West Lothian Council

13/06/2026

ONE WEEK to go until Read to the Beat begins!

Join us in West Lothian Libraries from Saturday 20th June to kick off the 2026.

The Reading Agency

12/06/2026

Talented West Lothian young people have been striking the right note in harmony with students from our twinned area of Hochsauerland in Germany.

The annual string orchestra exchange saw 24 local string players travel to Germany to perform in a special concert, alongside pupils from the Hochsauerland Musikschule.

Supported by staff from West Lothian Council’s Instrumental Music Service, pupils from academies including Armadale, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Sinclair in Winchburgh and St Kentigern’s in Blackburn as well as Livingston’s Deans Community High School, St. Margaret’s Academy, and The James Young High School, all spent a weekend rehearsing with Hochsauerland Musikschule pupils.

The video shows their fantastic encore performance of Velocity by Brian Balmages in front of German families and invited guests at the wonderful Neue Aula Concert Hall in Belecke.

As well as working hard on the music, the pupils and staff also found time for some fun - the highlights being an ice cream and a paddle in the lake at Mohnesee, and a visit to the Bilsteintal wildlife park and cave.

An excellent time was had by all and the standard of music was very impressive. One pupil said: “I loved every single thing about this trip. I've really connected with everyone and we've been chatting, playing games and making music. We've hardly looked at our phones the whole weekend!"

Everyone involved is now looking forward to welcoming our German friends to Scotland next year for the second leg of the exchange.

12/06/2026

Creating new affordable homes for West Lothian - The council’s target is to create a minimum of 1,621 new affordable homes over the next five years including a minimum of 383 additional council homes and a minimum of 1,238 additional homes delivered through Registered Social Landlords (RSLs).

Livingston has the highest demand for affordable housing.

• Current approved sites within the programme of council and RSL housing developments will deliver a total of 1,981 additional homes, exceeding the original approved minimum target of 1,621 by 22.2%. This has been possible due to additional funding secured by West Lothian through the Scottish Government and reflects the strong demand for development of affordable housing in the area.
• Excellent progress is being made in delivery of the programme across the active sites, with 1,515 units completed to the end of Quarter 4 2025/26, representing 93.4% of the overall Affordable Housing Programme minimum target of 1,621.
• Council officers will continue to seek all opportunities to increase new supply
• Affordable homes are currently under construction at thirteen sites across West Lothian. Three sites are being developed by the council comprising 95 houses, and ten sites are being developed by RSL’s. A total of 431 houses are under construction. A breakdown of the sites currently under construction is provided in the graphic.
• Of the approved projects included within the council new supply programme, updates on the progress at each site is detailed below.

The council will also acquire a minimum of 88 additional former council houses via the Open Market Acquisition Scheme over the five year period of the programme. This is an increase of 50 from the original minimum target. 68 houses have been purchased to the end of Quarter 4 2025/26 and further 20 are programmed for purchase during 2026/27 and 2027/28.

Houston Road, Livingston (33 units) - Estimated completions 2025/26 & 2026/27
Work is progressing well on site, with 24 homes completed and the remaining nine homes to be completed between in May 2026. All houses are tenanted and feedback has been positive. The development consists of a range of one, two and three bedroom houses including 4 bungalows.

Simpson Parkway, Livingston (32 units) - Estimated completions 2025/26 Work is progressing on site for the affordable housing, with six houses handed over in March 2026 and the remaining 26 units due for completion in August. All houses were occupied within days of handover and feedback so far has been positive. The development consists of a range of two, three and four bedroom houses including 4 bungalows.

Deanburn, Linlithgow (15 units) – Estimated completions 2025/26 The council took handover of all 15 houses in February 2026 and they were all occupied by council tenants within a week of handover. Feedback from residents has been extremely positive. The development consists of a range of two and three bedroom houses including five bungalows.

Almondvale Crescent, Livingston (20 units plus 28 as part of Supported Housing for Young People) - Estimated completions 2026/27 The development at Almondvale Crescent consists of a mix of two and three bed houses (20 in total) on site alongside 16 one bed flats designed to the flexible for future use as mainstream housing, and 12 supported flats for young people. Four of the flats will be accessible, and the development has been designed using modular construction which ensures a high quality factory designed product, whilst reducing on site times, which has reduced the overall programme of work. This project is being delivered on behalf of the council by our delivery partner Hub Co, who was notified in January that the contractor for this development had unfortunately entered administration. The council is working closely with Hub Co to progress the project, with the aim of minimising the potential impact on the overall programme, and Ogilvie Construction Limited (OCL) has been appointed by Hub Co as the preferred contractor to take the project forward. The work is progressing well on site, with phased completions due from Spring 2026 through to July 2026. The first phase of completions will be the 28 supported flats for young people

Winchburgh Grange, Winchburgh (16 units) – Estimated completion 2025/26 The council took handover of all 16 two bedroom flats in July 2025 and they were all occupied by council tenants within a short period of time. Feedback from residents has been extremely positive. The development consists of 16 two bedroom flats within one block.

Winchburgh Grange Phase 2 (15 units) – Estimated completion July 2026 These are additional units approved by Council in February 2026 and the development consists of five four bedroom townhouses and ten three bedroom terraced houses. Work is progressing well and all units are expected to be completed and handed over by summer 2026.

12/06/2026

Deans Primary School recently hosted a highly successful and inspiring Health Week, offering pupils a rich and engaging programme focused on physical, mental and community wellbeing.

Throughout the week, pupils across all stages took part in a wide range of learning experiences designed to promote healthy lifestyles and build awareness of important health-related topics.

A key highlight of the week was the opportunity to learn directly from professionals. Pupils discovered more about the vital role of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Hands-on sessions in CPR gave children the chance to develop life-saving skills and confidence in responding to emergencies.

The school also welcomed organisations and speakers who helped broaden pupils’ understanding of inclusion and wellbeing. Sessions on Young Carers raised awareness of the important responsibilities some children take on, while workshops on dyslexia helped promote greater empathy and understanding of different learning needs.

Mental wellbeing was a central theme, with pupils taking part in meditation and mindfulness activities to support emotional health and resilience. Visits from Guide Dogs provided insight into how assistance animals support independence and inclusion for individuals with visual impairments.

Health education continued with practical workshops on skincare and healthy food and nutrition, encouraging children to make informed choices about their wellbeing both now and in the future.

Adding an energetic and creative dimension to the week, pupils also participated in dance sessions led by local dance studio Nu Moves, where they explored movement, rhythm and fitness in a fun and inclusive environment. The sessions were hugely popular and encouraged pupils to express themselves while staying active.

A particularly exciting highlight was the visit from endurance cyclist Josh Quigley, who inspired pupils by sharing his remarkable journey and achievements. His message of perseverance, resilience and goal-setting left a lasting impression on the entire school community.

To round off the week, pupils took part in a whole-school litter pick, giving back to the local community and reinforcing the importance of caring for the environment. The initiative demonstrated the school’s commitment not only to personal health but also to community responsibility.

Depute Head Teacher Brian Weir said:
“Health Week has been a tremendous success and a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to explore all aspects of wellbeing. We are proud of our pupils’ enthusiasm, curiosity and commitment to learning new skills that will support them throughout their lives. Thank you to our staff, families and visitors who helped make Health Week 2026 such a memorable and inspiring event.”

12/06/2026

Improving the air travel experience for young people with autism👇🏻

Pupils from Ogilvie School Campus and Cedarbank School were recently invited to Edinburgh Airport to take part in an exciting project exploring how to make travel more accessible for young people with autism.

Pupils and their families were supported by Education staff from West Lothian Council as they took part in a full travel rehearsal day. This event followed Emirates' certification as an Autism Friendly Airline.

The event aimed to support pupils and families by building confidence, independence, and practical travel skills in a real airport environment.

On the day, staff from Emirates and Edinburgh Airport took pupils step-by-step through an authentic airport experience, including:

• Arrival at Edinburgh Airport

• Check in and bag drop procedures, complete with imitation Emirates boarding passes

• Security processing

• Boarding process rehearsal

• Time at the gate area

• Opportunity to watch aircraft take off and land

Staff and airport personnel were there every step of the way to ensure young people felt comfortable in what can sometimes be an overwhelming environment.

Both Emirates and Edinburgh airport will review the activities with the feedback from young people and their families set to inform future developments to try and remove barriers that may prevent young people with autism from travelling in the future.

Thanks very much to everyone involved in supporting our pupils in this event. Ogilvie School Campus Emirates

You can read more on this via the link in the comment section below 👇🏻

12/06/2026

The number of permanent council homes let out for the period 1st January to 31st March 2026 was 140 compared to the same quarter last year when 129 properties were let. This Increase in available lets is a result of there being a higher turnover of properties and more repair work being completed in more void properties compared to the same quarter last year.

The communities with the highest percentage of total lets were Linlithgow with 18 lets (12.9%); Eliburn / Kirkton with 13 lets (9.3%); and Armadale with 12 lets (8.6%)

The majority of properties that were available for letting in Quarter 4 were Cottage types 54 (39%) followed by Four in a Block at 46 (33%) and Flats at 26 (19%). There were also 9 Maisonettes (6%) and 5 Sheltered Housing lets (4%).

The report being presented to the Housing Policy Development & Scrutiny Panel next week provides information on the property turnover and lets in Quarter 4 of 2025/26. The report highlights that there has been an increase in available lets when compared to the same quarter of 2024/25 and that there continues to be some communities where there is no movement in vacant properties at all

Details are provided via the link in comments

12/06/2026

Blackburn Gala Day - Road Closures and Parking Suspension Saturday 13 June
Road closures and parking suspensions will be in place for Blackburn Gala Day from 10am on Saturday 13 June until 2.30pm on Saturday 13 June

Road Closures
Bathgate Road - Between Riddochhill Road (north) and Riddochhill Road (south).
Ash Grove - Between Bathgate Road and Elm Grove
Rowan Street - Between Rowan Drive and Ash Grove

Parking suspensions:
Elm Grove, Ash Grove, Rowan Drive, Rowan Street, Mosside Road, Ladeside Road, Ladeside Avenue, Riddochhill Road, Mill Road.

Diversion Routes
Diversion via Bathgate Road - Riddochhill Road, Mill Road and vice versa.
Ash Grove - Elm Grove, Rowan Drive, Rowan Street, Mosside Road, Bathgate Road and vice versa.

As well as directed by Police Scotland

Map of closure and diversion can be viewed by clicking on the link in the comments

Road closures and parking suspensions will be in place for Blackburn Gala Day

12/06/2026

SNOW SCOTLAND SNOW PARTY: Whilst the gritters won't be 'coming down the road' until winter, road maintenance teams can BEAR-ly contain their excitement ahead of Scotland’s opening World Cup match. Thanks to

12/06/2026

Message from the Post Office
Following the closure of Blackburn Post Office we will be re-opening the branch on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 11:00. This will be in a new location - Premier, 1A Whitehill Road, Blackburn, EH47 7HH.
Your new Post Office branch
Customers would access Post Office services at a low-screened, open-plan, modern serving point that’s part of the retail counter. Working with the postmaster, we’d adapt the current store layout, fixtures and fittings to accommodate the Post Office.
Why your views matter
Whilst the decision has already been made to reopen this branch, they would still like your views on access at the new location.
• Access into the new premises (Question 4)
• Access inside the new premises (Question 5)
• Any further feedback on our plans (Question 6)

Link in summary

12/06/2026

Phase two of works to improve the A904 / B8020 Winchburgh Road junction will continue from Monday 15 June 2026.

Phase 1 works were completed in March and involved essential infrastructure, such as underground ducting and traffic signal/cable chambers.
Phase two will include the completion of traffic signal works, including road markings, signage, and traffic signal poles, before the permanent lights are switch on and made operational. They are expected to take up to two weeks to complete.

Temporary traffic lights will be in place to allow the work to be safely completed. These will be manually controlled during the morning and afternoon peaks, however delays and longer journey times should be expected.

The works are required as part of a planning condition for the Core Development Area in Winchburgh, which meant the new signal junction had to be delivered once a trigger point was reached. The signals will ensure the junction can accommodate the increased vehicle numbers and movements from the settlement expansion in Winchburgh.