Over £145 million investment in council assets in next seven years

West Lothian Councillors have approved the capital investment plan at their meeting on Tuesday 24 February 2026.
 
The council's Corporate Asset Management Strategy and General Services Capital Investment Programme for 2026/27 will see an investment of £29.2 million in assets during the next year alone.
 
Leader of West Lothian Council Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: "I am delighted to confirm our planned programme of investment in essential council assets such as roads, schools and parks.
 
"It's vital we continue to invest wisely in the properties and other resources that we need to deliver the important services our local communities rely on.
 
"With capital funding expected to reduce in future years, we will have even less money to invest in future years, so the programme will be monitored closely going forward."
 
The £29.2 million for 2026/27 will include:
 

• £15.3 million investment in property, such as improvements to schools; 
• £8.2 million for roads and related assets, like road repairs and streetlights;
• £3.5 million on open spaces, such as play areas and cemeteries; 
• and £2.2 million for Information Communication Technology (ICT) assets, including a refresh of laptops and other devices used in schools.

Capital funding is one-off amounts of funding used to upgrade/repair existing infrastructure or build new assets, such as new buildings, school extensions or new roads and paths. This is being funded through government grants, borrowing, developer contributions, and income from the sale of surplus property.

It cannot be used on day-to-day running costs, which is covered by the separate revenue budget.
 
The capital programme is set against the backdrop of funding constraints. The Accounts Commission recently reported a 55% real-terms reduction in initial capital allocations from the Scottish Government to councils since 2019/20, with 2026/27 capital funding representing a 14% real-terms reduction from initial 2025/26 funding.
A review of potential capital resources and future spending will be carried out, taking account of reduced capital grant to ensure the council's programme remains prudent, affordable and sustainable.  
 
 
Key highlights of the £29.2 million investments from the 2026/27 capital programme
 
 
£15.3 million investment in property, which includes:
 
•    Investment in major school projects, including St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn and the new Craigshill Primary in Livingston; 
•    Over £3 million in school projects funded by developer contributions, including projects in Winchburgh, Pumpherston and Bangour. The council has put in place legal agreements with developers that ensures that they contribute towards the cost of West Lothian's school estate to meet the demand that new housing places upon local services;
•    £3.8 million to be invested in buildings required for the delivery of vital services for our communities, which includes young person's homeless unit in Livingston and a replacement Stoneyburn Community Centre. 
 
£8.2 million for roads and related assets, which includes: 
 
•    £2.7 million investment in improving West Lothian's A, B, C and U class roads. Roads to receive significant investment this year will include: the A89 at South Middleton in Broxburn, the A801 Westfield to the Avon Gorge, the B9080 - Winchburgh Main Street to Council Boundary, The C31 road from U42 to Baads Mill to Bank Park and the U22 class road from the A706 at Longridge to B792;
•    £1.5 million on street lighting improvements, which includes investment in Uphall and the Brucefield and Knightsridge areas of Livingston;
•    £1.2 million on structures such as bridges, with Houston Interchange in Livingston and Cuthill bridge in Armadale receiving significant investment;
•    £644,000 on road projects including road casualty reduction schemes and road traffic improvements;
 
£3.5 million on open space assets which includes:
 
•    £1.5million in projects during 2026/27 which includes works to manage trees and woodlands and tackle ash dieback;
•    £960,000 for cemeteries, which includes developer contributions towards cemetery extensions;
•    £540,000 to refurbish children's play areas, which includes developer contributions; 
 
£2.2 million for Information Communication Technology (ICT) assets, which includes:
 
•    £1.1 million investment for schools, including refreshing laptops and other devices for school staff and pupils and secondary school smartboards;
•    £1.1 million for corporate and modernisation projects to support the delivery of essential services across the council.