Council budget 2021-22
The budget for 2021-22 focuses on Edinburgh’s recovery from the pandemic while tackling key priorities of
- eradicating poverty
- cutting carbon emissions
- working for a fairer, more inclusive city where every resident feels valued and empowered.
We deliver a vast range of services to people who live and work in Edinburgh. In 2021/22 we will spend over £1 billion on services and our priorities. This includes
Reducing poverty
- £82 million on early years services - 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare by August 2021
- £2.8 billion over ten years in capital projects including 10,000 new Council-led affordable homes by 2027, modernising existing homes and producing zero carbon emissions by 2030
- £3.6 million to improve pupil attainment, achievement and attendance, as well as £7 million from Scottish Government Pupil Equity Funding
- £0.8 million for clothing grants
- £0.17 million to freeze fees and charges for school meals, care at home services, garden aid and library reservation charges and fines
- An additional £10 million on temporary accommodation for ongoing impacts of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Over £1 million to maximise household incomes for those who need it most
- Free school meals for almost 7,700 pupils and all pupils in P1-P3
- Almost £30 million for people who need help paying their council tax
- £0.175 million extra for the Edinburgh Guarantee
- £0.4 million to help people at risk of homelessness and support those experiencing homelessness into secure tenancies
- £1.05 million for families to manage crisis needs, more direct payments due to COVID, food security and expand programmes like Discover!
- £2 million extra to help all our school pupils get the equipment they need for their studies
Sustainability - working towards being carbon neutral by 2030
- £8.4 million to finish upgrading our street lighting to energy-efficient LED lights
- Trams to Newhaven project including £2.4 million to support local businesses
- £7.6 million to continue to replace more than 200 vehicles with lower emissions ones
- £0.5 million to support our climate obligations and further decarbonisation of the Council’s estate
- £0.3 million to support our sustainability plan
- £0.5 million for digital Smart City initiatives
Health and wellbeing
- £19.7 million to complete Meadowbank Sports Centre
- £2.3 million for community mental health support and school counselling
- £3.9 million in grants to improve mental health and wellbeing, learning and development and to support personal and social development
- £0.5 million to improve our parks, playparks, food growing and urban forests, with £4 million of related capital investment
- £0.25 million to set up a short-term let licensing and enforcement system
- £0.11 million to strengthen and support our role as corporate parents by expanding the support team
- £0.052 million to extend the role of the Gaelic development
In 2021-22, we will also invest
- £8.5 million on North Bridge
- £234 million on health and social care services
Over the next ten years, we will invest
- More than £189 million on roads and pavements, including winter maintenance
- £68 million on road safety, network, cycling and public transport
More information
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