city council – Page 6 – The NEN

Council ‘on the right track’ to deal with Edinburgh’s housing crisis

Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Cllr Tim Pogson writes: “In November 2023, we took the significant step of declaring a housing emergency here in Edinburgh – the first city in Scotland to do so.

Our city continues to face unprecedented demand for housing, amidst challenging market conditions, ongoing budget pressures and insufficient funding from the Scottish Government. Declaring an emergency was a call to action and now over two years on, there is clear evidence that this call is being answered.

The Council’s Housing Emergency Action Plan (HEAP) provides a focused and pragmatic response. Built around two themes – increasing housing supply and addressing demand for housing – the plan recognises both the immediate pressures facing households and the structural challenges that have built up over many years.

I’m pleased to report that progress against both of these themes has been considerable over the past 12 months.

I should say that this is completely at odds with some of the misleading commentary we’ve seen in the media and elsewhere – based it would seem on a complete (and in some cases wilful) misinterpretation of council reporting. To be absolutely clear, the Council does not have a £60 million underspend in housing and, no, we won’t be giving it to Glasgow.

This fictitious figure came from the sum of £45 million for temporary accommodation, which are now being purchased from a different fund, and £15m to reflect a revised spending profile across a number of new housing developments, all of which are still progressing to plan. In short, the money is being spent and the houses built.

This year alone, the Council has completed construction of 459 new homes and purchased of an additional 278 ‘off the shelf’. This represents the single biggest annual increase in our housing stock in recent years and more than double the amount delivered in any of the last five years.

Major development milestones have also been reached across the city, with business cases approved for Granton Waterfont (phase 1), Fountainbridge and Meadowbank – which together will deliver 2,000 new homes for the city.

We’ve also reduced the number of void properties by over 60% from when the Housing Emergency was declared, making more homes available to let – bringing much needed homes back into use.

Looking forward, our ambitious budget strategy, which councillors will debate on 26 February, places housing at the heart of our plans, with a £1.6 billion investment in affordable homes proposed over the next five years.

This would represent one of the largest housing interventions by a local authority in modern times, and all deliverable before the Scottish Government’s new Home Agency even puts a spade in the ground.

While there is still much to do, the progress we’ve made in tackling the housing emergency shows that sustained action, partnership working, and political commitment can make a real difference.

Pressures remain acute, and the scale of the challenge should not be underestimated, but our direction of travel is clear.

This article first appeared in the Evening News on 4 February

£8.2m taxpayer bill for Edinburgh mould crisis revealed in FOI as complaints soar

A recent survey has revealed that one-third of Scottish social housing tenants lack confidence that their landlord will fix damp and mould, with thousands of complaints being made in recent years.

Between 2021 and 2022, there were at least 14,451 complaints made to local authorities in Scotland, a 19 per cent increase on the year before.

Now, new Freedom of Information (FOI) data sourced by the home experts at Hillarys has revealed that the City of Edinburgh Council has spent more than £8.2 million tackling damp and mould in homes since 2024. The findings reveal that mould and damp complaints in the capital soared by +52% between 2022 (1,215) and 2024 (1,849), as residents report nearly five cases a day.

And while new regulation is set to be introduced from October, enforcing fixed timeframes for social landlords to investigate and start prevention works to address damp and mould, the experts at Hillarys have shared advice on how households can tackle the problem at home while many tenants are still waiting for repairs to be carried out.

Edinburgh Council’s spending on damp and mould in homes

Month	2024	2025	Grand Total
January	148,000	314,000	462,000
February	244,000	352,000	596,000
March	252,000	353,000	605,000
April	360,000	254,000	614,000
May	291,000	436,000	727,000
June	343,000	423,000	766,000
July	343,000	274,000	617,000
August	313,000	367,000	680,000
September	514,000	410,000	924,000
October	310,000	395,000	705,000
November	589,000	301,000	890,000
December	393,000	264,000	657,000
Total	4,100,000	4,143,000	£8,243,000

Hillarys Freedom of Information (FOI) request has uncovered that the City of Edinburgh Council has spent £8,243,000 tackling mould and damp across homes in the capital between 2024 and 2025, or £4.1m per year on average.

Edinburgh residents make 143 complaints a month about mould and damp in the capital’s housing stock

In 2022, the council responded to 1,215 reports of damp and mould, soaring by +52% to 1,849 in 2024 and 1,591 in 2025.³ Overall, the council recorded 3,440 cases between 2024 and 2025, equivalent to 143 reports per month or nearly 5 complaints each day.

Edinburgh Council currently reports an average resolution time of 42 calendar days, or six weeks, from the date damp or mould is reported to the completion of treatment work. This is significantly higher than the framework that will be enforced in the autumn, where significant damp and mould must be investigated within 10 working days and made safe within five.

Why are Scottish homes more prone to damp and mould?

Nearly one in ten homes has some incidence of damp or mould in Scotland (9-10%), compared to 4-5% of homes in England, indicating that while England has a higher total number of homes with damp, the percentage of households affected in Scotland is higher.^5,6

One in ten Scottish households is impacted by damp or mould

Households in Scotland are particularly affected due to a combination of cold, wet weather, older buildings and the high cost of heating, which limits proper ventilation. In fact, a recent analysis of EPC data by Hillarys found that the ten most expensive regions to heat nationwide are all in Scotland.

Households in the Highland region pay £1,902 per year on average for heating, with the region found to have the fourth-highest proportion of homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or lower (63.42).

Victoria Robinson, product expert at Hillarys, has shared how households can tackle the problem at home and when to seek professional advice: “Proper household maintenance is incredibly important for preventing and treating mould.

“With good ventilation from opening windows and using extractor fans where possible, you can reduce the risk of mould and dampness. If you spot mould in your home, the first step is to carefully clean the affected areas by using detergents, white vinegar or mould removers and eliminating dampness at the source.

“Cleaning your own home is important and cost-effective, but sometimes it is not enough to fix mould problems. If mould is present in large areas, normally more than 1m², or you find recurring mould patches, musty odours or structural damage, it is time to call in a professional or escalate with your landlord before further damage to your health and home occurs.”

https://www.hillarys.co.uk/blinds-range/.

Creating opportunities for care experienced young people

First Minister announces funding on anniversary of ‘The Promise’

Projects that support the education and wellbeing of care experienced children and young people will receive a share of £9.5 million this year, First Minister John Swinney has announced on the sixth anniversary of The Promise.

The Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund, which is part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge Programme, was introduced in 2018-19, in recognition that care experienced children and young people require additional support for their attainment.

Mentoring and extra-curricular activities are among the range of ways that local authorities are investing the funding to support children and young people across Scotland.

The First Minister visited the City of Edinburgh Council’s Corporate Parenting Hub to meet young people supported by charity MCR Pathways and other services and assistance offered at the Hub – including through the We Matter Team and the Edinburgh Champions Boards.

Mr Swinney said: “Ensuring that all children grow up feeling loved, safe and respected is a top priority for my government and we want to continue to reduce the number of children and young people who are living away from their families.

“The Scottish Government is committed to Keeping The Promise by 2030, and we are seeing good progress across Scotland from education to justice – including a 18% reduction since 2020 in the number of children identified as ‘looked after’.

“The Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund is improving outcomes for young people across Scotland in a range of different ways – driving not only education improvements, but building broader confidence, resilience and well-being.

“The funding we are announcing today, on the sixth anniversary of The Promise, takes the Scottish Government’s total investment in the programme to just over £80 million since 2018 – showcasing how we are delivering for Scotland’s care experienced young people and helping them get the best start in life.”

Chief Executive Officer and Mentor at MCR Pathways Sharon McIntyre said: ““MCR Pathways commends today’s announcement about the continued investment in The Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund.

“It is critically important that care experienced children and young people feel the direct benefits from this significant commitment. Everyday, together, with partners, we see the real benefits of the power of personalised relationship based mentoring across Scotland.

“We work side by side with dynamic communities, Schools and Local Authorities like Edinburgh City Council, to bridge the opportunity gap for care experienced young people through consistent, encouraging trusted adult relationships.

“No two trusted adult relationships are the same, they are bespoke to each and every young persons’ needs. These relationships empower young people to believe in themselves, value their own unique talents, build ambitions for their future careers – shaping their future fulfilling lives. That way, confidence is built, self belief instilled, skills are developed and engagement in learning achieved.

“On this poignant 6th anniversary of The Promise, collectively we are deeply committed to working towards Scotland becoming the first to commit to a life changing Trusted Adult Guarantee for every care experienced young person in Scotland.”

Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener said: “I warmly welcome additional funding for projects that support care experienced children and young people.

“We are committed to doing all we can to support children and young people who are care experienced in Edinburgh, acknowledging their experiences and providing the appropriate support to ensure they grow up loved, safe and respected so they can realise their full potential.

“We were pleased to welcome the First Minister John Swinney to our Corporate Parenting Hub in the heart of Edinburgh, showing how care experienced children and young people in the city have helped to create a welcoming space where they can meet, make friends and have fun.”

Councillors prevented from discussing hunger striking Palestine protestors

GREENS CONCERN OVER FREEDOM OF SPEECH CONSTRAINTS

Councillors in Edinburgh were not allowed to debate a Green motion at Thursday’s full council meeting due to concerns over the latest UK Government guidance around proscribed organisations.

Instead, Green Councillors withdrew the motion following pressure from other political parties who demanded that there should be no discussion – citing fear of arrest under anti-terror legislation.

The motion, prompted by people undertaking hunger strikes to protest their treatment in prison, stated that the Council “opposes the curtailing of human rights, intimidation, discrimination and victimisation of those currently imprisoned as a result of opposing genocide”, and “expresses concern for the health, wellbeing and human rights of prisoners who have undertaken hunger strikes”.

Due to concerns that being seen to provide moral support for a proscribed organisation – now classed as a terrorist offence – could open the entire Council to a criminal offence charge, the Lord Provost took the unusual step of changing the Council meeting process to remove the opportunity for debate.

However, both the Labour and Conservative groups proposed that the motion should instead be withdrawn, citing fear of risk of arrest from individual councillors.

Cllr Alys Mumford, who was due to move the motion, said: “If we needed any further proof that Labour’s obsession with cracking down on protest has gone too far, it is this.

“We’ve already seen countless protestors criminalised and arrested for peacefully holding pieces of paper, and now elected members of Scotland’s capital city are prevented from even discussing a motion highlighting important issues of human rights.”

Cllr Mumford continued: “Just yesterday we saw pro-Palestinian activists in Bristol being cleared of aggravated burglary, with lawyers instead comparing them to Suffragettes for their actions to protest UK involvement in the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

“This should highlight the ludicrous nature of anti-terror legislation being used in this way by the UK Government. For Councillors to be unable to discuss whether or not we agree with the UK Government is antithetical to everything we are supposed to uphold as a nation of free speech and democracy.”

In withdrawing the motion, co-convener of the Green Group Chas Booth said: ““Lord Provost, thank you, reluctantly our group has made the decision to withdraw the motion at 8.1 on the agenda.

“We understand from advice that the motion is competent as re-drafted and we have been advised the risk of considering the motion is very low. However, we appreciate that there are individual councillors in other parties who are uncomfortable with the situation, and we feel a duty of care towards our colleagues.

“We regret that the council is facing this situation, and we remain concerned about the impact on democracy and freedom of speech message.”

Speaking about the withdrawal, Cllr Mumford said: “This motion was simply meant to be a way to express our support for human rights, and for the ongoing plight of people being mistreated in UK prisons. Instead, it has descended into a surreal conversation about what we can and cannot say within the City Chambers.

“We hope that – despite being unable to say what we want to during the meeting – this situation will serve to highlight the fight of the hunger strikers for humane treatment, and make people think twice about the ramifications of restricting the rights to protest in the UK.”

New funding for sustainable projects after a year of LEZ enforcement

Following the first year of Low Emission Zone (LEZ) enforcement, around £793,000 of surplus income is set to be used on a range of initiatives.

The Low Emission Zone Annual Report (LEZAR) published today (February 2) outlines the progress of Edinburgh’s scheme in its first financial year since enforcement began in June 2024.

After meeting the scheme’s operating costs, any surplus LEZ income must be used towards the scheme’s wider objectives.

The Transport and Environment Committee agreed in August 2024 that surplus income would be used to fund citywide Council projects which contribute to air quality and/or climate change emission reduction. Committee also agreed that special consideration should be made to projects in areas bordering the LEZ.

Some of the projects which funding is being allocated to include:

Supporting the delivery of the city’s 7-7-7 bus lane trial
Delivering traffic sensors to improve network data intelligence and monitoring
Research to support businesses on air quality issues
Engagement activities with local schools on air pollution and climate change
Measures to tackle engine idling

A full list is available in the LEZAR.

In our most recent Air Quality Annual Progress Report (APR), we’ve also seen a consistent downward trend in Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) concentrations across both city centre and residential sites.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) is preparing a separate report with a nationally updated model for the LEZ, which will include updated traffic and air quality information for Edinburgh.

The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) also published a study indicating that active travel and public transport use increased within the LEZ during the first six months after LEZ enforcement. Footfall data gathered from 2021 to 2025 shows that walking as a mode of travel in the city centre has increased.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: This report underlines the real progress that’s been made since LEZ enforcement began. I have no doubt that this new revenue will unlock many new and exciting projects which will benefit residents across the city.

“As Scotland’s capital city, we have a core responsibility to combat the climate and nature emergencies. Fundamentally though, the LEZ is about making our city healthier for everyone. Multiple studies show that even low levels of pollution can have an impact on our health, with road traffic being one of the main sources of harmful emissions.

“We’ll continue to encourage people to use active travel and public transport wherever possible, whilst reducing their car use and considering lower polluting vehicles. Our commitment to this can be seen in new developments like the trial cycle hire scheme along with projects under our City Mobility Plan, giving our residents greater choice and creating a better city for us all.

“The latest air quality data, average decrease in PCNs, and positive shift towards greater use of active travel and public transport, shows clearly that we’re headed in the right direction.

2The LEZ remains an important tool to help us achieve our ambitious climate goals, including net zero emissions by 2030.”

Facts and Figures:

From June 2024 to March 2025, 40,945 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) were issued, of which 70% were paid across all stages (from discount to debt recovery).

£1,050,780 income was received from PCNs. Net surplus after costs was £793,187.

84.5% of PCNs issued were for first contraventions.

62.4% of PCNs were paid at the discounted rate.

Between June 2024 and January 2025 alone the total number of PCNs issued decreased by 56%.

Over 95% of vehicles entering the LEZ are compliant.

Positives of pavement parking ban in Edinburgh praised two years on

The benefits of the pavement parking ban have been hailed by Guide Dogs Scotland and Living Streets Edinburgh. The Council previously worked with these organisations to lobby for the introduction of controls in Scotland.

January 29th marks two years since enforcement began against parking on pavements, at dropped kerb crossing points and double parking. Edinburgh was the first local authority in Scotland to enforce these rules.

The City of Edinburgh took this decision to make the capital’s streets safer for pedestrians and road users. Pavement parking particularly impacts people who use wheelchairs and mobility aids, those who are blind or partially sighted and people pushing prams or buggies. It also damages pavements, which are expensive to repair and become a trip hazard for everyone.

From enforcement beginning to date there were a total of 9,467 Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for footway parking. Last year saw an overall reduction of over 700 PCNs; from 5,098 in 2024 to 4,369 in 2025.

Since enforcement began there has been an overall decreasing trend in PCNs being issued for pavement parking.

There was a total of 3,497 PCNs issued for dropped kerb parking and 4,165 for double parking in the same period.

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “Since we first introduced these changes two years ago, we’ve seen drivers changing their parking habits accordingly, with the problem of pavement parking disappearing in many streets across Edinburgh.

“We brought the ban in to provide a safe and accessible environment for everyone, especially those with sight impairments, mobility issues or pushing buggies. We’ve also heard from many people who really appreciate clearer, wider pavements and who no longer need to walk on the road to avoid parked cars.

“I’m also grateful for the support we’ve had from groups including Living Streets and Guide Dogs Scotland, which has been key in helping us to deliver this positive change for our city.

“All drivers have a responsibility to park considerately, and where this would not cause an obstruction to the pavement or road. Whilst we ultimately want to see zero fines, the overall gradual decreasing trend shows we’re headed in the right direction.

“I’m proud that we prioritised making our streets as safe and accessible as possible – and that local authorities across Scotland have been looking to Edinburgh’s lead and implemented schemes of their own since.“

Niall Foley, External Affairs Manager at Guide Dogs Scotland, said: “The City of Edinburgh Council led the way on enforcing pavement parking prohibitions two years ago and now the majority of local authorities across Scotland have followed their example.

“We commend the commitment of the City of Edinburgh Council to keeping pavements clear for pedestrians. People with sight loss tell us they can now get out and about in the capital more safely, without the fear of being forced on to the road by inconsiderate parking.

“We’re pleased to be celebrating two years of boosting the independence and safety of all pedestrians. Congratulations to Edinburgh on reaching this key milestone.”

Living Streets Edinburgh Group Convener, David Hunter said: “The Council deserves credit not only for being the first in Scotland to apply the national ban on pavement parking, but also for adopting a “no streets exempt” policy.

“It’s encouraging that the Council has been consistent with the no exemptions approach, which ensures a level playing field for everyone – no parking on the pavement means just that. Enforcement has been handled well in general too.

“This been the most significant change to make Edinburgh a safer and more attractive city for pedestrians since the introduction of widespread 20mph speed limits.”

‘Significant progress’ made on capital’s Visitor Levy revenue funding

City councillors have made ‘significant progress’ towards a £41.1m capital investment package, over the next three years, for the City Operations and Infrastructure (COI) fund.

These proposals, discussed at a meeting on Thursday, are subject to final full Council approval, which will be debated on February 12.

The report outlines how part of the revenue from the Edinburgh Visitor Levy will be spent under COI across a wide range of projects and workstreams.

These include supporting capital borrowing for the George Street and First New Town project, developing a masterplan for Portobello Promenade, upgrading and replacing bins, accelerating our setted streets programme, alongside improving existing and providing new, more accessible public toilets.

The full list of recommended projects can be found on our website.

Reports on the remaining Visitor Levy revenue spending will now be debated at executive committees throughout February:

• All Programmes: Finance and Resources Committee

• Destination and Visitor Management: Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee

• Culture, Heritage and Events and specific elements of City Operations and Infrastructure: Culture & Communities Committee.

Commenting on Thursday’s decision, Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “The Visitor Levy is a transformational development for the Capital, with today marking an important milestone in the process.

“Edinburgh is already one of the world’s premier visitor destinations, but this comes with a responsibility to properly manage the impacts tourism has on our residents whilst improving visitor experience.

“From short term measures such as increasing the amount of waste and cleansing patrols, alongside long-term strategic projects such as George Street and First New Town, the opportunities which the Visitor Levy could provide for our city cannot be understated.

“We’ve long debated the many things that we’d like to do as a city. We now have the chance to make these a reality, which is something that we should seize with both hands.”

Further Information on Visitor Levy:

After administration costs, which includes establishing and maintaining a contingency fund, a fixed amount has been assigned to:

Housing and Tourism Mitigation (£5m per annum)
Participatory Budgeting (£2m over three years); and
Reimbursement of 2% of remitted funds to Accommodation Providers, to offset the administrative cost incurred from operating in accordance with the Scheme and collecting visitor data.

The remaining funds are then split into the following investment streams:

City Operations and Infrastructure (55%)
Culture, Heritage, and Events (35%)
Destination and Visitor Management (10%).

Meet the Council drop-in event for business support

Businesses in Edinburgh are being invited to meet with 30 Council services and business-facing partners face-to-face. Meet the Council will be held on Tuesday 3 February at the Assembly Rooms on George Street between 10am and 1pm.

Local businesses are encouraged to register in advance to secure a space to the drop-in, with opportunities throughout the day to meet with key Council teams and hear about opportunities for business growth.

Offering a single point of access for business support, the event will bring together Council officers from:

Business Gateway
Edinburgh Guarantee
Edinburgh Project Search
Parental Employability Support
The Edinburgh Employer Recruitment Incentive
Edinburgh Means Business
Commercial property
Trading standards
Forever Edinburgh
Cultural Partnerships, Events and Film
Visitor Levy
Procurement
Convention Bureau
Climate & Nature Strategy
Environmental Health
Street Enforcement
Licensing
Scientific Services
Building Services
Planning
Non-domestic rates

Throughout the day, external partners will also be on hand to present and share their expertise, including:

Capital City Partnership
DSL Business Finance
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network
Federation of Small Business
Scottish Enterprise Sustainability Team
Zero Waste Scotland
Forth Green Freeport
Adaptation Scotland
Supplier Development Programme

Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Edinburgh continues to boast the strongest local economy outside of London and has the highest number of accredited Living Wage employers in Scotland.

“The innovation, success and resilience of Edinburgh business community play a key role in shaping our city as a distinctive and exceptional place to live and work.

“We are keen to build much closer relationships with local businesses, offering meaningful support, gaining a deeper understanding of the views, challenges and ambitions of business owners and working together to secure a vibrant, sustainable, and resilient economic future for the capital.

“We recognise the current economic climate presents real challenges. By working collaboratively with businesses and partners, there is significant opportunity to support and grow Edinburgh’s economy, champion the principles of Fair Work, and help to create a stronger, greener and fairer city for everyone.

“To support this, we are hosting an event that brings businesses together with our teams in person, offering the chance to engage directly with staff from a range of services that support the business community.

“Whether you’re looking for advice on funding opportunities, navigating licensing requirements, or exploring how we can better support employers, this event is an ideal place to connect with the right people and access tailored advice and support.

“The Meet the Council event is designed to support Edinburgh’s business community and help foster a thriving, greener, and fairer economy – as outlined in the Council’s Business Plan 2023-27.“

Holyrood elections looming: Register to Vote!

It’s now just 99 days to the Scottish Parliament elections on 7 May.

Here’s are the key dates to make sure you can vote in this election:

– register to vote by Monday 20 April

– apply for a postal vote by Tuesday 21 April

– apply for a proxy vote by 28 April (if you can’t vote in person).

Remember, if you’re aged 16 on the day of the election, you can vote too.

And foreign nationals from another country who are permitted to enter or stay in the UK can also vote.

Don’t forget, if you’ve moved home, update your registration too to make sure you get your polling card.

https://www.mygov.scot/voting-in…/register-to-vote

Muirhouse Community Litter Pick

WEDNESDAY 4th FEBRUARY 10am – 12 noon

Join Us To help Clean Up Our Community

Wednesday 4 February 2026 10am-12noon