Leader's Report - June 2026

A day out to remember

I want to begin this month by celebrating something joyful and positive – the wonderful Edinburgh Taxi Outing, which brought our city streets to life last week.

Yet again, our cabbies raised the bar with their fantastic taxi decorations and my thanks go to them, and all those who volunteer to make this such a special day for local children. I also want to thank Police Scotland and our roads and transport teams who pulled out all the stops to make sure the event could go ahead as planned. 

I have such happy memories of being part of the parade with my daughter so it was great fun to be on the other end of the water pistols and balloons as I joined the (increasingly wet!) Lord Provost in front of the City Chambers to wave the taxis and their passengers on their way.

I'm sure all those children and drivers taking part had a fantastic day, but it's also a brilliant sight for the many spectators who line the streets to cheer it on. Seeing the smiles, excitement and community spirit on display reinforced just how much this special event means to people and I’m sure it will continue long into the future.

Celebrating Edinburgh’s diversity

Last month I introduced our new campaign, ‘Edinburgh is Our Home’, which sets out to celebrate the many benefits immigration brings to our city while, at the same time, promoting understanding, acceptance and interest in our city’s many cultures and communities. Sadly, the events of recent weeks are a stark reminder of the need to take a stand against racism and other forms of prejudice.

We’re working with our partners across all sectors to share real-life stories of people who have come to Edinburgh and made it their home – and we’ve already heard from some inspirational individuals who are making a welcome and positive difference to our city.

I can think of no brighter beacons of diversity than our primary and secondary schools and it was timely that the fourth annual Saroj Lal Awards took place last week.

A welcome fixture in our schools’ calendar, the awards celebrate all forms of art and music that challenge inequality through creativity. From poetry to portraiture, singing to sculpture, I was blown away by the quality and range of award entries. It’s so encouraging to see our young people challenging prejudice and demonstrating our commitment to equality.

I had the privilege of working with Saroj over several years. She was a pioneering force in race relations and passionate campaigner for equal opportunities – and we can all learn from her inspirational life and legacy.

Giving our young people the best start in life

With a wider debate taking place on how we can keep our children safe online, and the Prime Minister announcing a social media ban for under 16s, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made towards keeping our classrooms smartphone free.

From August, we’re introducing ‘bell to bell’ mobile phone restrictions and lockable pouches in our secondary schools. As one of the first local authorities in the country to do this, we’re confident that keeping devices out of the classroom will benefit our teachers and pupils.

This is just one way we’re seeking to raise attainment and make sure that our young people get the most out of their time in school. We know that one size doesn’t fit all and, by offering a broader range of subject options – from roofing and stonemasonry to business skills and digital media – we’re giving our young people a genuine choice of subjects and skills.

And the good news is it’s paying off: our school leavers going on to positive destinations (96.74%) is the highest on record and the gap between the least and most disadvantaged pupils has never been smaller.

To all pupils who have recently finished their time at school, I wish you all the best for whatever comes next, whether that be university, college, an apprenticeship, or entering the world of work. And, for those who recently finished exams, I hope you get the results you’re hoping for in August!

Housing boost

Like cities and towns across the country we’re facing huge challenges in terms of housing shortages, the cost of living and a rising population. That’s why, when we set our budget in February, we agreed a record £1.6 billion investment in affordable homes and temporary accommodation – one of the biggest public sector interventions in recent years.

We’re already making good progress against our targets and have just agreed to spend more than £200 million on council housing this year. The Housing Revenue Account investment programme focuses on a range of ambitious projects to boost our housing stock and improve the standards of our existing estate.

This includes an investment of over £111 million for housebuilding in 2026-27, contributing to the development of 4,275 new affordable houses over the next five years. This is alongside significant spending on areas such as buying homes from private developers to help boost settled accommodation, bringing empty homes up to lettable standards and improvements to the city’s highrise and low-rise estates.

On track for transport

The future expansion of Edinburgh’s tram network reached another milestone last week with the publication of the public consultation responses and market research. It will be for members of the Transport and Environment Committee to debate the merits of the Strategic Business Case in September but I strongly believe that the full north-south route (as proposed) remains the best and most sustainable option for the future growth of our city, the economy and the wider region.

Sticking with travel, I’m pleased to report that, after years of painstaking work, the North Bridge will completely reopen to traffic and pedestrians by the end of July – ahead of festival season getting underway. This has been a complex and difficult project but I hope you’ll agree it has been worth it. The new façade is truly spectacular and it’s fantastic to see it restored to its former glory.

If we needed any further evidence of the success of our e-bike hire scheme, new figures show it to be the most popular in Europe, with Edinburgh coming out first out of all 125 Voi-operated schemes. The scheme was also highly commended at the Scottish Transport Awards last week in the ‘Contribution to Sustainable Transport’ category.

I’m reliably informed that, by August, the scheme is due to have expanded to my own ward in Portobello, alongside Cramond, Gorgie and Dalry. Time to dust off my cycle helmet!

Summer in the city

With the return of the Royal Highland Show this weekend, the Jazz and Blues Festival in July and the joyful pandemonium that descends on the city in August, it’s a timely reminder of the important role major festivals and events play in showcasing Edinburgh to the world – while also sustaining thousands of jobs for local people.

We want to make sure that the benefits of tourism are shared across our communities, which is why I’m looking forward to seeing the Edinburgh Visitor Levy coming into effect in July. We expect the levy to bring in close to £50 million a year by 2028/29 – the single biggest injection of new funding this side of the millennium.  

Projects will see more investment in our public spaces, parks and greenspaces, putting more police on our streets and restoring cultural attractions – including much-loved venues like the former Royal High School and Leith Theatre – standing to benefit everyone who lives and works here.

The levy will also provide significant new investment in the city’s infrastructure and public spaces. This includes £100,000 each year to upgrade and replace bins in high-footfall areas, £500,000 annually to expand graffiti removal and £1.3 million for additional services in the city centre.

The good news is we’re starting from a good place: Edinburgh is already the cleanest city in Scotland, as revealed in the latest Local Environmental Audit and Management System (LEAMS) scores. Our score is 92.8%, our highest score in over five years.

This is thanks to the efforts of our hard-working colleagues and community groups, but also initiatives like Pride in our City, which has seen our teams visit over 1,400 streets in 16 wards, collecting 500 tonnes of debris, fly tipping and litter. We’ve also supported over 370 requests for Community Clean Up events, providing litter pickers, bags, gloves and removing waste. Let’s keep up the good work!

Well done, Hearts!

I want to end by passing on my congratulations to Hearts Women on being crowned SWPL Champions!

To win the league title for the first time in their history is a remarkable accomplishment, marking a dramatic rise from amateur football to league champions in just a few years.

Just as importantly, it represents the continued growth and strength of women’s football across Edinburgh, and I have no doubt these Hearts players will inspire generations of girls and young women looking to get involved in football, or any sport.