More capital needed for Edinburgh
Fireworks over Edinburgh Castle
MSPs and Edinburgh City Councillors have called on the Scottish Government to increase funding for Edinburgh.
City councillors have long argued that the city is not adequately compensated for the costs associated with being both the capital of Scotland and the home of the parliament.
They want Edinburgh to benefit from the wealth that it generates; the city has contributed over £900 million in business rates to the rest of the country over the past decade.
A report from Jenny Dawe, leader of the council, says that over £112 million pounds of business revenue generated in Edinburgh has been redistributed around Scotland in the past year.
Her report states: "If Edinburgh is to continue to compete successfully with other European cities for tourism, business and general development it has to provide the facilities and services expected of a major capital city.
"The investment in the city's infrastructure and marketing which could have been undertaken with these monies, generated in Edinburgh, would have significantly increased its ability to compete with the best in Europe.
"By doing so, not only would Edinburgh benefit, so too would the whole of Scotland."
The extra policing costs associated with being a capital city are also not covered by present funding.
Lothian and borders police board convener Councillor Ian Whyte told MSPs that the force needed an extra £1.4 million to meet the costs of policing the growing number of VIP and Royal visits.
The independent Lothians MSP Margo MacDonald said: "Capital city funding is essential if Edinburgh is going to remain the sort of city which has seen it top the polls of the best city to work in, live in and visit."
0 comments on More capital needed for Edinburgh