Residents and visitors are invited to enter a photography competition, launched to celebrate Edinburgh’s 30 years on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The competition is being run by the partners who look after the site: Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH), Historic Environment Scotland (HES), and the City of Edinburgh Council.
Entries will be grouped into twelve categories, each celebrating a particular value of Scotland’s capital city. The winning photograph in each category will become part of a year-long calendar, which will be sold on Historic Scotland sites and at Edinburgh World Heritage events to raise money for the Trust.
The over-all winner will take price of place on the front cover of the calendar and will receive a one-year membership for Historic Scotland, who run top-rated visitor attractions all over the country.
The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were first inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995, where they were recognised as one of the most extraordinary urban landscapes in the world. With its division into Old and New Town, Edinburgh is a remarkable example of urban growth, showcasing two distinct but equally significant styles of city planning.
Photography enthusiasts will have until October 2026 to submit their work showcasing Edinburgh in all its glory across the seasons. The competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers, using any camera or device.
The entries will be judged by Tom Duffin, a professional photographer who specialises in showcasing Edinburgh’s heritage; Neil Hanna, a multi-award-winning photographer with over 35 years of experience; and Jane Bradley, celebrated Arts and Culture Correspondent at the Scotsman.
Terry Levinthal, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage, said: “Edinburgh is a city of matchless qualities. It is a city of contrasts; of distant prospects and intimate details; a city of old and new; a place to be admired and be lived in.
“These very picturesque qualities make it the perfect subject for photography. To mark 30 years since inscription, we hope that everyone will be inspired to share their favourite views, details, buildings and places with us, so that we can share them with others.”
James Bruhn, Head of World Heritage and Heritage Policy at HES, said: “When a place is inscribed on the World Heritage List, that is by no means the end of the story.
“Edinburgh is a living, breathing place, and we are excited to support this competition and give local photographers the chance to capture Edinburgh’s unique beauty and win a membership to visit historic sites across the country.”
Cllr Joan Griffiths Planning Convener said: “I’d encourage everyone with an interest in photography to help us celebrate this significant milestone for the Old and New Towns World Heritage Site by entering the competition for a chance to be part of this exciting calendar. I’m really looking forward to seeing the results.
“It’s a huge accolade to hold World Heritage Status and it’s extra challenging for a living, breathing city. We look after the Site with our partners and it’s important to us to make sure our residents from across the city feel a sense of ownership and belonging to the Site.
“The competition and resulting calendar is a great opportunity for people to reflect on what the Site means for them through their art as well as what they find special or feel proud of in this internationally renowned part of the Capital.”
The twelve categories for which applicants can submit their photographs are:
Medieval Old Town
Neo-classical New Town
Gardens and open spaces
Urban planning/street layout
Topography and skyline
Public and commercial monuments
Conservation
Layering of heritage
Architectural detail
Graveyards
Juxtaposition
The Living City
To learn more about the competition and prepare to take the perfect shot, visit this document.
£20 MILLION PRIDE IN COMMUNITIES CASH FOR NIDDRIE, BINGHAM, MAGDALENE & THE CHRISTIANS
Local communities are at the heart of Scottish life – and the UK Government is today announcing the 14 neighbourhoods each receiving up to £20 million to restore pride in their area and open doors to new opportunities.
In September the UK Government confirmed that the Pride in Place Programme will see up to £280 million shared among 14 neighbourhoods in 12 Scottish local authorities over 10 years to precisely target areas which can benefit most from a wide range of regeneration projects.
The local authorities selected have both the highest deprivation levels and weakest social infrastructure. The Scotland Office invited evidence submissions from these local authorities, eligible MPs and constituency MSPs, the Scottish Government and wider community organisations as to which neighbourhoods should be chosen.
We have now worked at pace and on the basis of strong stakeholder evidence have selected the neighbourhoods to receive the funding (see list below).
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “The UK Government is backing 14 of Scotland’s most in need communities with £280 million investment – part of a £2 billion package to uphold pride in communities and create opportunities the length and breadth of the nation.
“Over decades of decline, people have watched as their neighbourhoods have lost services and support, so now we are putting the power into the hands of local people who can decide how the money is spent. We’re investing directly in Scottish communities to build stronger, thriving neighbourhoods.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed said: People across Scotland have been shut out from their own futures and felt powerless to make the changes they want to see in their communities. Pride in Place is fixing that and putting power back where it belongs – in the hands of the people who have the knowledge, ambition and vision to make a real difference.
“We’re backing 14 neighbourhoods across Scotland with up to £20 million each, to put local people back in the driving seat to revitalise their communities and shape their futures.”
Neighbourhood Boards, comprising representatives from the local community, will decide exactly what the investment will be spent on. These will now be established, with funding starting from April 2026.
Projects could include revitalising high streets and town centres, preserving local heritage, providing housing, creating jobs, boosting productivity and skills, improving health and well-being, creating new transport links, providing education and opportunity and improving safety and security.
Aberdeen City – North Locality Priority Neighbourhood / Cummings Park, Heathryfold and Middlefield, Northfield, Mastrick
City of Edinburgh – Bingham, Magdalene, The Christians and Niddrie
Falkirk – The Forgotten Villages, Braes Villages and Hallglen
Fife x2 – 1) West Fife Villages / Oakley Comrie and Blairhall, Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn, Kincardine, Saline and Gowkhall; and 2) Methil and Buckhaven
Glasgow x2 – 1) Springburn and Sighthill; and 2) Castlemilk
Highland – North, West and East Sutherland
North Ayrshire – Three Towns (Ardrossan, Saltcoats, and Stevenston)
North Lanarkshire – Forgewood, North Motherwell and town centre
South Ayrshire – Northern Ayr and Town Centre Regeneration Corridor
South Lanarkshire – Hamilton Town Centre
Na h-Eileanan Siar – Stornoway and Lewis
West Lothian – Fauldhouse, Whitburn and Blackburn
In total, the UK Government is investing more than £2 billion over 10 years in dozens of important local and regional projects the length and breadth of Scotland, bringing much-needed economic and community renewal.
These include:
£280m Pride in Place Programme (Phase 2)
£12m Pride in Place Impact Fund
£200m support for ten Scottish towns (Pride in Place Phase 1)
£320m for the Glasgow City Region and North East Scotland Investment Zones
£52m for the Inverness and Cromarty Firth, and Forth Green Freeports
£81m for Community Regeneration Partnerships in Dundee, Scottish Borders, Argyll & Bute, and Na h-Eileanan Siar
£188m to complete Levelling Up Fund projects
£76m in UK Shared Prosperity Fund transition funding for 2025/26
£60m innovation funding for Glasgow City Region (across the Innovation Accelerator 2025/26 and new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund)
£17.3m for Energy Transition Zone
£5m for Community Ownership Fund projects
£2.6m for the V&A in Dundee
£752m to deliver Scotland’s 12 City Region and Growth Deals over 2025/26 – 2034/35.
Council Leader Jane Meagher has welcomed up to £20m of UK Government funding for four communities in East Edinburgh.The Pride in Place Programme funding was announced yesterday.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said:“The government’s £20m investment over the next 10 years in Niddrie, Bingham, Magdalene and The Christians is wonderful news.
“The long-term certainty this brings is incredibly helpful for communities and partners alike. This is a vibrant and active community with a clear passion for shaping their own future, and this sustained funding will not only boost their hard work, it will directly give them a voice in deciding how the money is invested over the next decade. It’s an approach we are keen to learn from.
“The announcement strongly aligns with the council’s commitment to put support at the heart of our communities where people need it most. Our city-wide poverty prevention programme, including our neighbourhood prevention partnership, is focused on tackling inequalities and improving access to help.
“We look forward to working closely with the local community to establish a neighbourhood board, and to work with them over the coming years to ensure every pound is invested in line with the needs, priorities and ambitions of their community.”
New guidance outlines that Neighbourhood Boards will have to prove they have listened to and have the backing of residents and their local community to receive all their funding, ensuring that community voices sit at the heart of the decisions made about the future of their areas.
Any resident with big ideas and a desire to transform their community can get involved, with boards being chaired by an independent member of the community, chosen for their ambition and potential to lead their community.
Local authorities and MPs in Pride in Place neighbourhoods will now begin to work with their communities to pick the right chair to take the reins of their Neighbourhood Board, lead on engagement with the community, and drive forward the changes they want to see.
Alongside the long-term £280 million investment through Pride in Place Programme neighbourhood allocations, we have also made £12 million available through the Pride in Place Impact Fund (PIPIF).
This sees eight local authorities share £12 million to fund the types of changes people have said they want to see. These could include new green spaces, play areas and town centre revitalisation to sports and leisure facilities and the improvement and ownership of key community assets.
That money should be spent fast by local councils so that people see and feel tangible change in their communities at the start of 2026. The local authorities which have each been given £1.5 million allocations to spend over two years, starting 2025/26, are Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, Dundee, North Lanarkshire, Inverclyde, East Ayrshire and Falkirk.
This is in addition to the £200 million that has been made available for ten Scottish towns (Arbroath, Elgin, Kirkwall, Peterhead, Dumfries, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Clydebank, Coatbridge and Greenock) as part of Pride in Place Phase One, which the UK Government announced earlier this year.
Local people in the existing 10 Scottish towns are already having their say over how to improve their community:
In Elgin more than 1,000 ideas have already been submitted, including tackling empty shops, revamping the town shopping centre.
In Peterhead people are ramping up CCTV in the town centre to tackle anti-social behaviour and investing in indoor sports and leisure facilities.
City council pushes forward with controversial Portobello parking controls
The City of Edinburgh Council is set to decide on introducing year-round parking controls in Portobello, based on surveys conducted during peak tourism months – despite widespread community opposition and the possibility of a legal challenge if the proposals proceed.
The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) Sub-Committee will meet on 16 December to consider a recently published report recommending that councillors advance the TRO, despite the vast majority of consultation responses opposing the scheme, and with more than 1,900 people having signed a petition calling for its rejection.
Jane Grant, Chair of the local Traders Association, which represents over 50 small businesses, said: “The Council is pushing forward with a plan that will pile yet more financial pressure on already struggling households and lead to fewer people shopping locally.
“If approved, these parking controls will damage a vibrant and welcoming seaside community, make it harder for disabled people and those with caring needs to live fulfilling lives, and force more working class families to leave the area.
“As local residents and business owners we have tried to engage with the Council at every stage and will continue to do so, but if this poorly-designed and unwanted parking plan goes ahead we reserve the right to challenge its legality and process by which the Council has designed this plan.
“We are a strong and united community and will not allow the Council to ignore local people and impose these measures unchallenged.”
A local campaign group, Portobello and Joppa Residents & Businesses Against CPZ claim that the Council’s data used to justify year-round parking restrictions is flawed, inconsistent, and unrepresentative.
In a letter to the committee members (see below), issued ahead of the vote, the group highlighted that the surveys were conducted only in June and September – at the height of seasonal, temporarily heightened traffic levels, and the methodology behind the parking “heat map” remains undisclosed, with no clarity on data sources, weighting, or modelling applied.
The campaigners also highlight that Saturday parking analysis relies on just two survey days, both during peak visitor periods and unusually warm weather conditions. They assert that drawing conclusions about typical Saturday parking from such a small sample is statistically unreliable.
Furthermore, ongoing roadworks during the survey period distorted normal parking patterns, casting further doubt on the data’s reliability.
Local campaigner and resident Nikki Middleton said: “Although the Council report claims sixteen survey events, the actual data covers only seven days, with no surveys in winter, poor weather, or during term-time.
“Summer surveys, conducted during peak tourism months, have been used to justify this scheme, yet no explanation has been provided on how seasonal bias was accounted for.
“Portobello’s year-round parking pressures are very different from the summer months. This is not only unethical but goes against every principle of good governance and objective data validation.”
The proposals suggest implementing parking controls in the western part of the proposed Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), while the eastern section (Joppa) would be reviewed within the first year.
In practice, this allows council officers to introduce controls in the eastern areas without further legal process if deemed “necessary,” effectively keeping the door open to expand the scheme at any time, but preventing proper scrutiny and input from local people.
Nikki Middleton added: “The Council pretends to reduce the CPZ boundary, but in reality, they are only temporarily shrinking it while leaving the door wide open to extend it back to their original plans within a year – a cynical ploy intended to gather more cash from local people already struggling amid a cost of living crisis.”
The proposals also adjust CPZ operating hours to Monday–Saturday, 08:30–17:30, removing Sunday restrictions – an apparent attempt, the campaigners argue, to soften public perception without addressing core concerns.
The Council received 2,341 consultation responses. While the report acknowledges strong community opposition, it omits the exact percentage of objections.
The most significant concerns cited include the cost of parking – described by about 35% of respondents as “unaffordable, unwanted, excessive, or penalising residents”- and over 15% expressing the belief that the scheme is a money-making exercise for the Council.
Nikki Middleton added: “While the Council insists this isn’t about revenue, the report itself confirms that, after operational costs, the Portobello CPZ is expected to generate an annual surplus of around £500,000.”
Community members, traders, and campaigners continue to call on the public to attend the Sub-Committee meeting next week and urge the Council to halt the CPZ proposals and respect the clear, overwhelming opposition of those who live, work, and spend time in Portobello.
The city council has published their fifth annual update on actions to end poverty in the city by 2030, delivering a clear snapshot of what’s been achieved – and what still needs to be done.
The update report, which was considered and agreed by councillors yesterday, also responds to the Edinburgh Poverty Commission 2025 update on its inquiry into the causes of, and solutions to, poverty in Edinburgh.
According to the report, collaboration between the council and partners over the past 12 months has led to:
£26m put into the pockets of low-income households in Edinburgh
working with employers to encourage take up of the real living wage, saw a record 790 employers sign up, and collectively employing over 221,000 workers
supporting 5,100 people into work and learning
intervention from specialist council teams prevented 1,700 households from homelessness and helped almost 600 households to move on from temporary accommodation
literacy, numeracy, and attainment levels improved for pupils in the most deprived areas of the city
subsidised childcare places provided for working families through Edinburgh’s Affordable Childcare for Working Parents service
new approaches to using data and online tools made it easier for people to access their entitlements – providing an average of £5k per year to 132 people
The Poverty Commission’s 2025 update report found that, like Scotland as a whole, Edinburgh is not yet on track to meet its headline target to reduce poverty rates to 10% by 2030.
They have called on the Council to make the most of the powers it has, increase the pace and scale of delivery and reform the way services are delivered in communities across the city.
In response to this, the Policy and Sustainability Committee agreed the response and actions for the year ahead. They include:
delivering the city’s plans for five Neighbourhood Prevention Partnerships, as part of a city-wide poverty prevention programme to make it easier for people to get help
completing the Review of Support for the Third Sector, to provide sustainable funding for voluntary and third sector partners
improving the availability of affordable childcare across the city to help parents and carers back into work
Council Leader, Jane Meagher said: “I’m grateful to the members of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission and End Poverty Edinburgh for all their hard work in producing their updated report and recommendations.
“Their original calls to action from back in 2020 undoubtedly focused our minds, and our collective efforts since have prevented thousands more people from entering poverty and homelessness and helped many more into secure work. This is alongside putting tens of millions of pounds worth of previously unclaimed benefits into residents’ pockets.
“But, despite five years of investment and hard work, poverty remains stubborn and, if anything, more complex and severe – which is why this latest report and the action plan behind it is so important.
“I agree with the Commission that we can’t do this alone and with their call on all levels of government to work with us in a way that makes best use of our local knowledge to support the communities that need it the most.
“I will today be writing to both the UK and Scottish Governments setting out what we, as a Council, are doing to tackle poverty here in Edinburgh and where we need their support.”
Linda Craik, Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission said: “During our review we heard some quite distressing stories of the impacts and effects of poverty on families and we’ve heard the frustrations of those agencies and individuals who are trying to help them.
“But we’ve also seen some fantastic examples of collaborative working which is starting to make an impact on the poverty landscape.
“While we are going in the right direction as a city – and there are glimmers of hope – overall the city is not on track to end the poverty cycle by 2030.
“The council, and partners, have worked collaboratively at local level to eradicate poverty in Edinburgh, but more needs to be done – and quicker – if things are to improve.
“We need to make access easier for those who need it, and I believe that a number of the actions set out by the council and partners will make access quicker and easier for those who need it most.
“My message to the city is – please listen to the people you are trying to help – we may have the answers and solutions that you need.
“End Poverty Edinburgh is happy to work with anyone who wants to be part of movement to eradicate poverty in our city.”
Police Scotland joined British Transport Police, CEC Trading Standards, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland at Waverley Railway Station today for a Community Safety stall.
We provided commuters and Christmas shoppers with advice on staying safe on the train network, crime prevention during the festive period, fire safety and how to sign up for Neighbourhood Watch.
Upcoming Events:
– The Gyle Shopping Centre – Wednesday 10 December, 10:00–13:00 (Police Scotland & Neighbourhood Watch)
Independent councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie Ross McKenzie has joined the Scottish Green Party and has been welcomed as the newest member of the Green Group on Edinburgh council as a Green-aligned independent member.
The announcement means the Green Group now have eleven councillors, the same number as the ruling Labour administration and one more than the Conservative group.
Elected representatives who join the Scottish Greens are required by Party rules to sit as Green-aligned independents until the next election, but may join Green Councillor groups.
Cllr McKenzie’s application to join the Scottish Greens was unanimously approved by the party’s national council on Saturday 6 December. He has signed a collaboration agreement with the Co-Convenors of the Edinburgh Green Group, which covers how he will work with the Greens. He will represent the Greens on committees, but will not be a spokesperson.
Cllr McKenzie was elected in 2022 as a Labour councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie ward. He left Labour in 2023 after they formed an administration with support from the Tories and Lib Dems. Since then, Ross has sat as an independent, working on an issue-by-issue basis with the Green group of councillors to push for change in the capital.
Cllr Ross McKenzie said: “Since leaving the Labour Party, I have worked closely with my Scottish Green colleagues in Edinburgh to make a fairer, greener city for all.
“In the face of a disastrous Labour administration propped up by the Tories and Lib Dems, we need a strong left-wing alternative in our capital city, putting people and planet before profit.
“I’ve heard time and again from my constituents’ concerns about housing, social care, planning and public spaces, and I’m in no doubt that the most effective way for me to represent those concerns is by working as closely as possible with the Greens.
“Labour have abandoned their core principles of standing up for the working-class across our country, they would rather hold onto power with the backing of Tories than improve our city for people and planet.”
Edinburgh Green group co-convenor Cllr Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill said: “Green councillors have worked constructively with Ross since he left the Labour party, and have always found him to be highly principled and incredibly hard working.
“We are delighted that his Scottish Greens party membership application has now been approved, which will allow us to deepen our joint working with Ross to the benefit of everyone seeking a fairer, more equal capital city.”
Edinburgh Green Group co-convenor Cllr Chas Booth said: “I’m delighted to welcome Ross as a Green-aligned independent member of the Edinburgh Green Group.
“He is a passionate advocate for his constituents and has a deep sense of justice. More and more people who want to stand up against the far right, rather than pander to them and those who seek a fairer society through redistribution of wealth are finding a home in the Greens.
“As an unapologetically left-wing party, we welcome them and look forward to working with them in the future.”
Edinburgh Green Councillor for Sighthill/Gorgie, Dan Heap said: “Ross has been a dedicated local councillor during his time in Labour and as an independent, and is highly regarded by local people as a fighter for their interests.
“I am delighted to be working alongside him to help make the area we represent greener and fairer.”
BALFOUR Beattie started work on the West Edinburgh Link this week (December 3). The West Edinburgh Link (WEL) will transform provision for cycling, walking, and accessibility around one of Scotland’s key business parks, whilst better connecting local communities to places of work, retail, leisure, and education.
WEL will also link up with key active travel routes to the city centre, including Quiet Route 8, the Union Canal and the Water of Leith Path.
Some of the work the city council is undertaking in the first phase includes new segregated cycleways on South Gyle Access and Bankhead Avenue, along with widening, surfacing, and improving lighting on the Torwood Path.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said:“It’s brilliant to see this new work getting underway in the west of the city.
“Properly connecting our communities and encouraging our residents to travel in more sustainable and healthy ways remain key priorities for us. WEL is an important project under our ambitious City Mobility Plan as we keep Edinburgh moving.
“From revitalising active travel provision on the Torwood Path to improving access to Edinburgh College at Sighthill, alongside a host of other improvements, I’ve no doubt that local people will experience real benefits once this transformational project is complete.”
A report highlighting achievements and progress in attainment among learners for academic session 2024-25 was discussed at Education, Children and Families Committee last week (27 November).
In a positive step forward, across several measures, the report showed that the gap between the least and most disadvantaged learners is narrowing. This includes at National 5 and Higher, or equivalent, level where the performance of the least advantaged learners in the city has improved in almost all measures.
The report shows an increase in attainment during the senior phase of secondary school, with the measure relating to leaver destinations the best on record. The percentage of learners gaining five Highers has improved each year since 2022.
Reflecting an increased offering of vocational courses across secondary schools, the number of vocational qualification passes, National Progression Awards (NPA), has almost doubled in recent years – from 941 NPA passes in 2023 to 1944 in 2025.
Figures highlight pupils’ appetite for this expanded curriculum offer with the number of learners taking part in the foundation apprenticeship pilot increasing from 16 young people in 2023-24 to 200 young people this academic year.
In primary schools, the attainment gap in literacy, which includes reading, writing, listening and talking, has decreased significantly. In numeracy combined data for P1, P4 and P7 shows that the numeracy attainment gap is at the lowest level for 5 years.
Despite the positive progress, there is more to be done to close the poverty related attainment gap and the report highlights measures to do this, including ongoing focused work providing guidance and support to priority schools, supported by partnership working with the Education Scotland Attainment Adviser and Equity Lead officer.
Commenting on the report, Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convenor said: “This report demonstrates positive leaps forward in attainment outcomes in our schools.
“I am particularly pleased to note the progress we’ve made in narrowing the gap between those children and young people who are most and least advantaged.
“Regardless of a child’s background, it is crucial that every child or young person in our schools is supported to reach their aspirations and ambitions.
” In our secondary schools we continue to offer an increasing number of vocational course options, which not only support young people to make informed choices about life beyond school but equip them with qualifications and a route into the world of work.
“It is disheartening to see that there are gaps in attainment for certain cohorts of our pupils and I am committed to working closely with officers to understand why this is the case and how we can work to close the poverty related attainment gap.”
Making more social rent homes available would allow households currently using unsuitable temporary accommodation, such as bed and breakfasts, to access more appropriate settled accommodation. This would return B&Bs to their intended uses of shorter-term guests.
It is expected the Fund would support three new build developments – at Fountainbridge, Meadowbank and Coatfield Lane in Leith – with around 361 social rented homes and around 111 mid-market rent homes.
The investment is subject to approval from Council at the budget meeting on 26 February 2026. If it proceeds, the performance of the delivery programme will be reported to the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on an annual basis.
The levy applies to paid overnight accommodation booked after 1 October 2025, if the stay takes place from 24 July 2026 onwards. It is a 5% payment on the accommodation-only cost and applies to the first five nights’ stay.
The scheme is projected to raise up to £50 million a year to invest in developing, supporting and sustaining services for visitors to the city, and enhancing Edinburgh’s worldwide appeal as a place to visit and live.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said:“Many of those working in our city’s thriving visitor economy and cultural sectors are often unable to find affordable housing in the city, making it difficult for them to live close to where they work.
“In addition, the Council has declared a housing emergency, with more and more people presenting as homeless and not enough social homes available to meet this demand, and so too many residents have to use temporary accommodation, often in bed and breakfasts or hotels, taking vital capacity away from what should be tourist accommodation.
“That’s why it’s so important that this new funding is being committed towards a Housing and Tourism Mitigation Fund, which will be used alongside our existing investment programme for house building.
“This will ensure affordable homes are available for visitor economy workers in the city and means that bed and breakfast and hotel rooms can be used for their intended purpose – to welcome visitors to Edinburgh.
“This is the first fully agreed use of the Edinburgh Visitor Levy’s funds and will help deliver our objectives of developing, supporting and sustaining the quality public services and infrastructure that Scotland’s capital city must deliver for all visitors, residents and businesses.”
The money generated by the Visitor Levy scheme will be reinvested directly into initiatives that benefit residents and enhance visitor experiences.
In addition to housing, the investment streams include: city operations; destination and visitor management; culture, heritage and events; and a participatory budgeting programme, which will further allow residents and communities to have a say in how investment can be made to enhance the visitor experience in their area.
These investment streams are being developed by officers, and the Visitor Levy Advisory Forum will be consulted on all proposals. The proposals will be presented for final approval from relevant Council committees in January and February 2026.
Fiona Campbell MBE, Chief Executive, Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers and Vice Chair of Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) Policy Group said:“The ASSC fully supports the delivery of more affordable housing but this is not the right way to go about it.
!The levy was meant to support visitor infrastructure and services, not fund housing projects. Tourism businesses are once again being scapegoated for issues far beyond their making.
“It is deeply regrettable that Edinburgh Council now lays itself open to further avoidable legal and reputational damage. Instead of brushing aside reasonable concerns, the Council should listen to industry partners who will ultimately be the ones administering their visitor levy scheme.
“We urge the Council to halt these plans immediately until the legal risk has been properly evaluated.”
