Scotland Office launches new UK Government £140m Scottish Local Growth Fund, where decisions will be made locally – not from far away.
The UK Government believes Scottish regions should play a greater role in delivering economic prosperity, & is backing them to do that.
The five regions are:
EDINBURGH & SOUTH EAST – £37.8 million
GLASGOW CITY REGION – £60.9 million
TAY CITIES REGION – £19.5 million
AYRSHIRE – £11.8 million
FORTH VALLEY REGION – £9.8 million
Launched today [Thursday 8 January] by Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, the Local Growth Fund will help drive economic prosperity across Scotland.
The five regions’ allocations from the programme over the next three years (26/27 – 28/29) are:
Glasgow City: £60.9 million
Edinburgh & South East: £37.8 million
Tay Cities: £19.5 million
Ayrshire: £11.8 million
Forth Valley Region: £9.8 million
The programme will fund regional projects which will drive economic growth.
That might mean projects like infrastructure investment, business support, or skills development – projects which will make a real difference in terms of skilled jobs and people’s prosperity.
Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander said: “The UK Government is today backing regional economies across Scotland with £140 million of new investment.
“This new investment will allow local leaders to decide how best to use the funding, which could include projects to improve infrastructure, business support or skills development. The UK Government will now work with local partners to develop investment plans tailored to each region.
“By investing in local areas, reducing child poverty, and bringing down inflation, the UK Government is focused on delivering material change to people across the country – boosting living standards and improving public services.”
Further information on the Local Growth Fund
The LGF programme is subject to full business case clearance by MHCLG and HMT, and further details on the delivery of the LGF, including investment themes will be set out later in Q1 of 2026.
The new Scottish LGF will provide targeted funding to boost economic growth and improve living standards by investing in the regions that contain the areas with the lowest Real Disposable Household Income (RDHI) per capita.
Funding has been allocated at regional level, via Regional Economic Partnerships (REPs), to enable strategic decision-making and maximum growth impact. Allocations have been allocated across the five eligible REPs in proportion to their population.
REPs are collaborations between local government, the private sector, education and skills providers, enterprise and skills agencies and the third sector to deliver economic prosperity across Scotland’s regions.
The detailed allocation methodology for the LGF is available at:
The EIS is developing a new education resource, in partnership with Civic Digits, which aims to provide educators with tools to engage learners in a better understanding of, and how to challenge, misogyny.
The new resource, ‘Many Good Men: Changing the Story about Online Misogyny’, will be the focus of an event at the Scottish Parliament on 20th January 2026.
The resource is based on a participatory theatre project, led by Civic Digits. Between 2023 and 2024, the project culminated in two groups of young participants, co-creating two different plays that explored misogyny, mental health and masculinity. The fictional characters within these stories are explored further within the education resource, which is aimed at upper Secondary and FE students.
Civic Digits also want to create more theatre projects with groups of young people across Scotland – empowering them to author their own solutions and make performances for their own communities.
Commenting on the new education resource, EIS General Secretary, Andrea Bradley said, “Every young person deserves to be safe, to be themselves and to flourish. Unfortunately, their ability to do so can be negatively impacted by misogyny.
“The influence of online spaces and algorithms is enabling the rapid spread of content that aims to perpetuate rigid gender stereotypes and justify harmful attitudes.”
EIS President Adam Sutcliffe said, “With rising violence and aggressive behaviours towards women workers, and with more and more women and girls feeling unsafe due to sexism, and boys and men under significant pressure to uphold misogynistic attitudes, a shift is urgently needed.
“These topics can be difficult to talk about, and learners can feel vulnerable, embarrassed or even withdrawn if asked to share their own experiences or opinions. Educational approaches that use fictional characters can open up the space for discussion and for exploring difficult topics and ideas, empowering learners to imagine how they might change the story.”
The resource is comprised of an educator pack with guidance, and a learning pack with activities for the classroom. The resource is just one part of the EIS’s wider work to address misogyny and gender-based violence in educational establishments and in society.
The EIS believes it is important that all educators are supported with designated time for professional learning and equipped with the confidence, skills and tools necessary to navigate these topics within their settings.
No improvement to the financial sustainability of councils across Scotland with seven in ten saying they will be unable to balance budget within five years
The latest research from the Local Government Information Unit’s (LGIU) third annual State of Local Government Finance in Scotland report reveals that all councils who responded will be increasing council tax and decreasing their spending on services this year.
Yet, despite utilising these and other available measures, the new research found that seven out of ten senior council figures believe they won’t be able to balance their budgets within the next five years, and not one respondent expressed confidence in the sustainability of local government finance.
Chief Executives, Leaders and Directors of Finance representing 81% of Scottish local authorities took part in the research, which paints a picture of a sector pulling out all the stops available to them to respond to rising service needs with ever-diminishing resources. These responses provide an unparalleled look into the view from the inside when it comes to managing local government finances.
Adult social care once again topped the table for both immediate and long-term pressures that council finances face, and the majority of councils want more powers to raise revenue, including the freedom to levy other local taxes. Seventy per cent also supported a local share of national taxes being made available.
Some of the other key recommendations from the report include enshrining in legislation the principles of the Verity House Agreement as well as a full-scale review of local government finance, including sources of funding, the formulae for distribution, and the place of local government in the wider public sector.
A full list of recommendations from the report can be found below.
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGIU,said: “Local government finance in Scotland is still not fit for purpose. Despite recent changes, the underlying problems that threaten councils’ financial sustainability have not been resolved.
“Financial pressures on councils continue to move in only one direction as service demands increase and local leaders have ever-diminishing budgets with which to respond. Local government is in a precarious position. With 70% of respondents indicating that they are close to effective bankruptcy, something has to give very soon.
“Our latest research, released as we approach the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, serves as a stark warning: councils overwhelmingly feel their current funding situation jeopardises their ability to protect vulnerable citizens, increases the risk of insolvency, and diminishes the quality of life in their communities.
“However, this negative trajectory is not inevitable. Councils across Scotland are ready and willing to collaborate with the Scottish Government to implement meaningful and lasting reform. Our research clearly defines the necessary changes and presents the sector’s solutions for achieving them.
“While the complexities of local government finance mean there is no single simple fix, the sector shares near-universal agreement on the problems and offers a wealth of ideas on how they can be solved.”
Summary of key recommendations
1) An agreed national convention between the Scottish Government and local government to outline procedures and actions for councils that are unable to pass a balanced budget.
2) The next Scottish Parliament should agree to implement and enshrine in legislation the principles of the Verity House Agreement, and commit to an annual review by the Scottish Parliament covering the key principles.
3) In this election year, parties should commit to a full-scale review of local government finance, including sources of funding, the formulae for distribution, and the place of local government in the wider public sector.
4) Scottish and local governments should be brought together in a standing commission or representative body, which should be defined in statute with a key role in pre-budget engagement processes, negotiation of the funding settlement, and any and all decisions that have an impact on councils.
The exact responsibilities and membership of this body should be a matter for future discussions, but should at a minimum include ministerial representation, and local elected representatives and senior officers from local government.
NHS Scotland spent £440m last year on beds for patients who were unable to get out of hospital despite being ready to be discharged, according to a new report by Scotland’s public spending watchdogs.
The report from the Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission said one in nine hospital beds were occupied because of delayed discharges in the 12 months to April 2025.
It said the Scottish government must set out a plan to tackle the problem.
Delays in discharging patients from hospital affect people’s physical and mental health, and make it harder to admit others to hospital. Delayed discharges are a symptom of wider pressures across health and social care in Scotland.
The joint report by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission warns this has a significant effect, despite impacting only around three per cent of hospital patients. People medically ready to leave spent 720,000 unnecessary days in hospital in 2024/25. Whilst the full financial impact is unknown, the cost to the NHS in hospital days alone is an estimated £440 million a year.
The causes are complex, including rising demand for health and social care services, financial pressures, long-standing recruitment and retention problems across Scotland and for some, not having a Power of Attorney in place.
Reducing delayed discharges is a priority for the Scottish Government and their partners in health and social care, with significant activity underway to tackle this. But a lack of evaluation of initiatives across the country means it is difficult to measure what is having the greatest impact and whether these initiatives represent value for the money and time spent.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Delayed discharges from hospital have far-reaching impacts on people’s health and well-being. The Scottish Government, health bodies, councils and other partner organisations agree on the need for major changes and are actively trying to reduce delayed discharges.
“Now they must improve how they collect, analyse and use data to evaluate the initiatives underway to tackle the problem. Without this, it’s impossible to understand the impacts and costs of delayed discharges and whether the initiatives across Scotland are improving lives, services and delivering value for money.”
Malcolm Bell, Member of the Accounts Commission said: “Significant change is critical across our health and social care services, shifting towards preventative care, greater use of technology and ongoing investment in the workforce. Without this, the care and support individuals need to leave hospital won’t always be available.
“The Scottish Government and COSLA’s joint health and social care service renewal framework is an opportunity for progress to be made with health and social care reform. But IJBs and social care need to be at the centre of planning and decision-making on service renewal, and it’s not clear how the framework will address the challenges faced by social care.”
‘The current approach has failed’
In response to the joint report into delayed discharges by the Auditor General for Scotland and Accounts Commission, Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Vice President for Scotland, said: “This report lays bare the scale of delayed discharge, and the impact it has on our health and social care system and the people it serves.
“720,000 days’ worth of unnecessary hospital stays in the 2024/25 financial year. That’s almost 2,000 years – an almost inconceivable amount of wasted resources which, if exit block had been addressed, could be used to help the patients lining the corridors of Emergency Departments day in, day out.
“The knock-on effect delayed discharge has on EDs cannot be overstated.
“Every hospital bed occupied by someone who does not need it, but cannot leave through no fault of their own, adds pressure to EDs which are receiving more patients than they can move on.
“And these unnecessary stays in a hospital bed puts patients at greater risk of hospital-born infection, and can lead to deconditioning, stripping them of their independence.
“This is something RCEM has been raising the alarm about for years now, and while the government has acknowledged the issue and taken some steps to address it – the total breakdown in hospital flow outlined in this report shows that the current approach has failed.
“Things cannot go on like this and I hope the government, health service and local authorities heed the recommendations set out by the Auditor General for Scotland.
“Improvements to data gathering and discharge planning, among the other recommendations, would be a step towards the system-wide approach we have long said is needed to fix Emergency Care.”
RCEM said earlier this week that The Scottish government must prioritise tackling delayed discharges and overcrowding in Emergency Departments (EDs) or risk the entire system collapsing under the strain of an incredibly difficult winter.
Th message from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), followed the release of ED performance figures on Tuesday (6 January) by Public Health Scotland (PHS) for November 2025.
One in 15 patients (8,065) waited 12 or more hours in a type-1 ED before being admitted, transferred or discharged in that month alone, the worst figures for a November since records began in 2007.
Further, the new data found that:
It was the worst November on record for eight-hour waits, which stood at 17,259, or 14.5% of patients attending a major ED
Only 63% of patients seen within four hours at type-1 EDs, a far cry from the government target of 95%
Compared to November 2018, waits of four or more hours were four times higher, eight-hour waits were 14 times higher, and 12-hour waits were 39 times higher
Meanwhile, the number of people attending ED was only 5.5% higher in November 2025 compared to November 2018
Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Vice President for Scotland, said: “This is yet another month of predictable broken records for Emergency Medicine performance in Scotland.
“The Scottish government continues to shout about improvements to NHS waiting lists. We, of course, welcome these but a lack of political will to put the same emphasis on addressing delayed discharges means our departments are at risk of total derailment.
“We are now in the depths of winter. Patients are arriving into EDs only to find that there isn’t the space to treat them safely, let alone quickly.
“Very sick and injured people are lining corridors, crammed into whatever space we can find, because of exit block and a complete breakdown in flow out of hospitals.
“With warnings of storms, snow and freezing temperatures, the situation is likely to get a lot worse before it gets better.
“It’s unacceptable that this has been allowed to happen, but it’s not too late to act. We call on the government to support health boards so they can make the improvements needed to tackle delayed discharges and improve patient flow.”
Business Gateway has announced that nominations are now open for its annual staff Impact Awards. The awards celebrate exemplary service, commitment, and impact made by Business Gateway local staff in supporting business owners across the country.
Last year’s awards saw eight advisers recognised for their outstanding contribution to the local business community, spanning regions from East Lothian to Angus and from Edinburgh to Falkirk.
Nominations are now being sought from SMEs and business owners in Edinburgh who have benefitted from the service and would like to acknowledge the positive impact their Business Gateway team member has had, whether it is offering invaluable guidance, helping to solve complex challenges, or providing crucial support during key milestones.
Nominations can be submitted through a short form available here, where nominators are asked to provide a brief description of how their contact helped them. The deadline for nominations is 27th February 2026.
The Impact Awards will take place at the Business Gateway Staff Conference on 23rd April 2026.
With around 350 staff located around the country, Business Gateway’s teams are the backbone of Scotland’s business support system. Available free of charge to anyone looking to turn their idea into reality or grow their business, they offer virtual and in-person support on everything from building the foundations of a strategy to setting up an e-commerce website, to help with tax and budgeting.
In 2024-25, Business Gateway advisers supported 51,000 customers, managed over 30,000 enquiries and celebrated the launch of almost 7,000 new businesses.
Councillor Gail Macgregor, COSLA Spokesperson for the Environment & Economy and Chair of the Business Gateway board, said: “The calibre of nominations we received last year was exceptionally high, highlighting the vital role our local teams play in supporting businesses through a rapidly changing economic environment.
“Their dedication has helped business operators not only survive, but adapt and grow.
“The Impact Awards will shine a spotlight on those who continue to empower the local business community, helping organisations navigate challenges, reach new milestones and achieve lasting success.”
For more information on Business Gateway and its services, please visit:
Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for information following the attempted theft of an ATM in Barnton early this morning.
The incident happened around 2.50am on Wednesday, 7 January, 2026 at a supermarket in Whitehouse Road.
A black Nissan Navara is understood to have been used in an attempt to steal the ATM which then drove deliberately at a police car. The police officer was not hurt.
The driver exited the Nissan Navara and got into a vehicle which could be an Audi A3 with another two men.
The vehicle made off in the direction of Maybury Road. The Nissan Navara was recovered at the scene.
The three men were dressed in black clothing with face coverings.
Detective Inspector Alan Sharp said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw anything suspicious.
“As part of enquiries, we are carrying out a review of CCTV and conducting door to door enquiries.
“I would ask residents to check doorbell footage to see if you have captured anything that can assist our enquiries. I would ask motorists to do the same and check dash-cam footage.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident number 0257 of 7 January, 2026, or alternatively anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
STV staff across Scotland are out on strike today (7 January), braving the cold weather and heavy snow to oppose damaging cuts planned by the company’s management.
Around 50 staff members are part of the picket line outside the Glasgow office, carrying “stop the cuts” and “save local news” placards. They have been joined in solidarity by Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, and Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader.
More than a dozen members are also picketing outside the STV North HQ in Aberdeen, where significant programming cuts are looming.
Members working at the company’s bases in Edinburgh, Dundee, and Inverness are involved in today’s action too.
Members at STV voted overwhelmingly in favour of the strike action in December over the company’s plans to make compulsory redundancies and axe the north edition of its News at 6 programme.
On 16 December Ofcom gave provisional approval to a revised watered-down version of its original plans which would see STV have a single news programme across its two North and Central licence areas, but with a guaranteed minimum amount of regional coverage. The NUJ has repeatedly criticised the plans as being bad for viewers, advertisers, and journalism.
On Monday (5 January), the NUJ wrote to STV’s CEO Rufus Radcliffe stating that the strike was not inevitable and could be avoided if the company were to stop the compulsory redundancies.
Today’s strike has gone ahead despite extreme weather and travel disruption, demonstrating the dedication and strength of feeling among NUJ members at STV.
Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ national organiser for Scotland, said: “The company knew that avoiding industrial action was within their grasp, but they have decided to sit back and fold their arms instead.
“Our members are angry at these cuts, angry at how management have handled them, and are angry at the plans to axe one of Scotland’s most successful prime time news programmes in the north of Scotland.
“All this has happened in the same week that STV has launched a new commercial radio station, which is not expected to make a profit until 2027, and the cost of which is being paid for by the jobs of hard-working journalists.”
Roz Foyer, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) general secretary, said: “These callous cuts from STV management would be a hammer blow to our media landscape and must be resisted at every turn. In an age when misinformation runs riot, it’s more important than ever to have trusted news sources which tell the stories of our communities and of our nation.
“STV management shouldn’t therefore abandon those communities and the journalists that serve them so well in their pursuit for profit.
“Management must realise the palpable anger from the workforce, unions, politicians and the public in opposition to their plans and we would urge a radical rethink; one that prioritises the staff of STV and the viewers they serve so well.”
Rebecca Long-Bailey, MP for Salford and NUJ parliamentary group chair, said: “Launching a new radio station is all very well, but STV bosses are still pushing proposals which cost jobs and undermine the channel’s ability to serve audiences with dedicated regional news journalism.
“The NUJ’s cross-party Parliamentary Group in the Westminster Parliament sends our support and solidarity to NUJ members taking strike action at STV and asks STV management and Ofcom to listen to journalists and the viewing public alike and stop these cuts.”
The University and College Union (UCU) Scotlandsaid: “UCU Scotland sends solidarity to NUJ members at STV across Scotland striking to protect jobs and journalism.
“UCU knows the value of the quality journalism produced by NUJ members at STV and we see daily the incredible job done by NUJ members covering issues in universities and UCU action in defence of jobs, pensions and pay in our sector.
“NUJ members at STV are striking to protect quality journalism, and you have UCU Scotland’s full support in this dispute.”
RMT Scotlandsaid: “Solidarity and best wishes to your members forced into taking industrial action today in defence of jobs and proper journalism.”
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)said: “Full solidarity with NUJ members and journalists at STV who are striking in Aberdeen and Glasgow.
“Local news matters. Let’s unite to save jobs and quality journalism.”
The NUJ Reach Group Chapelsaid: “Reach NUJ members give their solidarity and support to colleagues at STV opposing damaging cuts that threaten quality journalism.
“The fact that union members have had to resort to strike action in the most demanding circumstances shows how important the issues are. We urge the company to get back round the table immediately to find a sensible way forward through negotiation.”
The NUJ Leeds & West Yorkshire Branchsaid: “We commend members at STV for the action they are taking in defence of jobs and regional programming. Proposals to cut back on regional editions and updates will mean a poorer service for audiences, who rightly share the anger of journalists whose jobs are on the line.
“The plans have also been met with opposition from all five party leaders in Scotland, who recognise the vital role played by regional programming in supporting local democracy and holding power to account.
“It is shameful the company is pushing ahead with redundancies while Ofcom is still consulting on the proposal and that its new commercial radio station has been launched at the expense of journalists’ jobs and local journalism.
“We urge STV to listen to the concerns of the public and their own staff, to suspend its redundancy programme and enter into fresh talks with the NUJ.”
Patrick Harvie, The Scottish Greens culture spokesperson, said: “In an age of viral misinformation people want good quality national and regional news sources that they can trust. These cuts are the last thing we need.
“The plans put forward by STV bosses would be a serious blow to Scotland and our media, particularly to regional news. They will also have a devastating impact on workers who have already experienced a great deal of stress and uncertainty as a result of the announcement.
“STV may have just launched an expensive new radio station, but they have clearly lost the trust of the workers who hold the organisation together.
“Our solidarity is with all of the journalists, producers and workers at STV who are enriching our media and our news environment.
“With cuts taking place at publishers and broadcasters across the country, these are difficult times for an industry that is needed more than ever.”
Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, said: “It is vital that we protect Scottish journalism, which serves communities across the country.
“I’m proud to stand with journalists at STV as they take strike action over the wrongheaded decision to cut staff and programming for the north of Scotland.”
