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Edinburgh Reporter
4 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Plans for Winchburgh station to be ‘lodged imminently'
Plans for the new Winchburgh Railway station will come before West Lothian councillors within months. The business case for development of the station is near completion and designs are ready to go to planning consent. A report to councillors, set to go before a meeting of West Lothian's Executive on Tuesday, says: 'It is anticipated that a planning application (likely to be an application for matters specified in conditions) is expected to be submitted to the council as planning authority imminently.' That means the principle of the station has already been accepted; only details have to be agreed. The station could be operational by the end of the decade. The report said: 'On 6 May the First Minister set out the Scottish Government's Programme for Government for 2025-26. The programme makes specific reference to a railway station at Winchburgh in the section on A Safe Sustainable Transport System for Scotland.' That says funding should be considered for the new station. Network Rail is set to lodge the planning application. The station cost is estimated at between £20.5 million and £22 million. The report details: 'An additional stop at Winchburgh has already been incorporated within the timetable for the Edinburgh – Dunblane service and this has no timetabling impacts on the Edinburgh- Falkirk High – Glasgow timetable.' The design will incorporate an initial 100 space car park with room for expansion. The reports adds: 'Modelling of the station forecasts around 625 passengers boarding per day at Winchburgh in 2030, increasing to 768 in 2045. 'In the morning peak hour there will be around 80 passengers travelling towards Edinburgh and an estimated 50 towards Stirling. This will equate to an increase of around 10% in rail usage on the Stirling to Edinburgh rail service. 'Winchburgh passenger demand is forecast to grow by around 20% between 2030-45. There is likely to be a 20-25% reduction in bus patronage when the station opens but this loss will be recovered as the housing development is built out.' As a comparison passenger usage at nearby railway stations shows Linlithgow has 1,400 passengers a day and Uphall with 650. Only Falkirk High, with 1,100 passengers comes close to Linlithgow, with passenger numbers in the hundreds at Polmost and Falkirk Grahamston. A steering group, which includes the lead developer, Winchburgh Developments, Transport Scotland, Network Rail, SEStran, ScotRail, the City Region Deal and the council, has been meeting monthly for around a year now and 'good progress is being made'. The steering group reports to a stakeholder group comprising MSPs and elected members from the council together with members of the steering group. The next meeting of the stakeholder group has been confirmed for later this month. With the business case complete and designs ready funding has to be secured. Current costs are based on 2027 estimates. By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
6 days ago
- Climate
- Edinburgh Reporter
Beecraigs storm clear-up unlikely to be completed by the start of the summer holidays
Work to clear the last of the January storm damage in Beecraigs near Linlithgow is unlikely to be completed by the start of the summer holidays. Beecraigs took the brunt of January's Storm Eowyn, and later storms, with more than 200 trees brought down. They were among thousands damaged across West Lothian. The loss of so many trees will mean that the long- term management plans for the woodlands will have to be updated. West Lothian Council has applied to Forestry Scotland for fast-track felling licences to tackle the last remaining areas of fallen trees. Main public pathways are now open but there is still some windblown damage off the tracks Following reports to the Linlithgow Local Area Committee a council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to remove the remainder of the windblown area, due to contractor availability, before the summer holidays. 'We are in the process of replacing signage to ask visitors to stay out of the windblown areas of woodland as these can be very dangerous and intend to get the remaining windblown trees cleared post-holiday period.' Storm Eowyn had a significant impact on the woods at Beecraigs with at least 200 trees down over the main paths and tracks and many more over other paths, including the mountain bike routes, and within the woodland compartments. Scottish Woodlands Ltd already had a harvesting contractor working for the council on another site and their contract was extended to allow them to move over to Beecraigs. A harvester, a large machine which cuts trees, was used to clear the fallen trees off all the main paths and car parks, which was safer and quicker than if this had to be done manually. The inhouse Tree and Woodland Operational Team went on to clear the trees across the smaller paths, which were more difficult to access by machine. A report to the local area committee concluded: 'The Beecraigs long-term Forest Plan is due to be updated, which will take some months, and so in the interim a Felling Permission Application has been submitted to Scottish Forestry and it is hoped that they will be able to 'fast track' this to enable further clear up of windblown trees within those compartments in the most popular areas of the park.' Councillor Sally Pattle, who chairs the local area committee told the LDRS: 'There are no paths blocked and no danger to the general public. I think there are no areas, that I as a regular user think I couldn't go. 'They are going to have to go back over a tree management plan because they have lost so many trees. We will have to rework plans.' By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter . Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
08-05-2025
- Edinburgh Reporter
West Lothian cyber attack investigation continues
School staff and pupils have been thanked for their patience, as an investigation into a suspected ransomware attack earlier this week continues West Lothian's education executive councillor also paid tribute to council IT staff for their prompt response to the incident. A criminal investigation into a suspected ransomware attack on West Lothian schools is ongoing. The council was alerted to the cyber-attack on Tuesday afternoon. Schools across the county were able to continue to operate after contingency plans were introduced. Councillor Andrew McGuire, who chairs the Education Executive told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'As we have seen from major high street retailers in recent weeks cyber-attacks are happening with increasing frequency and can cause havoc to organisations in a world now dominated by computers. 'Our dedicated IT staff are working tirelessly to resolve the issues and to get the education IT network back on track. ' I want to thank all the staff and students in schools for their patience over the last few days in what I'm sure is a very unsettling time and would encourage everyone to remain vigilant about cyber-attacks.' A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: 'We are continuing to work to mitigate the impact of a suspected criminal ransomware cyber-attack on our education network. 'This remains a live criminal investigation, and we are working with all relevant external agencies including Police Scotland and the Scottish Government. 'There is no evidence that the council's corporate and public access networks are affected, or that any personal or sensitive data has been accessed. 'The education network remains isolated from the rest of the council's networks, while our IT Services team and external organisations and agencies investigate the issue and work to restore systems. 'We are very grateful for all the support we have received from various organisations and agencies during this challenging time. 'The council's contingency plans are operating effectively to ensure that our schools continue to deliver education with minimal impact on pupils, including SQA exams.' Ransomware is a type of malware which prevents someone from accessing a device and the data stored on it, usually by encrypting files, Criminal groups will demand a ransom in exchange for decryption. In recent weeks both the Co-op and Marks and Spencer have seen trade disrupted after hackers broke into their IT causing shortages in stores and stalling online ordering. West Lothian has 13 secondary schools, 69 primary schools and 61 nurseries By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Telegraph
10-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I told the council my mum died – then they doubled her tax bill'
Just seven days after Stuart Sommerville, 62, lost his mother unexpectedly, £4,000 worth of council tax bills landed on his doorstep. His mum, Margaret, had died aged 86 on March 12, and one of Stuart's first actions had been to return her Careline bracelet – a device worn on the wrist or neck that allows the user to easily call for help in an emergency by pressing a button – to West Norfolk and King's Lynn council. The bracelet is given to vulnerable people living alone, and he was anxious not to take up council resources when they no longer needed it. However, Stuart's thoughtful gesture alerted the local authority to the fact his mother's home – which he partly owns – was sitting empty – triggering a double council tax bill. Stuart is one of dozens of readers who have written in to Telegraph Money to complain they have been swept up in a nationwide crackdown on second homes, intended to ease housing shortages. On April 1, over 200 local authorities took advantage of new powers which allow them to charge a 100pc premium on homes which are furnished, but not the owner's main residence. Stuart says: 'They've got no kind of empathy for people. They just want their money.' While council taxes are usually frozen in the first six months after an owner's death, his mother's property did not qualify for this exemption because the home is also in his name. In 2016, prior to his father's death, a portion of the house was transferred to Stuart to protect it in case his mother had to go into care. The self-employed mechanic does not own a home of his own, and instead rents a cottage near Norwich with his wife, a hairdresser. They already pay £2,060 a year in council tax for this property. Stuart now faces a bill of more than £4,000 on his mother's home, a stress he has had to juggle while organising her funeral. He has enlisted the help of a solicitor to contest the charge. 'It just seems to me the council are making up their own rules as they go along', says Stuart. 'Now I have to pay council tax for our rented cottage and half of a house in a different council area' Norfolk has one of the highest proportions of second homes in the UK, and one in 20 residential properties in West Norfolk and King's Lynn is a second home, according to the council. But for local people like Stuart, second home council tax premiums are not targeting the right people. 'There is a housing problem, but a lot of it comes down to the council's failure. They've sold all the council houses, then didn't put any more back up again. That's why there's a severe shortage,' he says. Stuart says that instead of tackling this housing crisis directly, 'they're going after normal working people to try and fill that gap monetarily wise'. Experts warn that lots more grieving families could soon be in the same predicament as Stuart. 'Council tax is one of the things that people do need to take into account when they decide whether to inherit the property,' says Jo Summers, a spokesperson for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. 'If it is going to be a second home, the charges can be quite punitive' Stuart's story highlights how even without owning your own home, you can still be hit by these changes. 'I just feel really, really as though we've been caught in the crossfire,' he adds. The additional charges can be a particular challenge while dealing with grief, as well as all the other administrative tasks that come with death. 'It's always very difficult to take financial decisions when you are in grief, the advice is usually to wait before you make any rash decisions', Summers adds. For Stuart, receiving the first council tax bill just seven days after his mother's death compounded the financial stress for him. 'It's just their lack of empathy and callousness,' he says. 'It wouldn't have been so bad if they had phoned me up and said, 'Look, Mr. Sommerville we're sorry your mother just died, what are your circumstances at the moment?' and just done a little bit of ground work before sending the bill.' After reviewing his case, a West Norfolk and King's Lynn council spokesman upheld their decision to enforce the bill. They said: 'Where a property is jointly owned, if one of the owners dies then the other automatically becomes the sole owner and liable for the council tax bill.' 'A person does not need to own a home elsewhere and the [second home] premium still applies even if their main home is rented.'
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘I told the council my mum died – then they doubled her tax bill'
Just seven days after Stuart Sommerville, 62, lost his mother unexpectedly, £4,000 worth of council tax bills landed on his doorstep. His mum, Margaret, had died aged 86 on March 12, and one of Stuart's first actions had been to return her Careline bracelet – a device worn on the wrist or neck that allows the user to easily call for help in an emergency by pressing a button – to West Norfolk and King's Lynn council. The bracelet is given to vulnerable people living alone, and he was anxious not to take up council resources when they no longer needed it. However, Stuart's thoughtful gesture alerted the local authority to the fact his mother's home – which he partly owns – was sitting empty – triggering a double council tax bill. Stuart is one of dozens of readers who have written in to Telegraph Money to complain they have been swept up in a nationwide crackdown on second homes, intended to ease housing shortages. On April 1, over 200 local authorities took advantage of new powers which allow them to charge a 100pc premium on homes which are furnished, but not the owner's main residence. Stuart says: 'They've got no kind of empathy for people. They just want their money.' While council taxes are usually frozen in the first six months after an owner's death, his mother's property did not qualify for this exemption because the home is also in his name. In 2016, prior to his father's death, a portion of the house was transferred to Stuart to protect it in case his mother had to go into care. The self-employed mechanic does not own a home of his own, and instead rents a cottage near Norwich with his wife, a hairdresser. They already pay £2,060 a year in council tax for this property. Stuart now faces a bill of more than £4,000 on his mother's home, a stress he has had to juggle while organising her funeral. He has enlisted the help of a solicitor to contest the charge. 'It just seems to me the council are making up their own rules as they go along', says Stuart. 'Now I have to pay council tax for our rented cottage and half of a house in a different council area' Norfolk has one of the highest proportions of second homes in the UK, and one in 20 residential properties in West Norfolk and King's Lynn is a second home, according to the council. But for local people like Stuart, second home council tax premiums are not targeting the right people. 'There is a housing problem, but a lot of it comes down to the council's failure. They've sold all the council houses, then didn't put any more back up again. That's why there's a severe shortage,' he says. Stuart says that instead of tackling this housing crisis directly, 'they're going after normal working people to try and fill that gap monetarily wise'. Experts warn that lots more grieving families could soon be in the same predicament as Stuart. 'Council tax is one of the things that people do need to take into account when they decide whether to inherit the property,' says Jo Summers, a spokesperson for the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. 'If it is going to be a second home, the charges can be quite punitive' Stuart's story highlights how even without owning your own home, you can still be hit by these changes. 'I just feel really, really as though we've been caught in the crossfire,' he adds. The additional charges can be a particular challenge while dealing with grief, as well as all the other administrative tasks that come with death. 'It's always very difficult to take financial decisions when you are in grief, the advice is usually to wait before you make any rash decisions', Summers adds. For Stuart, receiving the first council tax bill just seven days after his mother's death compounded the financial stress for him. 'It's just their lack of empathy and callousness,' he says. 'It wouldn't have been so bad if they had phoned me up and said, 'Look, Mr. Sommerville we're sorry your mother just died, what are your circumstances at the moment?' and just done a little bit of ground work before sending the bill.' After reviewing his case, a West Norfolk and King's Lynn council spokesman upheld their decision to enforce the bill. They said: 'Where a property is jointly owned, if one of the owners dies then the other automatically becomes the sole owner and liable for the council tax bill.' 'A person does not need to own a home elsewhere and the [second home] premium still applies even if their main home is rented.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
