councils from Scottish Government will see East Lothian and Midlothian receive six per cent more in real terms with £252million and £233million respectively.

But while the two local authorities have seen the biggest increase in revenue from the national settlement over the last decade of all Scottish councils, a rising population means East Lothian remains among the lowest per person.

The county receives £2,224 per head of population with only Edinburgh and Aberdeen receiving less – it compares to island councils where Shetland received £5,079 per person.

The Scottish average of funding per person is £2,732 while Midlothian also lies in the bottom section of the table receiving just £2,373 per head of population.

The report says the island authorities “clearly have the highest allocations per head, whilst Edinburgh and Aberdeen have the lowest” adding “these two cities have higher levels of anticipated council tax income than the national average”.

It does not explain why East Lothian and Midlothian are so low despite having the biggest increase in the last decade, although they do both acknowledge having the fastest growing populations in the country.

East Lothian councillors are set to confirm a 10% council tax increase next week as it battles to balance its budget for the year ahead alongside its national funding allowance.

Midlothian Council has not yet said what increase it is proposing.

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A revitalised youth club is now at the heart of a Livingston community having signed up 250 children and teens who attend clubs each week. 

The Vennie, first set up 15 years ago has seen “phenomenal” growth since it relaunched with a range of new regular groups last August. The club was also able to refurbish its Knightsridge home and install new kitchen facilities thanks to an £8,000 grant from Morrisons 

And a food outlet it runs provides a vital service for all ages across the hard-hit area. 

Jen McCusker, the youth co-ordinator who was appointed along with new trustees last August told a meeting of Livingston North local Area Committee a redrawn timetable enabled the Vennie to offer two clubs a week to youngsters from primary age up to 17.  Alongside sports there are art and drama clubs as well as practical skills courses. 

The youth club has forged partnerships with West Lothian College teaching practical skills to children and teenagers. Youngsters are learning CPR as part of the Junior Duke course which aims to teach practical life skills and build self-confidence. 

There are also plans for a film course and a music festival in August. 

Jen told the meeting: “Everything that has happened has been led by the young people themselves, and that’s why its working.” 

A community garden is thriving with contact forged with the Royal Horticultural Society and the club has achieved a Level Three Award from Scotland Beautiful. 

Chair of the committee Councillor Anne McMillan said: “It’s a wonderful report. There’s some really positive stuff here. I’ve known the Vennie for many years, and  I’ve never seen the growth that there’s been, and the community engage with the children and adults.” 

Councillor Andrew Miller who is a trustee of the Vennie said that in the past a youth club had struggled to attract ten youngsters. “I just want to say, to have 250 kids registered, it’s phenomenal. It’s a massive number. It’s great to see them gaining self-confidence and I think it’s going to get better and better.” 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

One of the UK’s largest water retailers has increased its score from the world’s largest sustainability assessors, placing the company in the 98th percentile of companies assessed globally.

Edinburgh-based Business Stream increased its score from 74/100 last year to 80/100 (awarded in January 2025). This included achieving a score of 86/100 in the environment category.

EcoVadis assess more than 150,000 companies in over 200 industries on their sustainability credentials. The assessment is based on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact and ISO 26000 certification.

In addition to assessing Business Stream’s environmental credentials, EcoVadis also measured the water retailer’s commitment to labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

Sophia Goring, Head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at Business Stream said: “We’re incredibly proud to have achieved this score, which reflects our commitment to embedding sustainable practices across our business. The EcoVadis assessment enables us to not only benchmark our progress against international best practice, but to identify further ways we can strengthen our sustainability offering in the year ahead”.

To further support its commitment to international sustainability standards, Business Stream recently became the first water retailer to join the United Nations (UN) Global Compact.

Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 15,000 companies and 3,500 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 70+ Local Networks.

By joining the network, Business Stream will meet annual reporting requirements to demonstrate how it’s supporting the delivery of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

In addition, the company will benefit from having access to a range of tools, resources and expert-led training, as well as opportunities to collaborate with other members to share best practice and solutions.

The MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, Tracy Gilbert, spoke of her personal journey during a House of Commons debate on the fight for LGBT rights in the UK.

Reflecting on the journey as a trade unionist, Gilbert referred to the first time she stepped foot in Westminster after being elected.

Tracy said: “As a lesbian woman I have spent my adult life fighting for LGBT rights. It was when fighting for our rights that I first visited this place. After many years of debate and setbacks, in June 1998 this House voted to equalise the age of consent between heterosexual and gay men.”

She said in the House: “It is a privilege to speak in this debate – although in writing my speech ahead of today, I could not help but feel old. We are here to debate LGBT+ History Month, and, as a woman of a certain age, I have had the stark and daunting realisation that I am so old that I am part of history.

“We are all aware of the stories of now famous LGBT+ people who were remarkable in their own field, but who lived too early to enjoy the progress that we have now achieved. Alan Turing, who was mentioned earlier, springs to mind. In many senses his story is now legend. The understanding of the role that he played in protecting this country is universal. That he happened to be gay should not have mattered. Despite his service, he was chemically castrated and suffered for the rest of his life. It was absolutely correct that the last Labour Government apologised, and that Turing was pardoned in August 2014.

“LGBT+ History Month is often marked and reflected through stories, and today I want to share just some of my story. I grew up in a mining town in the ’80s. The difference in the rights that I have now compared with then is striking. As a lesbian woman, I have spent my adult life fighting for LGBT+ rights. It was when fighting for those rights that I first visited this place. After many years of debate and setbacks, in June 1998, this House voted to equalise the age of consent between heterosexual and gay men. As an active member of the Unison City of Edinburgh lesbian and gay self-organised group, we had been campaigning for many years to end this discrimination. The Unison archive reminded me that our branch wrote letters to all Scottish MPs and MPs who had a link with our union—it was 320 in total. On the day of the vote, two of us came to this place to lobby MPs in person to vote for this historic change.

“The next big fight for our rights in which I was actively involved was the repeal of section 28, or section 2A in Scotland. As someone who worked in local government and who had a same sex partner with children, I saw the damage that section 2A did every single day. The Act meant that teachers and youth workers could not provide support to children of same sex partners, or LGBT+ young people. It resulted in many public sector workers, particularly those in educational settings, feeling that they could not come out in their own workplace. Essentially, the law said that households, such as the one in which I was living, were just wrong.

“When the Scottish Executive announced that they would repeal section 2A, there was a considerable and, at times, vile campaign against its removal, much of it financed by Brian Souter. Souter wanted to bankroll a private referendum and campaign for people to vote no. There were billboards across Scotland opposing the repeal. One billboard was on Ferry Road, one of the main bus routes through my home in the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency. I will never forget having to take David and Zoe to school on a bus and passing a sign that said that our family was not a real family. I cannot put into words the anger that I felt because of the worry that it created for me, the kids and their mum. Thankfully the people of Scotland rejected the buying of democracy by Brian Souter and the referendum never happened.

“A few years ago the Scottish Trades Union Congress commissioned a book celebrating 125 years of trade union successes in Scotland, and, as a contributor, I wrote about this struggle. In the book I said:

“An overarching worry for the general public was that Souter was trying to bankroll this referendum and campaign. People did not want private, rich people to be able to buy democracy.”

“I know that my constituents still hold this view.

“The following decade and a half brought significant improvements to the rights of LGBT+ people in Scotland and across the UK. I look forward to reflecting on one of those rights in a few weeks’ time when I celebrate my first wedding anniversary with my wife.

“In closing, the struggle for LGBT rights has been fought in workplaces, in our communities, in our families and across this House for decades. We have had many successes but, sadly, some people still live in fear of their lives because they love someone of the same sex.

“In this place, we must continue to fight to ensure that everyone is able to love who they wish regardless of where they are born. My hope is that, very soon, people across the world will have the freedoms that I enjoy here in the UK today.”

The Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (RCSEd) has commissioned a unique painting to pay tribute to the pivotal role of women in surgery.

The artwork, set to be unveiled in April 2025, is part of Surgeons’ Hall Museums Women in Surgery initiative, which aims to boost the representation of women in its collection. With only three out of 144 portraits in the current collection depicting women, the team is dedicated to addressing this imbalance.

Following a search to find an artist to take on the task, Scotland-based artist Kirstin Mackinnon has been selected for the commission.

Kirstin’s acclaimed work in painting and writing has seen her achieve Semi-Finalist status in Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year, and a three-year artist residency with Tighnabruaich Art Gallery. Her work notably focuses on gender equality in contemporary Scottish art.

The artwork will highlight recipients of the Hunter-Doig medal, an award given to exceptional female Fellow and Members of the College for excellence within the surgical profession.

Named after pioneering female surgeons Alice Mabel Headwards Hunter and Caroline Doig, the award has been bestowed upon nine surgeons to date, all of whom will be represented in the portrait, as well as the namesakes of this unique award.

Louise Wilkie, Curator of Surgeons’ Hall Museums, said: “We recognise the underrepresentation of female surgeons and their significant contributions to the profession.

“This commission by Kirstin Mackinnon is an important step in expanding the collections to share these stories. We also hope to inspire the next generation of surgeons by paying tribute to those who have paved the way.”

Hunter Doig medal recipient, Professor Farhat VN Din, MD, FRCSEd, said: “I am proud to be part of this historic portrait representing women in surgery. The Women in Surgery Project is a reflection of how surgery has progressed over time to be inclusive, acknowledging the hard work of those before us. It will no doubt encourage and support future surgeons into this challenging but rewarding career.”

Artist, Kirstin Mackinnon said: “To be selected to paint such a historically significant commission is a dream come true.  I recognise and acknowledge the efforts made by the college to promote equal representation for women. It was an honour to work with such inspirational surgeons, and to play a part in celebrating their success.”

The commission is being funded by generous grants from Art Fund and The National Fund for Acquisitions. In addition, donations are sought from the College’s community and heritage supporters to help bring this historically significant artwork to life and share this important moment in the College’s history.

The Women in Surgery project for 2025-2026 brings to light historical stories from collections, celebrating trailblazers in the field. The project includes a temporary exhibition, a permanent display, a programme dedicated to recording oral history interviews with living female surgeons, and a series of events and activities that reveal stories and achievements that have not been widely shared or celebrated.

The commissioned painting, serves as a focal point, aiming to inspire the next generation of women surgeons.

The painting commission will be displayed in the temporary ‘Women in Surgery’ exhibition at the Museum from April 2025 – March 2026. The painting will then be placed on display in the public reception atrium of the College.

rcsed.ac.uk

Campaigners who fought to save a community woodland have accused East Lothian Council of ‘trampling over their pleas’ after they started chopping down the trees.

The local authority is pushing ahead with plans for housing on the former Herdmanflat Hospital site in Haddington, which is being designed to provide homes for older residents.

However the site has become a popular green space with local families who called it their ‘green lung’ and hundreds have backed a move to have it handed over through a Community Asset Transfer (CAT).

Local charity Haddington Community Woodlands was established to fight to keep the land and joined forces with Friends of Herdmanflat Hospital to denounce the start of work on the site which they described as “the destruction of the heart of the cherished Herdmanflat Woodland.”

A spokesperson for the charity said: “Our legally grounded pleas were not merely dismissed; they were trampled in a rush to rubber-stamp a decision that goes against the express wishes of the community.

“The fate of Herdmanflat Woodland appears to have been sealed in closed-door policy and strategy meetings long before plans were ever presented to the public.

“Several community members attending public meetings felt disappointed and said the decision seemed to be a ‘done deal’.”

The charity said the CAT application which had been prepared arguing for the land was now expected to be dismissed ‘out of hand’.

They said: “It is heartbreaking to think of the habitat that has been lost and for future generations. So many locals have a deep attachment to this site. This has been a green haven for over a hundred years – we have missed a rare chance to do something positive for the community.”

A council spokesperson said: “East Lothian Council has carried out two periods of community consultation which included public events and direct engagement with community groups.

“The development supports the identified, urgent need for more affordable housing for older people in East Lothian.

“Health and well-being is at the heart of the redevelopment, with active travel being promoted. We will be preserving up to 60 per cent of green space, with tree loss kept as low as possible and additional planting taking place during the first phase of development, to enhance biodiversity across the site.

“It is very important to emphasise that the current tree felling works are being carried out in line with our planning consent and all relevant legislation. The works are being completed out with the bird nesting season (end of March) and licensed ecologists and arboriculturists will be on site to check for nesting birds and bats ahead of individual removals.’’

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Hibs head coach David Gray believes his players are in a confident mood ahead of this weekend’s trip to Paisley. 

Hibs go into the game off the back of an 11-match unbeaten run – stretching back to early December, 2024. 

Within that time, the team havewon eight matches and drawn three (all comps) – giving themselves a real chance of fighting for a European qualification spot. 

Hibs currently sit fifth in the William Hill Premiership table, two points adrift of Aberdeen in fourth and four behind third-placed Dundee United. 

Speaking to Hibs TV ahead of the game, Gray said: “We’re in a real good place at the moment. There is a lot of confidence around the group at the moment and we’ve managed to give the lads a couple of days off at the weekend so we have had a full week to prepare for St Mirren on Sunday. 

 “The opportunity that is presented this weekend is a big thing. We’re at the stage of the season now where everyone is in the hunt to finish in the top six.  

“It is about how quickly we can cement ourselves in that top six, we know it’ll be a difficult game but – if we can win that game we will go six points ahead of them with seven games to go. 

“I know we’ve got the players that are confident and determined to keep this run going.” 

Gray is extremely weary of the threats St Mirren pose and is determined to right a few wrongs from earlier in the season – with the Buddies emerging victorious in both matches in the 2024/25 campaign. 

“St Mirren are a very good team, I saw that on Monday night – they are a real threat going forward and they are very well organised without the ball. 

“When you think back to the two games against them this season, we have had two incomplete performances. In the first game of the season, we were good in the first half but we didn’t take our chances and we were punished for it. 

“At Easter Road, it was the opposite – we were really poor in the first half and then we were chasing it in the second half. 

“We can’t take our foot off the gas at all – we need to make sure we are at our best to make sure we get the three points.” 

On North Bridge there will be a northbound closure for six weeks from Monday 17 February.

This is part of the ongoing conservation and restoration works of the bridge.

During this period traffic will only be permitted to proceed southbound – from Princes Street towards South Bridge.

The six-week closure will allow resurfacing on both the southbound approach to the bridge (both lanes outside Waverley Gate towards Princes Street) and the southbound exit from the bridge – both lanes from the entrance to the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on North Bridge to the junction at High Street.

There is more information on the North Bridge project page of the council website, and on the EdinTravel Facebook page.

The work on North Bridge has included refurbishing the cast iron bridge facades, grit blasting and repainting structural steelwork, repairing and improving the footway paving and installing “under drainage”. A full list of the improvements and the wider project benefits is on the council website.

The target is to complete the major repairs by the end of this year, although the council said previously they had hoped to have the bridge reopened to all traffic by June 2025. The expenditure has risen to more than £70 million which is more than double original estimates.

Transport and Environment Convener, Cllr Stephen Jenkinson said: “I appreciate this temporary closure will be frustrating for our residents and businesses. I want to thank them for their continued patience as we carry out these essential works.

“These works are part of the wider project to restore this crucial link between the north and south of the city – and of course preserve it for future generations.

“I’m conscious that this work is taking longer to complete than we had initially anticipated, but this is this a hugely complex project, with the historic nature of the bridge requiring painstaking and specialist work to restore it to its former glory.”

The bus service in the Forth Valley and into Edinburgh, Midland Bluebird, named after the mid-twentieth century operator will go electric after a multi million pound spend by owners McGill’s Group on 30 new vehicles.

Since buying the bus company in September 2022 McGill’s have grown the passenger numbers by 8% year on year by increasing reliability and improving the service.

Now passengers can benefit from the smoother and quieter electric buses to be used on the route. McGill’s already operate around 100 electric vehicles in Scotland.

Sandy Easdale, director and co-owner of McGill’s Group, said: “When we took over Midland Bluebird, we made a firm commitment to invest in the business and its future. This landmark £14 million investment is proof of that promise. We are determined to provide our passengers with the best possible travel experience, and introducing state-of-the-art electric buses is a key part of that strategy coupled with significant investment in infrastructure to support the fleet.”

James Easdale, director and co-owner of McGill’s Group, said: “We are proud of the rejuvenation of Midland Bluebird since joining McGill’s Group. As has been seen at McGill’s and Xplore Dundee, Sandy and I are not just ready to acquire other operators to bring into the group, we are also committed to driving these businesses forward once under our control. Our focus has always been on innovation and sustainability, and this investment underscores our commitment to providing high-quality public transport across Scotland.”

Tony Williamson, CEO of McGill’s Buses, said: “From day one at Midland Bluebird, our focus has been on improving services for our passengers – whether through fleet upgrades, driver recruitment, or network enhancements. Our strong passenger growth is proof that these efforts are making a difference. Now, with the launch of our electric bus fleet, we’re taking another major step in delivering cleaner, greener, and more comfortable transport for the communities we serve.”

Graeme Leslie, Area Director of Midland Bluebird, said: “Since becoming part of McGill’s Bus Group, Midland Bluebird has seen tremendous growth. The continued investment in our fleet and team has allowed us to expand and enhance our services. We are incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made, and the introduction of our new electric fleet is a landmark moment in our journey towards a more sustainable future.

The Consul General Tadashi Fujiwara has announced that his term as Consul in Edinburgh was coming to an end.

The Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone, welcomed the Consul General to The Scottish Parliament where Ms Johnstone, The Rt Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh and Richard Lochhead, Minister for Business all addressed the audience to say farewell. Foysol Choudhury MBE, MSP was also in attendance.

Mr Fujiwara will be returning to Japan in one month’s time and also made a short speech about his time in Scotland.

In his three years in Scotland, the Consul General has accomplished many things to promote relations between Japan and Scotland, and has attended many of the official events in Edinburgh.
All photos Thomas Haywood.

“Honesty and space” were some of the relationship tips included in advice from a couple who live at an Edinburgh care home, as they enjoyed a special Valentine’s Day celebration.

Love was in the air when the team at Care UK’s Lauder Lodge, on Wakefield Avenue, arranged a special celebration for Jean and Leslie Cruickshank, 92 and 93, who have been happily married for 69 years.

The couple met in 1953 while working together at the city council, after Leslie invited Jean on a first date—a night of dancing at the Beach Ballroom on Union Street in Aberdeen.

It was “love at first sight” for Leslie, and Jean added: “I thought he was lovely, but I was not ready to settle down!”

Three years later, in 1956, Jean and Leslie got married in the North Church in Aberdeen, in an intimate ceremony surrounded by their nearest and dearest. Together they had one daughter, Ann, and two sons, Leslie and Bryan, and they now share five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Jean’s career saw her work for Aberdeen City Council, and she enjoyed going for walks and out with her friends in her free time, while Leslie was a doctor at his local GP and loved to play golf.

To mark their 70^th Valentine’s Day together, Jean and Leslie were encouraged to reminisce about the early days of their relationship and reveal their secrets to a long and happy marriage.

Jean said that the secret to a long and happy marriage is “to respect each other as individuals and to give each other space and time.”

Leslie added: “You have to be very careful in case you make a mistake. One has to be sure, absolutely sure. It develops and it gets better and better. It’s an inner feeling that just can’t be described.”

They also shared three pieces of advice to young couples today: “Honesty, happiness in your own heart and to know it’s the right person.”

The heart-warming event, dedicated to love, laughter, and lasting relationships, had Jean and Leslie filled with excitement as they were dressed to the nines to enjoy champagne, cocktails, and canapés. Adding to the ambience of the event, the dining room was filled with heart-shaped balloons and there were rose petals scattered on the tables.

Anees Riaz, Home Manager at Lauder Lodge, said: “Jean and Leslie are such a wonderful couple who are madly in love with each other – it’s a delight to see their faces light up when they talk about each other or when the other walks into the room.

“Here at Lauder Lodge, love is certainly in the air, and it’s been wonderful to encourage so many of the residents to reminisce and share fond memories from their own marriages and relationships. Many wise words were shared that have certainly given us food for thought.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to Jean and Leslie for sharing their stories, and their invaluable relationship advice!”

Lauder Lodge is an Edinburgh care home which provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has its own café, cinema room, and hair and beauty salon, and there is plenty of space, both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.

Home Manager Anees Riaz may be contacted on 0131 516 4006, or email anees.riaz@careuk.com

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/lauder-lodge

Housebuilder Dandara has opened two new family show homes at its latest development, The Pines, in Wallyford.

The development, which was launched for sale last summer, is appealing to a range of buyers, including a large number of families moving out of Edinburgh.

More than 60% of reservations are for family homes attracted to the popular East Lothian location but with good transport links back into Scotland’s capital. The new show homes are designed with the family market in mind..

Both five-bedroom show homes, The Canna and Shetland house types have been designed internally with family life in mind  Crafted by Revolution, the Shetland home showcases contemporary designs, incorporating rich and neutral colours throughout with wall panelling in some of the rooms, while the Canna utilises warm moss greens and soft greys throughout; a nod to the Scottish landscape on the doorstep.

In addition to the show homes, Dandara has also launched a new sales and marketing suite at The Pines, making it easier for prospective buyers to come and speak with the team about finding their next new home.

Tony Williamson, Sales Director at Dandara East Scotland, comments: “The Pines is a wonderful development of stylish new homes just seven miles east of Edinburgh.  Ticking all the boxes for family life, the spacious homes are also well situated for nearby beaches and great schools.

“We launched last summer and now we are excited to unveil our new Shetland and Canna show homes, as well as our welcoming new sales and marketing suite – all making it easier for anyone looking to visit us and have a look around.

“Our new show homes have been beautifully designed and allow buyers to experience the high-quality homes on offer, as well as explore the development and local area beyond.”

The Shetland show home has a spacious hallway and living room. There is a study and cloak room that leads buyers into the main entertainment space – the kitchen and family dining area, which includes a utility room. This generous room gives families plenty of space to be together, as well as room for entertaining, and has French doors leading to the back garden.

Upstairs there are five comfortably sized bedrooms, two with en-suites. There is also a family bathroom on this floor.

Joanne Davies-Jones, Sales Director at Revolution said: “As the house types here at The Pines are named after Scottish islands, it was important to continue that nod to Scotland’s landscape by incorporating those brilliant natural colours, whilst also keeping the design contemporary and modern.

“When designing a show home, you want to be able to insert as much of a ‘wow’ factor as possible, without alienating the buyer by making it too lavish or inaccessible. These homes will see plenty of visitors over the coming months, and the design has been executed in a way that allows each person that crosses the threshold to be able to imagine themselves living there.”

The Pines is close to a host of amenities and attractions, with access to both local shops in Wallyford and high street shopping in nearby Musselburgh which is a short drive away, with Edinburgh just under 10 minutes away by train. Wallyford Primary School, located directly opposite the development, and Wallyford High School are both within walking distance.

Ideal for commuters, The Pines is located nearby to several key transport links, with the A1 offering easy access into Edinburgh and further afield to Glasgow and Stirling. Wallyford Train Station is just over a mile away from the development, with regular services to Edinburgh, Dunbar and North Berwick.

A collection of two, three, four and five bedroom homes are currently selling at The Pines, Wallyford, with prices starting from £249,995 for a two-bedroom home.

www.dandara.com/wallyford or call 0131 608 2978

The annual Dunbar mini rugby tournament, due to be held at Hallhill Healthy Living Centre on Sunday, 4 May, will be sponsored by building firm Taylor Wimpey for a record 13^th year.

This will be the longest community sponsorship by the housebuilder in the East of Scotland.

Around 400 children aged P3 to P7 from across East Lothian, the Borders, and Edinburgh are expected to take part and as last year the club are planning a competition for girls’ teams.

Callum Low, Dunbar Rugby Club’s minis co-ordinator said: “We’re thrilled to have secured Taylor Wimpey East Scotland as our main sponsor once again– signalling their 13th year of support to this event and the club generally.

“This ongoing partnership allows us to deliver a great community event of sport that attracts teams and spectators from across the local area, which is a great showcase for the club and the town of Dunbar itself.

“Our tournament continues to be the only minis rugby event that recognises every player from every team with a participation medal and Taylor Wimpey East Scotland helps us to maintain this key aspect of the event whilst helping us to reinforce that getting involved and playing a sport for fun and fitness is a positive life choice.

The Club enjoys fantastic support from its sponsors, volunteers, coaches, referees, parents, and most importantly, every young rugby player who ensures the tournament remains a great success. We’re looking forward to the return of one of the biggest fixtures in the club’s calendar (and) hope to see as many members of the local community at the event as possible to support their local team.”

Kirsty McGill, Sales and Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey East Scotland, said: “We are delighted to continue our support of the Dunbar Minis Tournament, which is such a successful local event that so many children from across the area enjoy taking part in.

“We know this event has become a popular fixture in the local community calendar, with spectators visiting the club to enjoy a fun family event that encourages healthy participation in sports.”

www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/belhaven-way.

• www.dunbarrugbyclub.com

Fees for services from cremations to car parking across Edinburgh are set to go up substantially, according to new plans set to be considered by city councillors.

A full list of all council services and their costs, has been included as part of the Labour administration’s budget proposals.

And they see almost all services rising by some amount, with most costs going up by around 5%, broadly seen as in line with inflation.

While many of the charges are ones that will have little impact on most residents, others will have huge implications for almost everyone living and working in the city.

These include proposals to again increase parking charge and parking permit costs, while the Labour group are proposing a council tax increase of 8% – with other parties suggesting the council tax increase should be as much as 10%.

Parking permits in the city are also set to go up, as are parking charges.

Resident permits could go up in price between 3% and 6% across the city, while visitor permits will increase as much as 17%.

Meanwhile, on-street parking rates could soar, with some places set for an increase of 15% – meaning some charges could be as high as £9 per hour.

Housing costs and homeless temporary accommodation charges are set to rise by up to 7%.

One of the few areas where prices could go down is are day care costs, with the cost for Jewel House set to fall 0.43% to £1639 per week, and the cost for Ferrylee to drop 1.65% to £1785 per week. However the cost at Marionville, Inchview, Royston, North Merhiston and Castlegreen will all increase, between 3% and 5.86%.

Community alarm costs will rise 5%, as will washing and drying charges in sheltered housing.

Residential stays at outdoor centres including Benmore and Lagganlia will increase by around 5%.

Colour photocopies at council libraries are set to go up a whopping 18% to 65p per page, while black and white printing will go up 20% to 30p a page.

Room hires at council venues across the city could also go up, with the charge to book the conservatory at Saughton Park going up 20% to £30/hour.

And at the City Chambers, the cost of hiring some of the complex’s biggest rooms will go up 11.76% on weekdays, up to £95 an hour or £600 a day, while hiring the Council Chamber will cost £1300 per day – a rise of 4%.

The cost of getting married will rise, with  registrars fees are set to increase the cost of conducting  a civil ceremony out-with the registrar office will cost £495 Monday to Friday (an increase of 4.21%), £650 on Saturday (an increase of 4.84%) and £675 of Sundays and public holidays – and increased of 5.47%.

And the cost of dying sadly also looks set to rise – budget proposals suggest increasing the price of an adult weekday cremation with a full service to £947, a 4.99% increase.  One without a service would climb to £586, a 5.08% jump.

A Saturday cremation would climb to £1,121, a 4.96% increase, while a Sunday service will cost £1,237, a 5.01% increase.

Cremations for children will not carry a charge.

Burials, however, are set for even steeper increases, as the cost of a Sunday burial would climb to £2,042 – a 5.01% bump. A Saturday service would run slightly less, costing £1,838 – still a 5.03% jump.

A weekday interment would cost less, at £1,457 – an increase of 4.97%.

The most expensive funerary option would be a Sunday double interment, costing £2,816 – a climb of 5% exactly.

The Church Hill Theatre, Assembly Rooms, Ross Theatre and the Usher Hall are all set to see hire charges increase by around 5%. Standard hire of the Ross Bandstand for example, will go up 5.01% to £5135 per day. 

And if you fancy going even bigger and hiring Princes Street Gardens for a large event, that will set you back £3,630 per day, an increase of 5.07%.

The costs for hiring room at venues such as the Museum of Edinburgh, the Writers Museum Lauriston Castle and the City Arts Centre are set to rise by around 5%, while chargers for taking private groups to museums are also set to rise.

Admission charges for the Nelson Monument on Calton Hill and the Scott Monument in Princes Street Garden are to rise by up to 9%. At the Nelson Monument, costs will be: Adult Admission Charge £7 (3.70%); Concession Admission £6 (9.09%) Child Admission Charge £6 (9.09%) Family ticket for two adults and two children (child 5-15 / no under 5’s permitted) £22 (4.76%);

And at the Scott Monument they will be: Adult Admission Charge £9 (5.88%); Concession Admission Charge £7 (7.69%); Child Admission Charge £7 (7.69%); Family ticket for two adults and two children (child 5-15 / no under 5’s permitted) £26 (4%)

Event charges at other city parks will also go up. For the Meadows & Bruntsfield Links, Calton Hill, Inverleith Park, Leith Links, Saughton Park and Lauriston Castle, a small event hire will cost £550 per day, an increase of 4.76%, while for a large event it will cost £885 per day, a 5.36% increase.

At Sighthill Park, Gyle Park, Roseburn Park, Victoria Park and Pilrig Park, the cost for a small event per day would be £330 (4.76%), while a large event would be £550 (4.76%).

For the green fingered of Edinburgh, there’s no good news either – the cost of a permit to have the garden waste bin emptied will rise by 12.50% to £45.

Allotment rentals are going up, with a half-plot per year set to cost £85 (4.94% increase) – unless you are elderly, a student or unemployed, in which case the cost of a half plot per year is £42 (a rise of 5%).

Grass cutting garden aid is expected to rise 5.4% to £189 per year for anything up to 100 square metres, £252 per year for up to 200 square metres and £449 per year for up to 1000 square metres (a rise of 4.93%).

Hedge trimming garden aid costs will also go up, with a hedge of up to1.8m high and 600 square metres costing £295, a rise of 5.03%.

School meal costs are set to increase, with primary school meals to coat £2.65 (6%),  nursery per meal £3.65 (5.80%) and other school meals to cost £3.65 for one course – a rise of 7.35%. And School milk costs are set to rising by 4% – to 24p.

Costs are also going up at the City Chambers, where Corkage Charges for wine, champagne, prosecco or cava  will go up to £8.50 per bottle, a small rise of 0.59%, while corkage charges for lager or beer will go to £1.50 per bottle/can – a rise of 7.14%

The cost of a coffee will go up 5.08% to £3.10 (or £4.30 if you want a biscuit with it) while the catering team will see the cost of Tunnock’s Tea Cakes and Tunnock’s Caramel Logs rise to £1.20 (a 4.35% increase).

And prices at the city chambers bar are also rising, with a can of Irn Bru set to cost £3.10 ( a 12.73% increase), a 250ml glass of wine set to cost £6 ( a rise of 3.45%) and a bottle of Baron D’Arignac French Sparkling wine to cost £36.50 (a rise of 5.34%)

The proposed price hikes come as councillors prepare to work out a budget for the next year.

Not enough income is expected to come from a proposed 8% council tax increase and grant funding to fund councillors spending priorities.

If approved, most of the price increases would take effect from 1 April, however some of the parking permit hikes would take effect from the end date on existing permits.

By Joe Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

The cost of Edinburgh parking permits are set for an eye-watering increase under new plans councillors are considering.

Charges would go up between 3% and 6% for resident parking permits, while visitor’s parking permits could go up by almost 17%.

The new highest charge for a permit would be a whopping £994 per year for a vehicle with the highest level of engine displacement or emissions parked in central Edinburgh, a 6.6% increase.

For small motorbikes parked in the centre of the city, a year-long permit would rise to £91.70, an increase of 3.62%.

In all other zones in the city, the 12-month permit price for a large vehicle would increase to £458, also an increase of 6.6%.

For small motorbikes, a yearly permit will be £45.40 outside of the city centre, representing an increase of 3.65%.

Also set to increase is the charge for registering a permit with a diesel vehicle. At present, this costs £60 for a year – however, this would increase to £70 across the city, representing a 16.67% hike.

Meanwhile, visitor parking permits – which are allotted in blocks of 30 minutes of more – are set for big hikes under the plans.

In the city centre, a 30 minute permit would go to £1.49, an increase of 12.88%.

Meanwhile, in spots just outside the city centre, a permit would go to £1.01, an increase of 12.22%.

And, further outside the centre, permits would go up to £0.92, a 10.84% increase.

The biggest increase is for permits allowing half an hour of visitor parking in certain ‘priority’ areas, going up 17.39% to 0.27p.

By Joe Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

Midlothian councillors are being asked to approve the use of a toxic weedkiller three months earlier than usual this year because of climate change.

Council officers say allowing them to start spot treatment with glyphosate in March instead of June will save them nearly £18,000 by allowing them to axe a seasonal gardener job needed to remove weeds by hand in the summer.

And they say that while they remain ‘committed’ to reducing the use of the toxin, introducing it early will mean an additional 300 litres of it are spread over the year.

Midlothian Council has reduced the amount of glyphosate used annual from 1,374 litres in 2019 to 570 litres last year.

They say even with the additional 300 litres it still remains far below the amount being used six years ago.

The council has restricted its use to spot application on the county’s streets and pavements with a continued reduction in use in parks and open spaces while it is also used for essential treatment of invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed and in areas where road safety requires it to ensure visibility.

Officers also work with local community groups who have taken over maintenance of open spaces in exchange for a ban on its use in their areas.

However a report to elected members later this month will ask for permission to extend the times of year it is used.

It says: “A major challenge for the Neighbourhood Environment Team in 2024 was the amount of weeds already in the road gutters and footpaths. This was due to the restrictions on the timing of the first application of glyphosate in Midlothian. 

“In addition to this, the effects of climate change have seen an increase in the growing season to include March, October and even November, due to the longer periods of wet and warm weather which have now become the norm in the UK. This means that there is now a longer period during which weeds require treatment.”

The report also points to the addition of three new housing estates in the county as requiring more of the weedkiller as part of the reason for increasing the amount needed.

But it says introducing the weedkiller on the streets earlier in the year will help control growth and make it easier to maintain.

It says: “The application of glyphosate to target weed growth in March, rather than from June, would significantly improve the visual quality of the local environment and would result in resource savings, which would be reinvested in the Recycling and Greenspace service.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

A new strategy to help reduce the growing homeless list in West Lothian is to go before  councillors. 

It follows a year in which more than 1,000 households had no permanent roof over their head in in the county at the end of a national five-year plan introduced by the Scottish Government. 

West Lothian and other councils have struggled in the face of a growing housing crisis during the lifetime of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans (RRTP) fuelled by cutbacks and the cost-of-living crisis. 

Housing officers hope that a more localised response to homelessness   which concentrates on tackling the issue on a more holistic way will be key to bringing down the numbers forced to live in B&B accommodation. 

The figures are startling. 

Since the introduction of the national RRTPs in 2019, the average length of stay in temporary accommodation in West Lothian has increased from 91 days to 141 days, with increasing numbers of families with children in accommodation deemed to be unsuitable. 

The imbalance between supply of suitable accommodation and demand for that housing has led to the declaration of a housing emergency in West Lothian, a position mirrored across a third of all Scottish local authorities and also declared at a national level.  

According to a report to the Housing Services Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel (PDSP): “This housing crisis has been evolving over several years, with long-term supply challenges made more acute by an aging housing stock, record numbers of people presenting as homeless a declining private rented sector and a substantial decrease in social housing numbers during the late 20th century.” 

The report added: “Extensive work undertaken by the Council and its partners, ranging from exploring innovative new build solutions, undertaking targeted prevention work and prioritising action to increase availability of temporary accommodation aim to effect real change and impact for those who approach us in need and ensure that we deliver services to those at risk, with care and compassion.” 

Housing Needs Manager Sarah Kelly told the PDSP: “The three-year plan is designed tto reduce homelessness across the area.  This strategy stems from the annual RRTP and our focus on the longer-term prevention approach in the service following the lessons that we have learned from all the activities in the last five years. Particularly in supporting complex needs and meeting rising demand in the face of wider challenges. 

“The plan has been designed to manage this demand over the longer-term utilising local partnerships.” 

The local plan has a prevention first approach. Other key elements include improved access to housing supply and support for homeless people. 

Cllr Andrew Mcguire asked  if there had been any indication from Holyrood   that it would fund activity around homeless prevention. 

Ms Kelly answered: “RRTP funding is announced on a year-on-year basis and there’s been no indication of any longer-term plans to fund this beyond 25/26. We have had ourt funding announced for that year. I think it is £40,000 less than last year. There’s no indication of what strategic direction should be looking to beyond that period.” 

Councillor Robert de Bold for the SNP asked:   “What do you expect to change and by how much and how would you measure the success of this.” 

Ms Kelly explained that he strategy replaces RRTP the centralised programme which there is no plan to repeat.  She added: “It was necessary to that we set  a strategic direction locally based on local objectives and local needs.” 

 “In terms of success, I think the metrics of success is always that less people come down the homeless route and receive a settled accommodation sooner and that links in demand and supply as you know.” 

If the plan achieves final approval by the Executive, it will be shared with partnership before being rolled out within the council’s housing and other departments and other Registered Social Landlords. 

By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter 

Construction leaders in Scotland have called for urgent industry-wide collaboration to find solutions to Scotland’s ‘green skills’ gap. 

Gathering at Sustainabuild Assembly, a networking event focused on driving sustainability within the built environment and construction sector, leaders issued a rallying cry for the industry to work together at every level to ensure Scotland’s workforce is green skills ready. 

Higher and Further Education Minister Graeme Dey said: “Scotland is already leading the way in delivering a green jobs revolution. Our colleges and universities are playing a pivotal role in developing a world-class skills system and Government-funded initiatives, such as the Energy Skills Partnership (ESP) and BE-ST, are actively supporting education institutions in meeting industry’s need for high-quality, lifelong and green jobs.

“While we recognise that Scotland is on a good trajectory, it is clear that more needs to be done to accelerate the just transition to net zero. As part of this, it is crucial that businesses can foster strong relationships with the education system to ensure that Scotland has the workforce it needs for a future green economy.

“It was welcome to engage with industry leaders on this at the first Sustainabuild Assembly event. The genuine enthusiasm and expertise I saw makes me hopeful that, collectively, we can successfully address the challenges in the built environment sector and prepare Scotland for the future.”

Steven Kiakowski, Director of The Verdancy Group, a company that provides sustainability training and environmental guidance said: “Collaboration between industry, education, and the third sector is vital to closing the green skills gap. By working together to develop and deliver impactful training and upskilling programmes, we can drive innovation, ensure job readiness, and empower communities to support the shift towards a low-carbon, sustainable economy.”

Matt Colgan, Director of Sustainabuild said: “So much brilliant work is being done, but sadly there is still so much that is stopping the country meeting the skills required to deliver greener buildings, homes and infrastructure. Firstly, we have an aging workforce in construction and building, and with this is a lack of understanding of modern methods of construction, which naturally lends itself to being more sustainable. Therefore, training and upskilling the existing work force is absolutely essential.

“Secondly, we must promote the benefits of a career in building to our younger generations – especially those who are less keen to pursue an academic route. As one of our speakers said, a career in building doesn’t need to look like wearing a yellow vest and rolling about in the mud, in fact many successful highly paid directors of construction companies started their career as an apprentice.
“Young people today are much more likely to get a higher salary by looking at a career in the built environment – and those with green skills will be even more in demand. This is a message that really needs to hit home.”

Edinburgh is set to build five new schools – and expand five more – under budget plans set to be voted on by councillors next week.

Some £296 million would be spent on the new buildings, with all ten projects expected to completed within the next few years.

New primaries are proposed for Builyeon, Gilmerton Station, Granton Waterfront, Newcraighall and St Catherine’s, while the expansions would be for the primary schools at Hillwood, Queensferry and Frogston, and Castlebrae and Craigmount high schools.

The Granton Waterfront school would serve new developments in the north of the city, as thousands of residential units are set to be completed in the next few years.

Meanwhile, the new school at Gilmerton Station Road would serve growing areas in the southeast of the city.

The Builyeon primary school, located in South Queensferry, would add capacity on top of the two existing non-denominational and RC primary schools in the area, in anticipation of new housing being built nearby.

Queensferry’s existing non-denominational primary school is also set for an expansion under the plans.

The primary at Newcraighall will replace the existing school and nursery already there, with 630 primary places and 128 in the nursery.

A new school in Gracemount would also replace an existing facility, St Catherine’s RC primary school.

Hillwood primary school in Ratho would get an expansion, as would Frogston primary, near Burdiehouse, which would see its capacity expanded by 196 pupils.

Castlebrae and Craigmount high schools, located in Niddrie and near Corstorphine respectively, would grow in order to accommodate new developments near both sites.

Another £26m would be invested in upgrading special needs schools, and the council’s Holiday Hubs scheme, which provides respite for families of additional needs pupils, would also be set for a boost. 

If approved, funding for the service would increase by £100,000, bringing the total up to £1m – enough to prevent previously considered cuts to provision and allow the hiring of new staff.

Elsewhere in the budget proposal, £5m would be put towards safer travel, including safer commuting routes to school for kids.

The total budget for Children, Education and Justice Services is set to be £552m, an increase of £19m over last year.

By Joe Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter

Recent statistics show that just under half of households in the UK are three-bedroom properties.

These are popular because they strike the right balance in terms of space for growth, but without too much in the way of maintenance.

Allanwater Homes has a selection of three bedroom terraced villas at its Oaktree Gardens development in Alloa. Priced from £217,995, the Kintail is available in both a mid and end terraced format.

Plots A2, A3 and A6 are all mid terraced Kintails, with A2 offering a west facing garden, Plot 3 complete with integrated appliances in its specification, and Plot A6 enjoying a south facing rear garden.

Two end terraced Kintail villas are also part of this current release, priced at £219,995. Both have French doors leading out to the garden, along with fitted wardrobes to bedrooms one and two.

One final Arrochar three bedroom semi-detached villa is also available in this current release at Oaktree Gardens, priced at £226,995. This property is now constructed, ready for its new owners to choose their new Moores kitchen from the wide range available, together with tiling selections.

“Our three bedroom designs, included in previous phases at Oaktree Gardens, along with the Kintails and Arrochars in this current phase, have continued to sell really well,” said Lynn McNair, Development Sales Manager at Oaktree Gardens. “It’s true that they suit buyers at many life stages, typically featuring a principal bedroom, a secondary room for children or guests, and a third room that can serve as a study, nursery, or additional bedroom. They certainly provide the flexibility for various lifestyle needs.

“Several of these currently available plots are for summer 2025 entry,.

“Come and visit the development’s Sidlaw showhome. Having a browse around this attractive three bedroom detached home will enable them to experience the excellent as included specification which is found in every Allanwater home at Oaktree Gardens.”

Oaktree Gardens is part of a thriving community, benefitting from many amenities right on the doorstep.

A forward thinking housebuilder at the forefront of its sector, Allanwater Homes deploys the latest high performance and energy efficient materials across its portfolio of properties, coupled with individual touches, to create truly exceptional homes.

Buyers are given a full two years of aftercare, plus a ten-year Premier warranty, with the first two years covered by Allanwater Homes.

Additionally, with PV Solar Panels as standard, the properties at Oaktree Gardens offer buyers significant savings on running costs. 

Just eight miles east of Stirling with excellent links to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, Oaktree Gardens is ideal for commuters.

To find out more about these final homes in the current Phase Nine release at Oaktree Gardens, please call Lynn on 07710304482, Thursday to Monday 11am to 5.30pm.  For further details visit www.allanwater.co.uk

Plans to invest £20 million in a Midlothian community will not go ahead under the new Labour Government, Midlothian’s MP has confirmed.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised the funding for Mayfield, under a UK-wide Long Term Town Planning initiative unveiled before last year’s General Election.

However Labour MP Kirsty McNeill, who was elected as Labour won a landslide victory in the election, said no money was allocated to the initiative which she described as an unfunded election pledge by the Conservatives.

In a letter to Midlothian council leader Kelly Parry, Ms McNeill said: “The award that was announced for Mayfield and other communities at the start of the election campaign was, like many Conservative announcements and pledges, entirely unfunded.”

And she suggested the Scottish Government could share some of the additional investment given to it by Westminster with Midlothian to support public services.

The £20million pledge was part of a UK wide promise by the Conservative Government to invest in local communities with the money expected to be given to the council over ten years for the community with a town board established to oversee it.

Ms McNeill said she had written to civil servants involved to establish the reasons Mayfield was chosen in the hope it would help with future investment bids and given local community group In It Together guidance.

She said she was committed to ensuring Midlothian received its share of funding passed on from the Labour Government.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service she said: “After years of inaction and broken promises, real change for Midlothian – not empty words – is needed.

“I promised to fight for the investment which Midlothian needs, and I’m very proud to say that the Labour Government has delivered the largest funding settlement for Scotland in the history of devolution – resulting in nearly £5 billion extra funding which the SNP Government can choose to invest in our communities.

“Later this month, Midlothian Council should see its confirmed funding allocation from the Scottish Government for 2025/6. If the additional funding the Scottish Government received from Labour’s budget is spent wisely and Midlothian receives its fair share, there should be real opportunities for the investment our communities need.”

Councillor Parry, SNP, said of the update: “The pledges made during the General Election have been proven to be nothing more than empty electioneering and people in Scotland now know they cannot trust a word any Westminster party says.

“Whether it’s axing heating support for pensioners during one of the coldest winters in recent memory, lying to WASPI women, or keeping the two child cap that keeps thousands of kids in poverty – Labour’s decision making in Number 10 has demonstrated that they don’t have Scotland’s, or Midlothian’s, interests at heart.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter

Police in Livingston have blitzed dangerous parking around the town centre’s Asda petrol station. 

The ticketing swoop  targeted drivers who parked on the access road to the shopping centre’s old  car park following complaints about the service road being blocked for drivers and emergency vehicles. 

Officers issued 20 tickets in a recent clampdown following complaints at the last meeting of the Livingston South Local Area Committee. 

The latest crackdown highlights the need for  stricter controls  which the council hopes to bring in as part of its development of  Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE).  Taking control of parking fines would give the council resources to target problem parking areas around the county. 

The  service road which runs along the  back of the original town centre building has long been used for illegal parking  despite signage and double yellow lines  along its length.   

Local Conservative councillor Peter Heggie  described it as “fantastic feedback” from the police. 

Officers have also been touring local primary schools as well as  carrying out static road  checks on drivers around the town. 

Sgt Lee Brodie  told this month’s meeting of  the local area committee: “We have had quite a busy quarter.  Volunteer officers  came through to  Livingston and  carried  static road stops. They identified  two drivers driving without insurance and had the vehicles seized, 

“Following on from the previous meeting  we paid attention to parking  in the town centre. This includes the area near to Asda petrol  station, and what’s known as the old car park, the original town centre car park. 

“We issued 20 fixed penalty notices for a variety of offences particularly  for parking near to the Asda petrol station.” 

Councillor  Heggie said: “I want to comment on the fantastic feedback you gave us around the car park  as you enter the Asda filling station 

 “This is something I raised  at the last meeting because a number of people contacted me saying they couldn’t access or get out of  the carpark  .  And from a safety point of view too  because there’s no way your colleagues in Scottish Fire and Rescue would be able to get a fire engine through.  

“That’s brilliant, thank you very much. Please pass on my thanks to the team for that really quick activity.”  

Community Police teams have also visited  primary schools in southern Livingston. A report to the committee added: “Officers attended at Saint John Ogilvie Primary School to monitor parking issues, provide a high-visibility deterrence to careless driving or parking and engage with school staff regarding these issues.” 

By Stuart  Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter