Council hands out 500 laptops to needy children to boost learning

inflation-busting pay rise – then lost their jobs the next day.The chain, which has about 20 stores in Scotland, rewarded workers with a salary increase of more than six per cent, effective from June 29.But the next day about 240 employees across the UK lost their jobs with immediate effect when the firm went bust.One worker said: “I know these are strange times but for colleagues to be given this one day and made redundant the next, makes you wonder whether to laugh or cry.”Although Harveys is

council tax bills to fill a Covid black hole.Council group COSLA believes a law change is required to address crippling deficits and avoid massive tax rises.Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “The financial black hole that Scotland’s councils now face cannot be paid for by cutting council services or a massive hike in council tax.”Get all the top Scottish politics news sent straight to your Inbox by signing up to our Politics newsletter.We cover Holyrood, Westminster and local councils, with a

economy needs an £80 billion boost to help it out of crisis, Scotland’s finance secretary claimed. Kate Forbes said the spending spree would finance a VAT cut and move tourism and hospitality to reduced rates.

hippy crack” were found at a beach, sparking fears of a craze for the deadly drug.A clear-up of Longniddry Bents in East Lothian saw 533 containers of nitrous oxide recovered alongside empty booze bottles.It follows the discovery of large hauls of canisters at various parks across the Lothians in recent weeks.Nitrous oxide – known as laughing gas – can be bought for as little as £1 each and gives users a temporary high.But they can also become panicky and confused while the gas can cause

West Lothian Council  has made “significant progress” in settling equal pay claims, it said this month.The statement came as Scotland’s local government watchdog has praised councils for their progress in settling equal pay claims, but says they expect councils to maintain their focus on unresolved cases.The 32 local authorities in Scotland have spent £1.3 billion settling cases of pay inequality between male and female staff.

A Paisley councillor has called for major events including the town's fireworks display and Christmas lights switch-on to be cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.Renfrewshire Council previously said an announcement would be made on whether the celebrations would go ahead - along with festive switch-ons in Renfrew and Johnstone - by next Tuesday.But as Scotland continues to gradually move out of lockdown, bosses confirmed this week they were holding their decision to ensure they

A LEADING trade union has warned North Lanarkshire Council that the local authority’s furlough scheme “must not be a waiting room for redundancy”.Councils across Scotland, including North Lanarkshire, announced last week that they have applied to the UK Government’s job retention scheme to fund their staff.Johanna Baxter, Unison Scotland head of local government, said: “The fact that Scottish councils are having to apply for funding from the Westminster furlough scheme is a damning indictment of

Cops have been alerted to a council probe into a bungled roads maintenance contract which cost taxpayers more than £3 million.An internal investigation into the loss-making deal with Transerv Scotland has revealed a trail of mismanagement and incompetence.And the police were informed of the inquiry amid concerns that there may have been fraudulent activity involved.Council leader Elaine Murray (below) told the Standard: “There’s certainly been incompetence.

married her husband whilst she worked in his chip shop business has been given a £3.9 million divorce settlement.The woman, who hasn’t been identified, was given the award following proceedings at the Court of Session in Edinburgh by judge Lady Wise.In a judgement published at the court on Tuesday, Lady Wise tells of how the woman, who is called SCA, married her husband - MMA - in February 1989.The judgement tells of how her husband and his family built a business empire involving restaurants

Council bosses are now planning for pupils to return to schools full-time following a government climbdown today.Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced schools will return full-time in August if Scotland continues to make progress on suppressing coronavirus.The government u-turn follows revolt across the country at plans to have some pupils in class for as little as one day a week, including in West Dunbartonshire.This afternoon, West Dunbartonshire Council confirmed it is now revising its

anti-racism protest in Glasgow after a series of volatile mass gatherings. The Glasgow Says No To Racism event is due to begin at 10.30am despite shameful scenes over the last week where peaceful protests have been disrupted.

mobile phones to keep in touch with loved ones sparked chaos after they made a series of bogus 999 calls.The mobiles were handed out to cons at Polmont Young Offenders jail in a £1 million initiative to make up for cancelled family visits after eight weeks of delays due to security systems being put in place.But Scottish Prison Service bosses failed to account for each mobile being enabled to call 999 services and The Samaritans, which led to bored inmates creating mischief.As a result of the

Adam Lambert, Katy Perry, Billy Porter, Big Freedia, and Sia are teaming up this month to keep the legacy of Pride alive in 2020, despite social-distancing restrictions forcing most would-be celebrations to shut down. On June 25, a live-streamed virtual COVID-19 relief event called Can’t Cancel Pride will air via iHeartRadio.

schooling.Some are only scheduled to meet in August - even though education is one of the key issues of the pandemic.Calls have been made for the committees to be kickstarted to scrutinise unpopular plans for combining home and school learning.Get all the top Scottish politics news sent straight to your Inbox by signing up to our Politics newsletter.We cover Holyrood, Westminster and local councils, with a current focus on how our governments are handling the coronavirus pandemic.To sign up,

will air via iHeartRadio. All donations will benefit national organizations supporting LGBTQ+ communities, including the National Black Justice Coalition, The Trevor Project, Outright, GLAAD, SAGE, and CenterLink.

West Lothian pupils will spend two days in school each week and two-and-a half days being taught at home by parents.Council bosses have written to parents and carers advising them on the plans for most students returning on August 12.The council is planning for the start of the new term on August 11, in line with all other councils in Scotland.However this will be an in-service day when schools will be closed to pupils and a second in-service day planned for Monday, August 17, will not take

Dumfries and Galloway residents have the chance to see the council in action tomorrow when a top level meeting will be screened online.

South Lanarkshire Council are hoping to give every new primary one pupil the chance to visit their new school before the summer holidays.Over the next couple of weeks, the council wants to organise dates for four- and five-year-olds due to start school in August to meet their new teacher.Some schools - including Cathkin Primary and St Columbkille's Primary in Rutherglen and Auchinraith Primary in Blantyre - have already contacted parents with details of visits next week.According to Scottish

Scotland ’s worst ever forger. The clueless conman strolled into Edinburgh ’s Dofos pet store on Saturday afternoon and tried to buy cat food with the 20 ‘poond’ note - complete with spelling error.