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Edinburgh by-elections will take place in September
Two by-elections will be held in the Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar wards following the resignations of Councillors Simita Kumar and Kate Campbell.
Residents will go to the polls on Thursday 3 September to elect one new councillor in each ward. The current electorate is 24,304 for Southside/Newington and 27,347 for Portobello/Craigmillar.
SNP councillors Campbell and Kumar were elected to the Scottish Parliament in May’s elections.
Green councillor Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill, was also elected to Holyrood through the list system but she has decided to ‘double up’, serving as an MSP whilst also remaining a councillor in Forth ward until next year’s council elections.
On 15 July the formal Notice of Election will be published, and the Election Timetable, Election Notices and Nomination Papers will all be accessible on the Council website.
Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said: “I’d like to thank Councillors Kumar and Campbell for their service as elected members and I wish them all the best in their new roles at Holyrood.
“We’ll now begin preparing for these by-elections to make sure our residents are able to make their voices heard and elect their new representatives to the City Chambers.
“I’d urge everyone in these wards to make sure they are registered to vote and to check that they have asked for a postal or proxy vote if that is what they need.”
Details on how to register to vote or request a postal vote and other key information can be found on the Council website.
Nomination papers can be submitted from 10am on 16 July until 4pm on 31 July to the Returning Officer in the City Chambers.
Candidates will be confirmed after nominations close on 31 July.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 3 September.
The election will use the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than using a single cross. Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they like.
The deadline to register to vote in these by-elections is 18 August. For new postal vote applications, it’s 19 August and for new proxy votes it’s 26 August.
The Centre Livingston celebrates it’s 50th anniversary in style
The 50th anniversary celebrations at The Centre, Livingston got off to a great start at The Centre, Livingston at the weekend (Saturday, 30th May), with a local boy from Bathgate winning a £500 Gift Card in a plinko game hosted by Go Radio’s Gina McKie and the unveiling of the ‘Livi the Unicorn’ mascot.
Excited shoppers queued to take part in the ‘50 Gift Cards Giveaway Competition’ of varying denominations, with Kasper Wong, who was visiting The Centre, Livingston with his dad and younger brother, hitting the jackpot and securing the one-off £500 prize.
Picture by Stuart Vance
The ‘Livi the Unicorn’ mascot was also unveiled and introduced to visitors for the first time and handed out free wildflower seeds. Shoppers were invited to join in the celebrations with complimentary popcorn and face painting, with donations optional for the shopping centre’s charity partner, Firefly Arts, who have been running drama classes and workshops for young people in the local community for over 30 years.
The Centre, Livingston also celebrated their golden anniversary on Friday, 29th May, with pupils from nine local primary schools, proudly watched on by teachers and parents, in a time capsule lowering ceremony, following a project with the schools to help mark the 50th milestone.
Contributions included poems and letters which represented their experiences of life today and their sense of community and hopes for the future.
A ‘Blether Bench’ was also launched next to Primark to encourage visitors to share their memories and reminisce about years gone by.
Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston, said: “What a fantastic buzz in the shopping centre over the past few days as we launched the start of our 50th anniversary celebrations.
“It was great to welcome pupils in from the local primary schools to help fill and lower our time capsule and invite all of our shoppers to help mark our major milestone with us on Saturday with the chance to win a gift card to treat themselves, which kickstarted a programme of exciting events which will take place throughout the year.”
Picture by Stuart Vance
Keep an eye on The Centre, Livingston website, www.thecentrelivingston.com and social channels for more information on upcoming celebratory events throughout the year.
Camera Obscura backs Government initiative to cut admission prices
– Attraction cuts summer ticket prices by 12.5% to support families, with discounted tickets available to book now –
Popular Royal Mile attraction, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, is helping families make the most of the summer holidays by reducing ticket prices throughout the season as part of the Government’s Great British Summer Savings Initiative.
Discounted tickets are available to book now via Camera Obscura’s website for visits between 25 June to 1 September 2026, giving visitors the opportunity to secure savings ahead of the busy holiday period.
As one of the first attractions to make discounted tickets available through the scheme, Camera Obscura is supporting efforts to help more people enjoy memorable days out and discover the best of the UK’s visitor attractions this summer.
In addition to the initiative, the attraction will also honour the discounted rates for visitors who have already booked to visit during the eligible period, with refunds on the difference due to begin processing.
A family of four visiting during the summer holidays could save more than £10 compared to standard admission prices.
Reduced ticket prices include:
- Adult tickets reduced from £24.95 to £21.85
- Senior/Student tickets reduced from £21.95 to £19.20
- Child tickets reduced from £17.95 to £15.70
Andrew Johnson, General Manager of Camera Obscura said; “The summer holidays are a time for making memories together, and we’re pleased to support an initiative that encourages people to get out, explore and experience some of the fantastic attractions available across the UK.
“We know families are continuing to think carefully about the cost of days out, particularly during the long summer holidays, which is why we look forward to welcoming visitors from near and far to enjoy our interactive exhibits, rooftop views and unique experiences throughout the season.”
The announcement follows a strong start to the summer for Camera Obscura, which was recently named one of the UK’s top three attractions by Which? and awarded Recommended Provider status.
The consumer champion praised the attraction’s interactive experiences, hands-on exhibits and family-friendly appeal, reinforcing its reputation as one of Scotland’s leading visitor attractions.
Scotland’s NHS is ‘turning a corner’
Health Secretary welcomes sustained rise in activity
New figures show the number of operations carried out in the 12 months to April 2026 increased by 7.3% compared to the same period the year before.
New statistics from Public Health Scotland show a total of 281,115 operations were performed during the last 12 months, while 770 operations were carried out per day – an increase from 718 for year ending April 2025.
The increase in activity comes as latest waiting times statistics show new outpatient waits of over a year have decreased for 11 consecutive months and inpatient and daycase waits over a year reducing for 15 months in a row.
This is in addition to new figures which show Scottish Government pledges on extra appointments have been surpassed – the promise to provide 150,000 additional appointments last year has been exceeded, with latest data showing 168,177 additional appointments and procedures were carried out in the financial year up to March 2026 compared to same period in the previous year.
In the first 9 months of 2025-26, 34,089 procedures were carried out in National Treatment Centres, surpassing the commitment to see planned activity increasing to over 30,000.
Health Secretary Angela Constance said: “I am pleased to see sustained and continued improvement in the number of operations carried out. Coupled with our continued progress to reduce waiting times, these latest figures show our plan is delivering for Scotland.
“I thank all NHS staff for their continued hard work and dedication – teams all across the country are driving this progress.
“We have delivered on our pledge to provide 150,000 additional appointments last year and our NTCs activity has surpassed our target already this year – our NHS is turning a corner and we are determined to build on this progress and ensure people are receiving the treatment they need as soon as possible.”
Councillors approve programme for first year of multi-million housing investment
Councillors have agreed a programme for this financial year to spend more than £207m on improving and expanding council housing across the city.
On Monday (1 June) members of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee approved the 2026/27 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme for investment, which is part of the Housing Revenue Account Budget Strategy 2026/27 to 2035/36.
The programme includes a commitment of over £111m for housebuilding in 2026-27, contributing to the development of around 4275 new affordable houses over the next 5 years. This is the first year of a major intervention to address the housing emergency through the allocation of a total £1.3 billion to deliver settled homes over five years.
Amongst the housebuilding projects being progressed under the programme are: the design of homes to replace Oxcars Court and Inchmickery Court; new developments at Murrayburn, Greendykes, Burdiehouse and Powderhall; and neighbourhood redevelopment at Granton Waterfront.
The budget is inclusive of £18.3m allotted to acquiring homes from private developers to help boost settled accommodation while £2.5m will be spent bringing empty homes up to a lettable standard.
Almost £70m will support improvements across the city’s high-rise blocks, from significant refurbishment as part of the Council’s retrofit programme to fire safety improvements and window replacements, while £45m is allocated for investment in the Low-Rise estate. This will focus on essential upgrades to kitchens, bathrooms and windows alongside repairs and energy efficiency works as part of Mixed Tenure improvement work.
Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “In 2023 we became the first city in Scotland to declare a Housing Emergency and we’re still committed to tackling this head-on. The Housing Revenue Account investment programme demonstrates our dedication through a range of ambitious projects to boost our housing stock and improve the standards of our existing estate.
“Like cities and towns across the country we’re facing huge challenges in terms of housing shortages, the cost of living and a rising population. By investing wisely I’m confident that we can and will lessen the impact of these issues and make sure everyone has a safe place to live.”
An additional report to Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, Housing Delivery Strategy – Update, provides further information on the housebuilding programme.
EH Fitness owner takes on 100,000-step challenge to raise £20,000 for her son’s school
Emma Hokayem, owner of EH Fitness, is taking on an ambitious 100,000-step walking challenge on Saturday 20th June 2026 to raise funds for Redhall Primary School in Edinburgh, the school attended by her son Daniel, who has additional support needs.
The fundraiser, 100,000 Steps for Redhall, aims to raise a minimum of £20,000 to improve vital spaces within the school for children with additional needs.
Funds raised will go towards refurbishing the school’s soft play area, a space that helps children regulate during the school day and release tension in a safe environment, as well as redeveloping the outdoor area into a dedicated outdoor education space for learning, exploration and play.
Emma and a team of supporters will begin the challenge in Balerno at 5am, routing around the outskirts of Edinburgh, down to South Queensferry, across to Musselburgh, then back through Edinburgh city centre before finishing in Balerno at approximately 10pm. The challenge is expected to involve around 17 hours of walking.
Members of the community are invited to join for all or part of the route, with full route details to be shared closer to the event.
Emma Hokayem said: “Redhall is an incredibly special school, and as a parent, I see every day just how important the right environment is for helping children feel safe, supported and able to thrive. Since Daniel started there, our lives have completely changed for the better, and I wanted to do something that could make a real and lasting difference for the school and the children who rely on these spaces every day.
“My goal is to raise at least £20,000 to refurbish the soft play area and create an outdoor education space. I’d love as many people as possible to get involved, whether that’s walking with us on the day, donating, or simply sharing the fundraiser as widely as possible.”
Redhall Primary School relies heavily on grant funding, with its main annual fundraising event being a family BBQ at the end of the school year. This challenge aims to provide meaningful additional support and create a lasting impact for the children and families the school serves.
To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/redhall
To join the walk or stay updated, join the community WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DfvvaNT9J8HB0hLKbVwV1N
Care Home invites community to Open Day
SATURDAY 27th JUNE from 10am – 4pm
Strachan House and Queens Manor in Edinburgh will be opening their doors to the local community for an day of coffee and cakes on Saturday 27th June.
Taking place between 10.00 am – 4.00 pm guests will be able to enjoy home-made cakes prepared by the home’s Head Chef, and will have the chance to meet the team and take a tour of the home.
Frances Fisher, General Manager at Strachan House, says: “I’m excited about welcoming new visitors and existing friends of the home to our open day.
“Looking for care can be a little bit daunting, but our team here at Strachan House will do all we can to provide all of our guests with the guidance and support they may need, and answer all of their questions, big or small.
“Our open day is a great chance to enjoy some delightful entertainment in a homely and friendly setting- hope to see you all there!”
Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities.
Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides nursing care and dementia care from respite care to long term stays.
Police: Do you know this man?
Police Scotland has released an image of a man who may be able to assist with an ongoing investigation into a series of housebreaking incidents in Edinburgh.
The incidents took place at residential properties across the city between 4 and 21 April, 2026.
The man officers wish to speak with is described as aged mid-30s to mid-40s, medium to heavy build and clean-shaven. He is believed to speak Spanish and may have a South American accent or use Colombian slang. His most recent clothing includes a baseball cap, waterproof jacket, and an across-the-shoulder bag.
Detective Constable Tom Cunningham said: “We would appeal to the man in the image, or anyone who recognises him, to contact us as soon as possible.
“Anyone who has information that may assist with this investigation is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 2553 of 21st April 2026.
“Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111, where anonymity can be maintained.”
ScottishPower kicks off bonus half-price electricity hours for vital World Cup clashes
ScottishPower is giving its customers the chance of a vital World Cup assist by cutting the cost of their match‑day parties with half‑price electricity for its customers across the UK.
With football fans gathering late into the night in living rooms across the country as Scotland and England go for glory, ScottishPower will kick-off discounted match day bonus hours covering all planned group matches for both nations.
It means ScottishPower customers can focus on the football, not the bills, as they power TVs, sound systems, kitchen appliances and even their party lights for 50% less during the tournament.
The limited-time offer is designed to help customers make the most of the event while keeping energy costs down, with two hours at 50% off per game – so every Scotland and England group match is covered and feels like a win-win.
The bonus hours boost comes in addition to ScottishPower’s existing Power Saver scheme which already sees its customers benefit from being able to choose eight hours of electricity at half price every week, at a time that suits their lifestyle best.
As a business that also generates and distributes power to millions of homes across the country, ScottishPower is preparing for the biggest overnight electricity demand event in its history.
Opening fixtures are already forecast to create an unprecedented overnight surge in electricity demand — during what is normally one of the quietest periods for the network.
Andrew Ward, ScottishPower Customer Business CEO, said: “We know football brings people together and with this offer, customers can enjoy every kick, tackle and goal knowing they’re getting great value at the same time.
“We are continually striving to put our customers in control, and this is a great boost to give them more ways to score even more savings.”
Existing ScottishPower customers will soon be able to opt into the Power Saver World Cup bonus hours initiative, and new customers joining the leading green energy company will be eligible to opt in too.
Key matches included in the offer are (UK kick-off times):
Scotland group games:
- Scotland v Haiti – Sunday 14 June, 2:00am (discounted period 0200-0400)
- Scotland v Morocco – Friday 19 June, 11:00pm (discounted period 1100-0100)
- Scotland v Brazil – Wednesday 24 June, 11:00pm (discounted period 1100-0100)
England group games:
- England v Croatia – Wednesday 17 June, 9:00pm (discounted period 2100-2300)
- England v Ghana – Tuesday 23 June, 9:00pm (discounted period 2100-2300)
- England v Panama – Saturday 27 June, 10:00pm (discounted period 2200-0000)
The World Cup deal adds an extra assist to ScottishPower’s existing line-up of customer perks, including Power Saver, which offers customers 8 hours of cheaper electricity at selected times throughout the week.
Power Saver aims to incentivise customers to shift their electricity use away from peak periods to times when overall demand on the grid is lower, helping to balance energy supply more efficiently. By moving usage to off-peak hours, customers can benefit from cost savings while supporting a more stable and sustainable energy system.
ScottishPower is the only energy provider giving customers control over when they benefit from discounted periods.
To take advantage of the special Power Saver World Cup Bonus Offer, you need to be a ScottishPower electricity customer with a communicating smart meter and consent to half-hourly readings being automatically shared.
Customers should download the SP app and switch on notifications to receive alerts ahead of the World Cup kicking off to opt in for their two hours 50% discount covering Scotland and England matches.
Usage savings will appear as ‘Power Saver Credit’ on a customer’s bill or statement in line with normal billing process. Daily standing charge will be charged at normal rates. Eligibility criteria, exclusions, and T&Cs apply.
For more information and how to sign up, visit Half-Price Electricity during Scotland and England group games