West Lothian Bulletin Spring 2025

Local road investment
Continued improvement in West Lothian’s roads
and infrastructure is a key priority for the council. Page 15
Pupil Power
be a voice
for our community
Apply now to become
a Citizen Inspector and help shape
and improve local services.
Get involved. Let’s
make a difference
together!
westlothian.gov.uk/cli
Literacy and numeracy levels highest on record
West Lothian is one of the top performing councils
The number of West Lothian
pupils achieving the expected
levels in both literacy and
numeracy are the highest on
record.
Recently released national
show that hard-working
primary pupils across West
Lothian performed above
the national average in every
one of the 15 Curriculum for
Excellence measures.
The percentage of P1, P4 and
P7 pupils in West Lothian
combined who were achieving
the expected levels in literacy
and numeracy were both
more than five percentage
points about the national
average, at 79.6% and 85%
respectively.
Progress has been made to
narrow the attainment gaps
in West Lothian compared to
last year, with primary pupils
from the areas of highest
deprivation achieving above
the national average in both
literacy and numeracy.
The percentage of West
Lothian pupils from
these areas achieved the
expected level in literacy
and numeracy were 73.1%
and 77.4% respectively, both
significantly higher than the
national averages of 64.4%
and 71.9%.
Executive councillor for
education Andrew McGuire
said: “I’m delighted that
West Lothian has been rated
as one of top performing
local authorities in Scotland
for primary attainment once
again.
“Huge thanks to everyone
involved in supporting our
fantastic pupils to make
this happen, our dedicated
teachers, Early Learning
practitioner, support staff
and other council staff who
support schools, parent/
carers and the wider school
communities.”
Garden
Waste
Permit
From 1 June 2025 you must
display a new permit if you want
to continue with your garden
waste collection.
If you don’t purchase and display
a valid permit, only food waste
will be collected.
Turn to page 10 or scan
the QR code for more
information.
Follow West Page Lothian’s
6
new WhatsApp channel
Page 6
Scan Page the QR 5 code to get the latest
news and updates in your area
by signing up to the council’s
WhatsApp Page 5 channel
SPRING 2025 EDITION - PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER

2 Bulletin news.westlothian.gov.uk
Shin-Etsu Handotai Europe Limited has marked an
impressive 40 years of operations in West Lothian.
Parking enforcement
approved
Parking charges are
to be introduced in
West Lothian, but not
before mid-2027.
Shin-Etsu is the world’s leading
silicon wafer manufacturer and
supports the semiconductor
market with 150mm & 200mm,
Polished Wafer & Epitaxial Wafer
manufacturing at its bespoke
manufacturing facility located in
Livingston.
ShinEtsu first moved to
Livingston just over 40 years ago
and have based in their current
site since 1988. Since then they
have gone from strength to
strength with their products
being used across the globe.
The company employs over 500
people.
Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister
for Business joined Depute
Leader of West Lothian Council
Susan Manion on a visit to the
Livingston site earlier this week
to mark Shin-Etsu’s 40th year in
West Lothian.
They were welcomed by senior
representatives from Shin-Etsu,
including Akihiko Tamura,
Managing Director & CEO, John
Wallace, Vice President, Martin
Murray, Senior Director, Business
Administration , Jaqueline
Sloan, Operations Director and
Diane Young , HR Manager They
were joined by Adam Wood
from Techworks NMI, and Alice
Mitchel, the council’s Economic
Development Manager.
Councillor Susan Manion said:
“It was my first time visiting the
Livingston plant which is very
impressive.
“Shin-Etsu Handotai Europe
Limited has been a mainstay in
West Lothian for over forty years
which is a tremendous milestone
and one that we’re delighted to
help celebrate. Long may the
company continue to thrive in
West Lothian and continue to
be a global ambassador for the
area.”
The council recently considered
different ways of introducing
decriminalised parking enforcement
(DPE) in West Lothian in the future.
Most councils in Scotland already
have already introduced parking
charges.
Benefits of the scheme could include:
better enforcement of illegal
parking to help those with Blue
Badges
improved traffic flow though
reduced obstructions and;
promoting use of public
transport
Currently only Police Scotland can
enforce parking in West Lothian.
The council is to apply to the
Scottish Government to take over
responsibility for road parking
offences. If approved by the Scottish
Government, this legal process
for this takes around two years,
so any DPE scheme would not be
implemented in West Lothian before
mid-2027 at the earliest.
So far, 22 of Scotland’s 32 local
authorities have introduced DPE,
with another one in progress, leaving
West Lothian among the remaining
nine still to do so.
Charges being considered could
range from £0.50 for a stay of up to
two hours in long-stay car park up
to £6 for an all-day stay at a busy
town centre car park, along with free
parking at other times.
All the options being considered
would require the council to
forward fund the required levels
of investment to implement a DPE
scheme with income from options
for charging offsetting these costs in
subsequent years.
MIST:
Memory Information
Support Team
Do you support someone
experiencing memory difficulties
and feel you need some support or
someone to speak to?
MIST is a partnership project
offering early support to people
looking after someone with
memory difficulties and the person
they support. This could be
pre-diagnosis or following a
memory assessment.
Our project aims to help carers and
the person they care for to stay well
for longer and feel better supported
through their journey.
For more information or to register:
01506 448 000
office@carers-westlothian.com
carers-westlothian.com
Carers of
West Lothian
Support MIST can provide:
• Practical information and
advice
• Emotional wellbeing
support/someone to talk to
• Peer support groups
• Creative and social groups
• Training
Topics of support may include;
dietary, benefits and legal advice
inc. Power of Attorney, home
safety, wellbeing sessions and
dementia awareness sessions
Winchburgh Railway progress
A meeting between West Lothian Council, Winchburgh Developments
Ltd, Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Minister for
Agriculture and Connectivity was held recently to discuss progress for
the proposal to deliver a railway station at Winchburgh.
A new railway station
is included within the
original masterplan for
the Winchburgh Core
Development Area. However,
there has never been an
agreed funding source to pay
for the train station.
Funding remains to be
secured for this project, but
a potential funding solution
has been identified.
The council recently
became the role of Copromoter
for the project,
jointly with Winchburgh
Developments Ltd, the main
developer for the area. The
developer is now working
with Network Rail on the
design work required to
develop a Business Case,
which is required to apply
for funding for the station.
The expectation is that
the Business Case will be
submitted to the Edinburgh
and South East Scotland
City Region Deal to apply
for funding, or through an
application to any other
public funding source which
may be identified within the
work of the project Steering
Group.
Lawrence Fitzpatrick,
Leader of West Lothian
Council said: “The benefits
of a railway station in this
town will be significant in
terms of increased access
to employment, education
and leisure, as well as the
decongestion benefits and
carbon emission reductions.”
John Hamilton, Chief
Executive of Winchburgh
Developments Ltd, added:
“We are delighted that the
council has accepted the
role of Co-promoter on this
project. This is a very positive
step forward for the delivery
of the railway station, which
has always been included
as part of the masterplan
for the Winchburgh Core
Development Area.”

news.westlothian.gov.uk
Investment in care for young people
Planning permission has been granted for the creation of a
new residential house for young people.
Bulletin
3
West Lothian Council is building
the new house on Land To
South East Of Torcroft Raeburn
Crescent, Whitburn.
The project will replace Whitrigg
Strengthening
care and support
for children, adults
and older people
Community Centres across West
Lothian will not close with no
community left without a centre
or facility for local use.
The council has been working
with Community Centre
Management Committees
to discuss ways in which
the committees can take on
ownership and management of
centres, but to also ensure that
the income generated by the
centres contributes towards the
cost of running the centres, and
that centres remain on a sound
financial footing.
Individual Management
Committees currently receive
all the income generated via
community centres, but the
council pays for all of the running
House, a residential house for
young people that is currently
located in East Whitburn.
Whitrigg House in East Whitburn
is a two-storey converted house
that provides residential care
for children. The property no
longer meets modern standards
and a new, purpose-built house
will ensure care can be provided
to a maximum of 4 young
people with accommodation
for support staff. It is hoped
that additional one bedroom
accommodation on-site
would be created to support a
young person to transition to a
permanent tenancy of their own.
Strengthening care and support for
children is one of our key priorities and
this is an important project, and an important
milestone. I look forward to the project moving
forward which will benefit generations of young
people in West Lothian.”
Anne McMillan, Executive councillor for Health and Care
Safety net for
Community Centres
Work to deliver a sustainable future for West
Lothian’s community centres is continuing
to progress & changes to the way in which
community centres are operated in future will
ensure they remain open.
costs for staffing, heating and
electricity, maintenance and
upkeep of the facilities. This is no
longer financially sustainable for
the council.
Julie Whitelaw, Head of Housing,
Customer and Building Services
said: “From the beginning, the
main focus of this work has
always been to include the local
community in the future running
of community centres and this
will continue, no matter what
outcome is agreed for each
centre.
The process of community
engagement is ongoing and a
report will be brought back to
Council Executive in June. If all
other options fail to identify a
sustainable model of community
operation of a community centre,
officers will consider any other
options or measures which
would ensure the continued
operation of community centres,
and ensure that each area has a
community centre.
Leader of West Lothian Council
Lawrence Fitzpatrick said:
“Communities will continue to
have a community centre for local
use.
“It is widely accepted that the
status quo cannot remain as
it is not sustainable. We must
look at how income generated
via centres pays towards the
running costs. Both management
committees and council officers
have put in a huge amount of
work into this process to date.”
Safety measures investment
West Lothian Council is nearing completion of its
programme for twelve new pedestrian crossing facilities
as part of the Active Travel Plan that helps to encourage
cycling, walking and improving safety for road users.
The installation of the pedestrian
crossings within West Lothian
is funded by the Scottish
Government through their
Cycling, Walking and Safer
Routes (CWSR) initiative:
These programmes have been
completed:
A89 at Newhouses Road,
Broxburn (Pedestrian refuge
island)
Murieston West Road,
Livingston (Toucan crossing)
Kirkton South Road,
Livingston (Toucan crossing)
Lower Bathville, Armadale
(Zebra crossing upgrade)
Hardhill Road, Bathgate
(puffin crossing)
Springfield Road, Linlithgow
(puffin crossing)
Church Street, Addiewell
(Upgrade of zebra to puffin
crossing)
Calder Park Road, Mid Calder
(dropped kerb crossing)
Main Street, Mid Calder
(puffin crossing)
Preston Road, Linlithgow
(puffin crossing)
These projects are expected to
be complete towards the end of
March:
North Street, Armadale
(Puffin crossing)
Main Street, East Whitburn
(Pedestrian refuge island)
One of the new measures
has recently been completed
on Preston Road, between
Linlithgow Primary School and St
Joseph’s RC Primary School.
In 2024 alone, nearly £2milllion
of capital funding was invested
in West Lothian’s road network,
with a further £620,000 spent
on upgrading and maintaining
public paths and over £2.7million
invested in roads projects such
as cycle paths and casualty
reduction schemes.
Over £6million will be invested in
roads, footways, street lighting,
bridges and structures and flood
prevention and drainage during
2025/26.
This includes £1.3 million on
roads projects including Road
Casualty Reduction schemes,
Traffic signal improvements and
active travel schemes.
This is an important programme
of work that will enhance safety
for local children and pedestrians,
and communities across the county
will benefit. It was a pleasure to meet
pupils from both local primary schools
in Linlithgow, for whom the crossing will play an
important part in their daily commute to and from
school.”
Tom Conn, Executive councillor for environment and sustainability
Celebrating a special day?
Get in touch
If your family is celebrating a special anniversary or birthday - such as a 100th birthday, or a
Diamond (60), Blue Sapphire (65) or Platinum (70) wedding anniversary, please get in touch
with the council at: llclerk@westlothian.gov.uk or call 01506 281675

4 Bulletin westlothian.gov.uk/education
Beatlie Campus celebrates award-winning year
A West Lothian school for pupils with additional support
needs has been celebrating an award-winning year.
Leader of West Lothian Council Lawrence Fitzpatrick and Executive councillor for education Andrew McGuire visited the
school recently to congratulate them on their awards.
Beatlie School Campus in
Livingston moved to a new
bespoke state-of-the-art
campus in August 2023. This
fantastic new building has
enabled them to improve
the care and education they
provide for the West Lothian
young people aged from 3 to 18
with severe and complex needs
who attend.
The impact of this superb new
building was recognised at the
recent Learning Places Scotland
(LPS) Awards, who awarded the
school the much-coveted LPS
Project of the Year (Inclusive
Design) Award, as well as
winning for Pupil/Student
Experience trophy.
West Lothian Council’s Depute
Chief Executive Elaine Cook
also collected a Recognition
Award from LPS due to her
impressive work with Beatlie
and other school projects such
as the Winchburgh Campus and
West Calder High School.
The Beatlie School Campus
project was also awarded
a commendation in the
education category at
the Glasgow Institute of
Architecture (GIA) Awards,
and was named as Small
Public Development of the
Year accolade at the Scottish
Property Awards earlier this
year.
Councillor McGuire said: “It’s
always fantastic to visit Beatlie
School Campus, and see the
positive benefits of their superb
new building.
“It’s great that Learning Places
Scotland and other award
bodies have recognised what a
special project Beatlie is, and
the huge difference it makes to
the lives of vulnerable young
people.
“We have invested heavily
in our dedicated facilities
for children with additional
support needs, with a new
Cedarbank School recently
completed, along with
improvements to Pinewood
and Ogilvie.”
The school serves a centre of
excellence for children and
young people, with purposebuilt
facilities including a
sensory garden, hydrotherapy
pool and NHS Child
Development Centre.
Beatlie Headteacher Debbie
Green added: “We are very
proud of our new Beatlie School
Campus, which is a fabulous
environment for our children.
“It has enabled us to improve
the standard of care and
learning we can provided for
our young people.”
The new Beatlie School campus
was developed with council
investment and funding from
the Learning Estate Investment
Programme (LEIP), a joint
initiative between Scottish
and Local Government. It was
delivered for West Lothian
Council by Hub South East,
with Morrison Construction the
main contractor and architects
NORR.
Award-winning composer strikes the
right note at West Lothian schools
The award-winning film
composer of the musical
scores for films like Brave,
Harry Potter and the
Goblet of Fire and Thor
visited senior pupils at
two Blackburn Primary
schools recently.
Kick Pitch goal achieved at Our Lady’s
A West Lothian primary school has been celebrating the opening
of the newly refurbished kick pitch.
Our Lady’s Primary
School in Stoneyburn
held a fun afternoon of
activites to mark the
grand opening, including
five-a-side football,
a Basketball Hoop
challenge and a Beat the
Goalie event.
Staff and pupils were
joined at the event by
families and the wider
school community, as
well as special guests,
Cristian Montano and
Michael Nottingham from
Livingston Football Club.
Our Lady’s Principal
Teacher Sinead
McLaughlin said: “Health
and Wellbeing is a very
high priority at Our
Lady’s, so to have such
a fantastic, safe space at
our new kick pitch for our
children to use for PE,
clubs and at break times
is very special.
“We know the local
community have been
eagerly awaiting this
event too, and it was
fantastic to be able
to share this fantastic
occasion with them.”
Murrayfield and Blackburn primary
schools welcomed Patrick Doyle, who
has composed music for a huge number
of famous film and movie projects.
Classically-trained composer Patrick,
who is originally from Uddingston
in neighbouring South Lanarkshire,
shared some of his experiences from his
glittering career in theatre, film and TV.
His talk provided a fascinating insight
into the role of composer, as well as
sharing incredible tales of his time
on film sets around the world, which
has included working with legendary
directors such as Kenneth Branagh and
Mike Newell and on famous movies
including Carlito’s Way, Nanny McPhee
and Bridget Jones’ Diary.
Blackburn and Murrayfield Headteacher
Kevin McCabe said: “It was fantastic
to welcome Patrick Doyle to speak
to pupils from both Murrayfield and
Blackburn primaries.
“Patrick has had an amazing career
composing music for a wide-range of
top films and movies, and shared stories
from his time working on them.
“Many thanks to Patrick for giving up
his time to come to speak to us, and
perhaps inspire some of our pupils to
consider a career in music or the arts in
the future.”

westlothian.gov.uk/education
Winchburgh ceremony marks
school campus completion
Hawkhill Primary
School is on track to be
completed this summer
5
A special ceremony has been held to mark the official opening of Winchburgh
Academy and the neighbouring Sport and Wellbeing Hub.
It also marks the end of the £61
million project to deliver three new
schools and shared sports facility,
which is West Lothian’s largest ever
investment in education.
Kirsteen Sullivan, MP for Bathgate
and Linlithgow, unveiled special
plaques that will be put in place on
each building. She said: “Both the
school and hub have been open
for some time and have already
proven themselves to be huge
assets for the growing community
of Winchburgh.
I’d like to thank everyone involved in delivering the
Winchburgh schools project for their hard work to
provide such superb facilities for learning for
our young people. Kirsteen Sullivan, MP
The new schools are required
to cope with the demand for
school places in the growing core
development of Winchburgh, with
at least 3,800 new homes expected
to be built.
Funding for the new schools
comes from developer
contributions from Winchburgh
Developments Ltd, which
developers are legally required to
make as a condition of building
homes in the area.
The construction of the
Winchburgh Schools Project
was delivered on time and on
budget on behalf of West Lothian
Council by development partner
Hub South East, with Morrison
Construction as the primary
contractor.
The frame of the building is all in place and roof
cladding is nearly complete with wall cladding and
windows progressing well.
The development of a new primary school at Hawkhill
is required to ensure new housing developments
have appropriate catchment schools and ensure
West Lothian Council meets its statutory educational
responsibilities.
The proposed new primary school will have an initial
capacity for 231 pupils and will have a flexible design
that will allow for future expansion if required.
Executive councillor for Education, Andrew McGuire
said: “The establishment of a new Primary School and
associated nursery in the Hawkhill area is required
as further development continues in the Winchburgh
area.
“This will help ensure another first-class educational
setting is delivered for the benefit of local children for
years to come.”
Digital School Award for Croftmalloch Primary
Great progress is being made
at St Kentigern’s Academy
The Digital Schools Awards is a national awards scheme to
promote, recognise and encourage a whole school approach
to the use of digital technology in schools.
This is an award, recognised
by Education Scotland, which
recognises excellence in the
use of digital technology.
The application was made
by a team of staff led by class
teacher Kiera Martin.
Ms Martin said: “The assessor
was highly impressed with
the quality and depth of our
evidence, particularly noting
the volume and variety of
examples we provided. They
commended how we have
embedded digital technology
across the curriculum
to support all learners,
particularly praising our
approaches to assist pupils
with Additional Support
Needs.
“They highlighted how
confidently our children were
able to articulate their learning
during the validation visit.
Their ability to speak with
clarity and pride about their
use of digital tools and how
these enhance
their learning
experience was
particularly praised. The
assessor spoke highly of the
use of our Pupil Voice Groups
and was particularly impressed
with the children’s ability to
highlight, plan and evaluate
the impact of the change they
inspired.
“Following the success, we will
now become a mentor school,
supporting others in their
journey towards achieving the
Digital Schools Award.”
Our development of the new wing at St
Kentigern’s Academy is on track with the new
facilities due to open in the summer next year.
The latest drone footage shows the new wing development together
with images showing the newly opened Almond Suite for practical Craft,
Design and Technology lessons, the newly decorated communal areas
in the main building and the temporary facilities including classrooms,
canteen and assembly space in the state of the art learning village.
The council is rebuilding over 60% of the new school, which had to be
demolished due to reinforced autoclaved aerated
concrete (RAAC).
The new facility will include sports, learning, social
and dining facilities, and is expected to be open to
pupils in 2026.
Scan the QR code to view the footage:

Your Budget Facts
What services does the council provide?
£
The Council has
four budgets
that pay for
all council
services
1 2 3 & 4
Revenue
This covers the day-today
spend and includes
the cost of running
services.
Capital
Capital funding is one-off amounts of
funding that are used to create new assets
and improve existing facilities. This includes,
school buildings, play areas and open
spaces, roads and paths, extensions and redevelopment
of school buildings.
Housing (Capital &
Revenue)
This includes day-to-day investment in
managing housing services, and one off
investment in council housing – such as
the creation of new council homes.
Revenue Budget Explained
£605
million
will be spent on
delivering day-today
local services
(2025/2026)
Over
90%
of the council’s revenue budget will be spent on
education, social care and operational services
which includes roads, waste services and open
spaces.
Council Tax will increase
by 8.95% across all
bands in 2025/26.
£11.3 million on public transport
(including school transport) including
and bus subsidies for privately owned
bus providers
£20.4 million on facilities
management, including school meals,
cleaning council buildings, janitorial
staff and street crossing patrol guides
£7.6 million
on the
council’s fleet
of vehicles
£34.7 million
is spent on social
work services
for children and
families
£42.8 million
on services for
vulnerable adults
£10.1 million
on footpaths,
street lighting,
roads, winter
maintenance,
structures and
flood prevention
£4.2 million
on planning,
regeneration,
economic
development,
trading
standards and
environmental
health
£3.5 million on
neighbourhood services
including: Libraries,
Registration Services ,
Community Centres and
Customer Information
Services
£60 million
on services
for older
people
£3.6 million
on culture
and sports
services
£5.2 million
Homelessness
& Community
Safety services
£27.2 million
on Early
Learning and
Childcare
£20.4 million
on support for
children with
additional
needs
£78.5 million
on Primary
School
education
£70.6 million
on Secondary
School
education
£6.4 million
on country parks/
open spaces, play
areas, street cleaning
and cemeteries
£14 million
on waste
management &
recycling services
*Based on 2024/25 data
Changes to
some services
Due to insufficient levels of
Scottish Government funding
combined with increasing
costs, the council has a budget
gap of £12million for 2025/26
– and a predicted budget gap
of nearly £35 million over the
next three years.
By 2028, the council will have
had to make budget savings of
almost £207 million between
2007 and 2028.
Overall the number of staff
working for the council will
reduce over the next two years.
Scan for
more details
on savings
approved:
Why does the council have to make reductions in services?
Grant funding from the Scottish Government is
critical for councils, and your council services.
80% of the council’s budget comes from the
Government and it allows the council to
fund the vast majority of council services.
Insufficient levels of Government grant
funding has resulted in a budget gap and
significant changes to services over the past
15 years.
Without additional income from the
Government, councils are at risk of financial
failure if they don’t act and reduce spending
that enables them to balance their budget.
Whilst Government funding can increase, it
has not increased enough to cover the rising
cost of service and the growing demands
faced by changes to demographics.
Without additional income from the Scottish
Government, councils will need to look at
further spending cuts and generate more
income to close our budget gap and balance
our budget.
What does a balanced
budget mean?
Legally, the amount of funding the council
spends needs to be equal to the
funding we receive. What we spend
needs to match our income.
This is what is meant by
balancing our budget.
Costs Funding Budget gap
2025
BUDGET
GAP
2026
2027
2028
2029

West Lothian Council budget 2025 7
Council Tax
Council Tax will increase by 8.95% across all bands in 2025/26.
This equates to a weekly increase of £2.39 and a monthly increase
of £10.37 for a Band D property.
8.95% Council Tax (CT) Increase broken down
The proposed council tax levels and annual, weekly and monthly increases in bills across all bands if the annual increase was 10% is below.
Band 2024/25 Council Tax (£)
8.95% Increase in
Council Tax (£)
Movement (£)
Monthly Council Tax
Increase (£)
Weekly Council Tax
Increase (£)
A 927.31 1,010.30 82.99 6.92 1.60
B 1,081.86 1,178.68 96.82 8.07 1.86
C 1,236.41 1,347.07 110.66 9.22 2.13
D 1,390.96 1,515.45 124.49 10.37 2.39
E 1,827.57 1,991.13 163.56 13.63 3.15
F 2,260.31 2,462.61 202.30 16.86 3.89
G 2,723.96 2,967.76 243.80 20.32 4.69
H 3,407.85 3,712.85 305.00 25.42 5.87
What does Council Tax pay for?
Whilst Council Tax is important, it does
not pay for all council services.
A broad selection of these services are set out
in the graphic to the right but the vast majority
of a council’s revenue budget is spent on two
broad areas:
Education
Council Tax therefore contributes towards the
cost of council services but 80% of services
are funded via the Scottish Government’s grant.
Council Tax makes up around 19% of the council’s
budget:
Council Tax
Fees & charges
Social Care
Scottish Government Grant Funding
80%
19%
1%
69 Days
with
services
One Year
80%
How long would the council operate for
if it relied on Council Tax alone?
296 Days with
no services
How is each £1 of council funding spent?
29p
Social Care (including adults, older
people and children services – care
homes, support for people with
learning and physical disabilities)
1p
Passenger Transport
(including school transport for
pupils and subsidies for local
commercial bus services)
2p
Roads, paths & street lights
(including maintenance and
repair, bridges, winter services
and community transport)
4p
Waste and Recycling services
(running household collections,
disposal of waste & recycling centres)
2p
Parks, street cleaning, grass and
land maintenance
53p
3p
Community facilities (including the
day to day running and maintenance
of libraries, CIS officers, community
centres and Partnership Centres)
6p
Corporate regulatory functions –
including HR, Planning & Economic
Development, IT, Legal, Finance,
Health & Safety & Advice Shop
Schools and nurseries, additional support needs,
teachers and other school staff, school property
maintenance, facilities management within schools,
crossing patrols & catering. This also includes Adult
Learning & leisure
For more information on
West Lothian Council’s
budget scan the QR code.

Improving West Lothian
Over £201 million is set to be invested in West Lothian’s
infrastructure and council owned properties between next
year and 2033. The investment plan is set to be agreed as
part of the council’s long term capital investment plan
which is being presented to a meeting of Full Council.
What is Capital Funding?
Capital funding is one off amounts of funding used to upgrade/
repair existing infrastructure or build new assets, such as new
buildings, school extensions or new roads and paths. Capital
funding cannot be used on day-to-day running costs but is used to
build new infrastructure and maintain existing assets.
Investment overall
This year alone (2025/26) approximately £61 million would be spent
on local infrastructure. This is in addition to the £68 million that was
spent last year.
Capital funding is generated through Scottish Government grant funding, income generated through the sale of
council owned assets such as land and properties, borrowing and other sources of funding – which are given to us for
specific projects.
Here’s where the £61million would be spent in 2025/26:
Over £48.8million of property improvements, new projects and maintenance
Over £6million on roads, footways, street lighting, bridges and structures and flood prevention and drainage
Over £3.5million on open spaces, parks, sports facilities, children’s play area & cemeteries
£2.6 on Information Communication Technology
A closer look at investment in the local
property estate this year:
Investment of £25 million in school
projects that includes major projects
at St Kentigern’s Academy, Craigshill,
Livingston and East Calder Primary
The council has put in place legal
agreements with developers that
ensures that they contribute towards
the cost of West Lothian’s school estate
to meet the demand that new housing
places upon local services. Over £15
million will be invested in school
projects this year that are developer
funded. This includes projects in
Winchburgh, Calderwood, Bangour
and a significant extension at West
Calder High School.
£2.8million will be invested in buildings
at Whitrigg House and Homeless
Accommodation
One key part of the capital investment
this year is the £1.3 million investment
in school building improvements,
which includes boiler upgrades and roof
replacement and roofs.
Further general maintenance
investment will focus on improving
Partnership Centres
Open space and sports facility investment plans:
Over £1 million will be invested in
children’s play areas during 2025/26,
with projects to refurbish West Lothian’s
eight district parks as well as those at
Dixon Road in Whitburn, Stoneyburn
Main Street and Westrigg in Armadale.
£1.8 million investment in projects
in 2025/26, which will include Boghall
Skatepark, the multi-use games area at
Watson Park in Armadale, managing
trees and woodlands and tackling ash
dieback.
Over £234,000 will be invested in
schedule repairs for nine parks during
2025/26, including: Almondvale Park
and Fells Rigg Green in Livingston;
Blackridge Park; Blaeberryhill Park
in Whitburn; Craigton Park, Broxburn;
Foulsheils Park, Fauldhouse; Kirkton
Park, Bathgate; Sommers Park, East
Calder; and Springfield Park, Linlithgow.
£200,000 spent on West Lothian’s
cemeteries during 2025/26, as part of
£3.2 million investment over the next
eight years, which will include extension
at Boghead Cemetery in Bathgate and
Fauldhouse Cemetery.
West Lothian Council will invest £22.9
million in open space and sports
facilities between now and 2032/33.
A closer look at investment in the local
property estate this year:
Investment of £25 million
in school projects that
includes major projects at
St Kentigern’s Academy,
Craigshill, Livingston and
East Calder Primary
The council has put in place legal
agreements with developers that ensures
that they contribute towards the cost
of West Lothian’s school estate to meet
the demand that new housing places
upon local services. Over £15 million will
be invested in school projects this year
that are developer funded. This includes
projects in Winchburgh, Calderwood,
Bangour and a significant extension at
West Calder High School.
£2.8million will be invested in buildings
at Whitrigg House and Homeless
Accommodation
One key part of the capital investment
this year is the £1.3 million investment
in school building improvements,
which includes boiler upgrades and
roof replacement and roofs.
Further general maintenance investment
will focus on improving Partnership
Centres
Capital funding is critical and allows us
to upgrade, improve and develop local
infrastructure and properties. It is something
that local services and local people rely upon.
“As we confirmed last year ,there remains a risk that funds available for
capital investment could be significantly reduced from 2025 onwards,
which is a direct result of reduced capital grant funding from the Scottish
Government.
“It is clear to see that medium to long term funding from the Scottish
Government for Capital projects is expected to decrease significantly
throughout our ten year plan. We certainly hope that forecast changes and
that we are able to be in a position to invest more in West Lothian’s services
in the years ahead.”
“We are fully committed to improving local services and infrastructure for
the residents of West Lothian and we will continue to look at ways to do that
as efficiently as we can.”
Lawrence Fitzpatrick, Leader of West Lothian Council

Plans will see investment of £17.8
million towards the creation and
purchase of new council homes.
The new build programme will
deliver a further 150 additional new
council houses, including both new
build and open market acquisition
additions (where the council
buys properties to create council
homes). This will deliver an overall
total of 427 new council houses
over the course of the investment
programme.
£33 million will be invested to
improve and maintain existing
housing, ensuring council homes
continue to meet the Scottish
£100
million
Quality Housing Standard
(SQHS). Works include projects to
deliver energy efficiency
measures, central heating
replacements, aids an
adaptations and repair and
external wall insulation upgrades.
£17.9 million to be invested
in fourteen individual projects
which includes a variety of
upgrades consisting of longterm
maintenance work, where
structural elements such as roof
and external walls are beyond
repair
Planned programme works
of £31.6 million will take place -
investment in
West Lothian’s
council housing
covering a broad range of
activities, including kitchens and
bathroom replacements, window
and door refurbishments,
painting and fencing
programmes.
£638,000, will go towards
general environmental
improvements and external
upgrading, including
tenant led street improvement
projects. Although many works
are of a small scale, these projects
can have a substantial impact on
local amenities and will be
informed by council tenants and
local communities.
West Lothian Council budget 2025 9
Council housing rent
An annual rent increase of 3.5% each year from
2025/26 to 2027/28 has been approved.
This is designed to help ensure continued investment in council
housing infrastructure, improving existing homes and creating new
affordable homes.
This decision has been informed following consultation with the
tenants with the majority of those that responded expressing a
preference for a 3.5% per annum rent increase. All income generated
via council housing rent is reinvested in council housing and services
for tenants.
It is important to stress that every penny of
income from council rent collections goes towards
enhancing homes for our tenants and maintaining
and improving the quality of council homes remains a key
priority for the council.
“We also remain committed to the delivery of new highquality
affordable housing, with funds committed to
identified opportunities to increase the social housing stock
in areas of high demand in West Lothian.”
George Paul, Executive councillor for housing services
What does your Council deliver for
you and your community?
Improving Educational
achievement
Tackling Homelessness, Poverty and Inequality
West Lothian pupils are achieving significantly above the
level of the virtual comparator and the national average
at key measures of Breadth and Depth attainment at
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)
Level 6
The percentage of primary pupils achieving nationally
expected levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy
is above national performance in all measures, including
those in the most deprived areas
Helping to Create Strong and
Sustainable Communities
We supported over 14,500 individual customers, resulting in an
increased income of over £24million through additional benefits
and helped manage nearly £6.7million of customers’ debt.
Over £568,000 customers savings were secured for customers,
through energy efficiency advice and access to financial support
with energy costs along with 287 potential evictions prevented
to ensure that tenants can remain in their homes
97% of Crisis Grant Decisions were made within 1 day in 2023/24,
from 74.2% in 2022/23
Developed enhanced housing options for young people under 18
which has helped to decrease Youth Homelessness by 13%
80% homelessness applications were assessed within timescale
in 2023/24, an increase from 48% in 2022/23
Housing
The council will build 427 additional
council homes by 2028
899 new affordable homes were
delivered in 2023/24
West Lothian Council delivered 2,075
additional council homes between
2012 and 2024. Of this number, 1,733
were new build which is the second
highest number of council new build
completions in Scotland
Over half of all household waste was recycled in 2023,
an increase from 2022
94% score achieved for the cleanliness of local streets,
from 93.1% in 2022/23
6.5million household bins were collected last year
Roads & paths
We manage a road network that is 659 miles in length
and growing. This includes the maintenance of 594
structures, 48,176 street lights and 38,180 gully drains.
Our safety inspection programme continues throughout
the year to ensure road defects are identified and
repairs quickly and the roads are kept safe for the
traveling public.
In 2024, we repaired 4541 pothole defects.
Last year our gritter fleet covered over 27,000 miles over
the winter period to keep the roads free from ice and
snow.
Strengthening care and support for children, adults
and older people
Children/Justice
We currently have 83 West Lothian Council Approved
Foster carers caring for 123 young people.
124 children who are looked after, stay with their
kinship carers
22,337 unpaid work hours were completed
Adults
On average, 5,561 pieces of equipment each year are
delivered to individuals to promote their safety and
independence.
On average, 846 minor adaptations each year are
completed to promote safety and independence,
such as handrails and banister provision.
Support for older People
Over 1,800 adults and older people supported
with over 30,000 hours of care at home per
week
100% of care homes in West Lothian are
assessed by the Care Inspectorate as good or
above.
Social Policy manage three residential care
homes for older people, caring for a maximum
of 110 residents at any one time.
Ongoing increases in use of TEC and
telecare to support people to live at home
independently, in line with their wishes

10 Bulletin
Purchase your
Garden Waste Permit
Garden
Waste
collected
From 1 June 2025 you must display a new permit if you want to continue with your garden waste collection.
If you don’t purchase and display a valid permit, only food waste will be collected.
Please purchase your new/renewal permit from 14 April 2025.
You can purchase your permit at: www.westlothian.gov.uk/brownbins or scan
the QR code or call 01506 280000.
Once your permit arrives, please follow the instructions provided, remove your old
permit and attach your new permit to your brown bin.
A permit costs £52.75 per household (maximum two brown bins per household).
SCAN FOR MORE
INFORMATION
All new permits are valid from
1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026.
Newspaper and
magazines
Plastic
bottles
Cardboard
boxes
Pots, tubs
and trays
Your blue bin is for clean
& dry paper, card and
cardboard only.
Mail and
envelopes
Your green bin is for
empty, clean & dry plastic,
tins, cans and cartons only.
Empty
aerosols
Office and
shredded paper
Cartons
Kitchen and
toilets roll tubes
Tins and
cans
Empty plastic
bags
We do not currently
recycle the following
items in either the
blue or green bin, so
please place them in
your grey bin:
Greasy pizza boxes
Tissues/kitchen roll
Bubble wrap
Polystyrene
Nappies
Crisp packets
and tubes
Clothes
hangers
Pill/blister
packs
Wet cardboard
Black bin bags.
For more details of what can be recycled in your blue and green bins, please visit www.westlothian.gov.uk/blueandgreenbins
Residents in flatted properties who only have a blue bin should visit www.westlothian.gov.uk/bluebinonly instead.

www.westlothian.gov.uk/housing
Update on
supported Housing
at Almondvale
Crescent, ivingston.
Delivering more council homes
11
Work was paused on the project -
being delivered by Hub South East
on behalf of West Lothian Council
- following the administration
of Connect Modular, the main
construction contractor appointed by
Hub South East.
Council officers have been working
with Hub South East to resume works
as quickly as possible and minimise
any delay to the project as a result
of the Hub South East’s contractor
ceasing to trade.
An alternative contractor has been
appointed to finish the remaining
construction elements of the project
allowing the project to progress
towards completion.
Work continues on enhancing the number of council homes available in West
Lothian with projects underway in Linlithgow and Livingston.
Fifteen new council homes
are being built in Linlithgow
with Cala Homes East
delivering the homes on
behalf of West Lothian
Council as part of their
Deanburn development in
Linlithgow.
The homes will include two
3-bedroom semi-detached
houses, five 2-bedroom
bungalows and eight
1-bedroom cottage flats.
Barratt Homes East Scotland
are working to deliver 33
new homes for West Lothian
Council at its Woodland Gait
site on Houstoun Road in
Livingston.
The homes will include six
1-bedroom cottage flats,
twelve 2-bedroom cottage
flats, four 2-bed houses, four
2-bed bungalows and eight
3-bedroom houses.
It is anticipated that homes
across both sites will be ready
for completion in early 2026.
Both developments are
funded by West Lothian
Council, with assistance from
Scottish Government grant
funds to make homes more
environmentally friendly.
Executive councillor for
housing George Paul said:
“The council continues to
look at all possibilities to
expand the social housing
stock and meet the needs of
those in search of housing.
“We look forward to working
with both developers to
deliver high quality, energy
efficient homes in areas of
great demand.
Empty homes in WL going down
The number of empty council properties (voids) in West Lothian
is at its lowest level in several years.
The number of empty council
properties (voids) in West Lothian is at
its lowest level in several years.
Currently, less than 2% of all council
properties in West Lothian are
currently without a tenant. This is a
significant reduction compared to
the number of void properties the
previous year.
There has also been an increase in
the number of properties being re-let
(1,167 properties), an increase of 111
compared to the same period last
year.
Executive councillor for Housing
Services, George Paul said: “Social
housing is in short supply and this
is a key priority for the council. A
significant amount of effort and
resources has been deployed to
ensure that we reduce the number of
empty (void) properties locally, and
ensure they are re-let as quickly as
possible.”
What is a VOID?
All council homes that are returned
to the council are classified as being
‘Void’ and all need some degree
of repair work or maintenance
checks. This can range from a simple
electrical safety test to a complete
refurbishment including new kitchens,
bathrooms, central heating, electrical
and plumbing.
Condition of homes returned
The condition of void properties
determines how quickly the council
can turn them over and have them
available to re-let.
Unfortunately, the council has
experienced a significant increase
in the number of properties where
the condition is classified as ‘C’
Class, nearly doubling in numbers
since 2020/21, which means that a
significant level of repair is required.
For the more complex cases, where
significant repairs are required, these
homes can be out of action for a
prolonged period of time.
Going forward
Julie Whitelaw, Head of Housing,
Customer & Building Services said:
“ We are certainly making progress
in that area, but there is still work to
be done. It’s our aim to reduce the
number of void council properties to
1% or below, which we believe would
be one of the best performances in the
country.”
ARE YOU
ON THE
HOUSING
WAITING
LIST?
For anyone (tenant or non-tenant) who
is on the council housing waiting list,
we need you to ensure your housing
application is fully up-to-date to ensure
that it records their current housing
requirements.
Please do that by logging into your account
at WLC | Login Screen or by contacting the
customer service centre on 01506 280000.

12 Bulletin news.westlothian.gov.uk
Problems with pests?
West Lothian Council’s
PEST CONTROL SERVICE CAN
DEAL WITH A WIDE RANGE
OF NUISANCES, INCLUDING
RODENTS AND INSECTS
Image copyright by Tunstall
The expert service is available at reasonable rates
to everyone, with discounts available for those in
receipt of certain benefits. Council tenants receive
the service for free.
For more details please scan the QR code or visit
www.westlothian.gov.uk/pestcontrol or call 01506 280000 to
book an appointment.
WL CAN you improve
West Lothian’s environment?
Are you interested in improving your local area,
growing your own food, or making your home
greener, and cheaper to run?
Want to reduce waste, give household items
a new lease of life, or make local transport
cleaner, cheaper and more efficient?
West Lothian Climate Action Network (WLCAN) supports local
groups involved in environmental projects such as sustainable
transport, re-use, repair and recycling, community gardens and
food growing, water protection, green energy and nature. They
also offer skills training and free climate workshops and training
to schools, community groups and businesses.
WLCAN gave funding support to RAAG (River Almond
Action Group) for their ‘Butts are Beautiful’ project
RAAG bought a range of water butts that were
dispersed to community organisations and keen
gardeners around West Lothian
Butts are beautiful because they catch rainwater, so
reduce pressure on the sewer system
They also provide a water supply for
gardens that plants love!
To learn more about WLCAN’s work or to join as
a group or individual, please scan the QR code or visit
wlcan.scot or follow them on Facebook facebook.com/WLCAN

Accessing Health & Wellbeing Services in West Lothian
Your handy guide to community health services in West Lothian.
There are lots of services that can help you if you are unwell. This guide gives information and advice
about how and when to use services in the best way. Please retain this guide for future use.
13
Self care
Selfcare is about looking after ourselves so
that we stay healthy. It’s also about taking
care of ourselves when we are ill. Before
asking for an NHS appointment, why not
think about how you can help yourself? You
might find the following websites and phone
numbers useful:
NHS Inform: www.nhsinform.scot or 0800
224 488 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm). Information
about healthy living, illnesses or health
conditions, injuries, how to look after yourself
and when to seek advice.
NHS24 helpline: 111 Advice 24 hours a day
on health problems.
Treat yourself better:
www.treatyourselfbetter.co.uk Advice on
what to do if you have cold or flu symptoms
Self Care Forum: www.selfcareforum.org/
resources/patientportal Includes fact sheets
about looking after yourself when you are ill.
Healthy living
For advice on healthy eating, exercise and
stopping smoking: www.nhs.uk/livewell or
www.nhsinform.scot.healthy-living
For help to stop smoking, ask your pharmacist or
contact: West Lothian Stop Smoking Service:
01506 651 829
If you are interested in exercise and being more
active visit: www.activewestlothian.com
If you are over 50 and want to be more active:
Living well – for people aged 50+ :
www.westlothianleisure.com
West Lothian Leisure, in partnership with West
Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, can
offer targeted exercise programmes to patients to
assist with Mobility, mental health and physical
rehabilitation. If you feel you would benefit from
such a programme please contact your GP to
request a referral.
For information about local activities and
support to get out and about: British Red Cross
Community Coordinators: 0131 654 0340
Common illnesses or advice on medicines
Pharmacy First - This is a Free Service: Your community pharmacist can give you advice
or treatment for many minor illnesses such as:
Acne
Allergies
Athletes Foot
Backache
Cold Sores
Constipation
Cough
Diarrhoea
Dry Eyes
Earache and Ear Wax
Eczema
Emergency Contraception
Haemorrhoids (piles)
Headache
Headlice
Indigestion
Impetigo
Mouth Ulcers
Nasal Congestion
Pain and period pain
Sinusitis
Sore throat
Thrush
Threadworms
UTIs
Warts and Verrucae
For further information go to: www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhsservices/pharmacy/nhs-pharmacy-first-scotland
Your Practice Nurse
Practice nurses are experienced in dealing
with many health conditions such as
high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes,
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
and a range of minor illnesses such as
chest, urine and ear infections, as well
as skin conditions. Many can prescribe
medications and arrange investigations.
Your GP practice Receptionist will be able
to provide advice on whether the nurse
might be the best clinician to deal with
your problem.
Dental and mouth problems
Emergency Dental Care (Registered &
Unregistered Patients)
What is a Dental Emergency?
Trauma to the teeth
Uncontrolled Dental Pain
Facial Swelling (altered appearance)
Swelling inside the mouth
Ulceration
Altered Sensation (face or mouth)
If you require routine dental treatment,
please contact your own dentist during
their normal working hours.
If you are not registered with a dentist,
please refer to the Lothian Dentists
Muscle and joint
problems
For muscle and joint problems such
as back, neck, hip or knee pain you
can visit: www.nhsinform.scot/msk
for help. Or ask your GP Practice if they
have a GP Advanced Physiotherapy
Practitioner (APP) you can see. If they
are not available, ask your GP team for
advice. They may refer you to your local
physiotherapy service.
Young people
Foot problems
If you have a foot problem you can
go to: www.nhsinform.scot/msk
and search for ‘foot injuries’ Or, if you
think you need an appointment for
specialist foot and nail care with a
Podiatrist, you can refer yourself - ask
for a referral form at your GP practice.
Or visit:
services.nhslothian.scot/podiatry
Information on all services can be found on: www.westspace.org.uk
Telephone for mental health and relationship concerns.
Listen & Link self referral service call 01506 283160 or email:
mentalhealthsupport@westlothian.gov.uk
Someone to talk to:
Childline 0800 1111
Relationship Helpline 0808 802 2088
National Society for the Protection
of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
Helpline 0808 800 5000
The Mix Helpline 0808 808 4994
Hope Line UK 0800 068 4141
Website: weare.nhslothian.scot/
dentists
How to access emergency dental care
Weekdays
Registered patients – contact your own
dentist (9am-6pm & 9am-3pm Friday’s)
call NHS 24 on 111 after 6pm (3pm on
Friday’s)
Unregistered patients – call Chalmers
Dental Care Centre in Edinburgh: 0131
537 8801 / 8802 9am-6pm Mon-Fri.
Out of hours, weekends and public
holidays please contact NHS24 on 111.
Anxiety UK 0344 477 5774
Parentline 08000 28 22 33
Young Minds Parents Helpline
0808 802 5544
Child Bereavement UK
0800 02 888 40
Text VOICE to 85258 for free and
confidential support 24/7
Hearing problems
Many high street opticians also offer hearing
tests and help with existing hearing aids.
Eye problems
For problems like red eyes, painful eyes and
visual problems such as floaters, cataracts and
other changes in your vision, you can make
an appointment at any high street optician.
Opticians are trained to recognise common eye
problems. They can also provide treatment or
refer you to specialist services if needed.
Infants and toddlers
For advice and treatment for children and babies:
Contact your Health Visitor for help and advice
Ask your local Pharmacist
For advice on common infant and toddler
illnesses go to: www.whenshouldiworry.com
Social work support
Social Work Duty and Child Protection Team
01506 284848 (option 2)
Adult Social Care Enquiry Team (ASCET) 01506
284848 or adultsocialcare@westlothian.gov.uk
ASCET provide an essential central point of
contact for all enquiries for services, such as those
for Older People, Adults, Occupational Therapy
and Support at Home.
01506 282 252 Livingston anyone under 65
01506 284 700 Bathgate under 16 and over 65
If you do need advice from your GP Practice:
Alcohol and drug problems
Drop-in Clinics: Call 01506 282845
for more information.
These are drop in clinics for anyone
looking for help with a drug or
alcohol problem. Please phone to
check times and venues across West Lothian, or or
scan the QR code.
Depression, anxiety and
mental wellbeing
Westspace: Provides an overview of all local
mental health services: www.westspace.org.uk
Breathing Space: Offers someone to talk to if
your feelings are overwhelming 0800 838 587 or
www.breathingspace.scot
Samaritans: The Samaritans can help you
understand your problems better, or just be there
to listen. It is not just for people who feel suicidal.
116 123 National Freecall number.
Scotland Action for Mental Health (SAMH) 0344
800 0550 or www.samh.org.uk
Carers
If you care for a family member or friend and would
like some advice, information or support contact
Carers of West Lothian. Carers of West Lothian’s
young carer support service is also here to support
young people aged 8 to 18 years who are in a caring
role. 01506 448000 or email: office@carerswestlothian.com
or go to
www.carers-westlothian.com
All GP Practices within West Lothian have a policy of active signposting for patients. This is designed
to connect patients more directly with the most appropriate source of help or advice; this may
include services in the community as well as within the practice.
If the receptionist asks what is wrong with you, please tell them. They are asking so they can find the
most appropriate appointment for you. Reception staff are bound by the same confidentiality rules
as doctors and nurses. They are not allowed to tell people outside the practice anything about you.
And if you are unable to attend your appointment please
phone and cancel. This means that your
appointment can be offered to another patient.
West Lothian
Health & Social
Care Partnership

14 Bulletin news.westlothian.gov.uk
Take part in
SPRING CLEAN 25
Schools, businesses and
local volunteers are all being
encouraged to help play their
part in Spring Clean 2025
Spring Clean is Keep Scotland
Beautiful’s annual campaign
which encourages thousands of
volunteers spend time outdoors
cleaning up the environment
through sociable, fun, litter
picking sessions.
In 2024 the West Lothian area
ranked third in the country
for participation, with 285
events registered with 2323
Volunteers take part including the
involvement of 36 schools and 19
local businesses during the Spring
Clean.
Spring Clean 2025 takes place
from 21 March – 21 April and
West Lothian Council’s Cleaner
Communities Team is once again
encouraging participation and
can help organise registered
group litter picks and provide litter
picking equipment to support
local volunteers, schools and
businesses.
For young people across the
country who want to get involved,
the Litter League will be returning
this year, beginning the week
before on 17 March and running
until 21 April. Schools, nurseries
and other youth groups across the
country are encouraged to take
part and compete for Spring Clean
glory.
Last year businesses big and small
across the country took part in
Spring Clean and are once again
being encouraged to get involved
and organise litter picks and
support their communities and
employees who are passionate
about keeping Scotland beautiful.
If you have a local event you are
looking to get registered as part of
Spring Clean, or if you are looking
for some support to set an event
up, please get in touch with the
Cleaner Communities Team via
email - communitycleanup@
westlothian.gov.uk
Falla Hill Primary School are just
one of the schools planning to
take part this with pupils playing
an active role in keeping their
community clean all year round.
Executive councillor for the
environment Tom Conn
joined staff from the Cleaner
Communities team on a visit
to the school Councillor Conn
said: “We all want West Lothian’s
streets towns and villages to be
clean and tidy and we all need
to work together to achieve this.
Our schools play a massive role
in teaching our young people the
importance of looking after our
environment. It was a pleasure
to meet pupils at Falla Hill in
Fauldhouse and I look forward to
seeing more schools taking part in
the Spring Clean again this year.
“We are rather lucky in West
Lothian to have a large network of
volunteers committed to tackling
#SpringCleanScotland - Get Involved
To find out more about Spring Clean, scan the QR code.
For more information on the local Don’t Waste West
Lothian campaign please visit
www.westlothian.gov.uk/dontwaste
littering and groups such as West
Lothian Litter Pickers must be
thanked for their ongoing work
across the area.
“If you are interested in playing
a part in the local Spring Clean
effort then please get in touch
with the council’s Cleaner
Communities Team to help us
register as many litter picks as
possible. This data will prove
very useful to help inform future
projects to reduce litter and
protect our natural environment.”
New role for St David House
Plans to turn former council offices in
Bathgate into a mixed-use community and
religious facility have been approved.
The council has given permission to Sarajia Islamic
Studies & Community Centre Ltd (SISCC), to transform
the vacant St David House building in Bathgate.
SISCC are a long-established community organisation,
and have been operating in Bathgate from nearby
Whitburn Road for over 30 years. The plans will see the
existing retail unit and café retained, with the former
council offices changed into a gym, community hall,
community food court, classrooms and the mosque on
the top floors.
The approval of the planning application will also
see the previously agreed Community Asset Transfer
process concluded to transfer the site from council
ownership to SISCC. The income generated through
disposing of unused council assets like this creates
an important funding stream, which can then be reinvested
in essential services.
Show your love
for West Lothian
businesses
West Lothian residents are being
encouraged to love local and boost the
West Lothian economy.
Our traditional town centres and villages
have a wide range of shops, restaurants
and attractions for anyone looking for the
perfect gift, meal or event.
Spending money locally helps support jobs
and the economy across West Lothian,
boosting local businesses and helping
them tackle the economic challenges facing
them.
There’s so much in West
Lothian for everyone, that
often there’s no need to look further
afield. With great shops, superb
restaurants and local attractions to
visit, please make sure you
check everything West
Lothian has to offer.
Susan Manion, Depute Leader of
West Lothian Council

15 Building Strong, Sustainable Communities
Local road investment
Continued improvement in West Lothian’s roads and infrastructure is a
key priority for the council.
Last year nearly £2milllion of capital funding was
invested in West Lothian’s road network, with a further
£620,000 spent on upgrading and maintaining public
paths. A further £2.7 million was invested in roads projects
such as cycle paths and casualty reduction schemes.
Significant funding is also invested in street lighting
and structures and bridges. In addition, further
funding is used to maintain and upgrade the council’s
roads infrastructure on a day-today basis (revenue
funding) amounting to over £1 million per year.
Case study – Stoneyburn crossroads
Recently, a section of the B7015 route
at Stoneyburn crossroads has recently
undergone re-surfacing works between the
Five Sisters Bing and the junction of the
B792 at Blackburn Road.
During site investigative works prior to
designing this scheme, carriageway cores
and testing was undertaken to determine
the existing road construction on this
section of road to inform the detailed
design.
Unfortunately, unsuitable contaminated
material within the original road
construction was found and the council’s
Engineers had two options:
1 remove the contaminated material
from site and dispose of it safely at a
specialist facility or;
2 amend the design to consider an
on-site re-cycling scheme where
the excavated material would be safely
removed and re-used on site as part of
the new construction
Option two was chosen and the works was
completed at the beginning of December 2024.
By amending the design, Engineers not
only achieved a significant cost saving of
approximately £100,000, but they also
reduced carbon and transport emissions.
£100,000
The recycling process involved
pulverising the excavated
material which was then
mixed on site and compacted
thoroughly to produce a quality
road construction. The design
life of the process is quoted to
be between 15-20 years, which
will also reduce long-term
maintenance costs.
“This was a very challenging project, however the experience of our design Engineers adapted
the design for this road maintenance scheme to provide not only a suitable road maintenance
solution to the contaminated material problem, but also delivered a sustainable project for
road users, saving project costs and whole life cycle maintenance costs.”
David Maule, Interim Head of Operational Services
Repairing West Lothian’s potholes
We appreciate motorists will encounter potholes
from time-to-time, so this update might be helpful.
On average, out with
the winter months,
West Lothian Council
normally receives
around 245 pothole
repair requests each
month.
However cold and wet weather
during the winter results in
more potholes. The RAC says
that heavy rain and freezing
temperatures is the perfect
recipe to help create more
potholes. Water enters the
small cracks that are on roads,
expand when frozen, then
thaw. This then causes the road
surfaces to crumble.
To put this into context locally,
during the winter months our
team can respond to nearly
double the amount of pothole
repair requests, in one month
alone. This highlights the
amount of work the team is
getting through both in terms
of checking customer enquiries
and repairing pothole defects.
The team don’t take reports of
potholes from Facebook, but
our online reporting tool allows
you to report potholes within
seconds.
The online portal has enable
residents to report potholes
more quickly and has enabled
us to increase the
amount of
repairs carried
out. So
thanks for
reporting
The team
repaired 4,541
pot-hole
defects last
year.
David Maule, Interim Head of Operational Services said:
“Cold and wet weather is always going to be a problematic time for potholes and we fully
appreciate that potholes are frustrating, but they certainly aren’t limited to West Lothian.
The process of reporting potholes online has enabled residents to report potholes using a
map within seconds and this has increased the number of enquires and reports. This way,
the repairs get carried out more quickly.”
When a pothole is reported:
When a pothole is reported
to the council, the roads team
normally attend within 24 hours
to assess the extent of the works.
For high risk defect this means that we will
infill potholes within 24 hours of the defect
being recorded and we will return at a later
date to undertake permanent repairs if
required.
We have dedicated teams working to infill
potholes at all times.
Generally speaking potholes assessed as lower risk can
be infilled within 5 working days although some may take
longer due to the circumstances of the repair.
More often than not, our team will put in
place a temporary patch.
This ensures that the roads are safe in the short term and
reduces the damage done to vehicles. Our team will return soon
afterwards to undertake a full and
permanent repair if that is required. REPORT POT HOLES
This can involve traffic management
or even temporary closures so a patch
is very helpful to both ourselves and
motorists as it prevents having to close
roads completely whilst we schedule in
permanent repairs.

Whitburn
gym extension!
Scotland’s Strongest Man, Chris Beetham, joined the
Xcite Whitburn team in launching their newly extended
gym space!
Chris kicked off the launch day celebrations by lifting the first weight in the
brand-new dedicated strength area. Xcite Whitburn is the first Xcite venue
to install the new Technogym Universe Multi Racks, along
with 8 new Pure Strength plate loaded machines.
Customer feedback on the new gym has been fantastic!
If you haven’t had a chance to visit yet, scan the QR code
to check out the new space.
Pickleball launches @ Xcite
Bathgate & Linlithgow:
Family Fitness
Factory launch:
Get fit
as a
family!
Following successful launches at Xcite
Broxburn & East Calder, we are delighted
to announce that Pickleball sessions are
now available at Xcite Bathgate and Xcite
Linlithgow.
Combining elements of tennis, badminton,
and table tennis, Pickleball is a fun,
accessible sport suitable for all ages and
abilities!
BOOK
NOW!
Now live in 6 Xcite venues,
Family Fitness Factory is a brand new fitness
class designed to encourage families to get active together.
For kids aged 8-11 and their grownups, this
30-minute class is all about learning functional
fitness basics, and having fun!
Visit www.westlothianleisure.com for more information or
contact your local venue to book a court.
Scan the QR code to check out the new class or
visit our website for the latest class times.
Xcite Annual Review 2023 / 2024
We are pleased to share our 2023 / 2024 Annual Review.
This past year, we’ve generated £14.4 million in social value through
our programmes and services. These contributions have had a
significant impact in reducing healthcare costs—such as fewer GP
visits, dementia care savings, and lower psychotherapy expenses to
name a few.
In 2023/24, we welcomed a record-breaking 2.6 million visits across
our venues and services. We’re also particularly proud of the 25%
increase in concessionary visits through our Access
Xcite programme, reaffirming our commitment to
ensuring that everyone in West Lothian has the
opportunity to lead healthier, happier and longer
lives. Scan the QR code to read the full report.
BOX12 comes to Xcite!
Xcite Craigswood are proud to be the first venue in Scotland
to launch the BOX12 In-Club Experience!
Already popular in a number of venues across the UK, BOX12 combines the
high-energy elements of boxing with functional circuit training, making it
accessible, effective, and ideal for busy schedules.
Plus, with a new virtual round starting every few minutes, users can join a
session whenever it suits them.
For more information or to request a tour of the new space, contact the Xcite
Craigswood team on 01506 237940.
www.westlothianleisure.com
West Lothian Leisure (known as Xcite) is a scottish Charity, SC027470.