The investment plan is set to be agreed next week as part of the council's long term capital investment plan which is being presented to a meeting of Full Council next week on 25 February 2025.
What is Capital Funding?
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.
Capital funding cannot be used on day-to-day running costs but is used to build new infrastructure and maintain existing assets.
Investment overall
This year alone (2025/26) approximately £61 million would be spent on local infrastructure. This is in addition to the £68 million that was spent last year (2024/25).
Capital funding is generated through Scottish Government grant funding, income generated through the sale of council owned assets such as land and properties, borrowing and other sources of funding - which are given to us for specific projects.
Here's where the £61million would be spent in 2025/26:
• Over £48.8million of property improvements, new projects and maintenance
• Over £6million on roads, footways, street lighting, bridges and structures and flood prevention and drainage
• Over £3.5million on open spaces, parks, sports facilities, children's play area & cemeteries
• £2.6 on Information Communication Technology
A closer look at investment in the local property estate this year:
• Investment of £25 million in school projects that includes major projects at St Kentigern's Academy, Craigshill, Livingston and East Calder Primary
• 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. Over £15 million will be invested in school projects this year that are developer funded. This includes projects in Winchburgh, Calderwood, Bangour and a significant extension at West Calder High School.
• £2.8million will be invested in buildings at Whitrigg House and Homeless Accommodation
• One key part of the capital investment this year is the £1.3 million investment in school building improvements, which includes boiler upgrades and roof replacement and roofs.
• Further general maintenance investment will focus on improving Partnership Centres
Open space and sports facility investment plans:
• Over £1 million will be invested in children's play areas during 2025/26, with projects to refurbish West Lothian's eight district parks as well as those at Dixon Road in Whitburn, Stoneyburn Main Street and Westrigg in Armadale.
• £1.8 million investment in projects in 2025/26, which will include Boghall Skatepark, the multi-use games area at Watson Park in Armadale, managing trees and woodlands and tackling ash dieback.
• Over £234,000 will be invested in schedule repairs for nine parks during 2025/26, including: Almondvale Park and Fells Rigg Green in Livingston; Blackridge Park; Blaeberryhill Park in Whitburn; Craigton Park, Broxburn; Foulsheils Park, Fauldhouse; Kirkton Park, Bathgate; Sommers Park, East Calder; and Springfield Park, Linlithgow.
• £200,000 spent on West Lothian's cemeteries during 2025/26, as part of £3.2 million investment over the next eight years, which will include extension at Boghead Cemetery in Bathgate and Fauldhouse Cemetery.
• West Lothian Council will invest £22.9 million in open space and sports facilities between now and 2032/33.
Investment in Information Communication Technology (ICT) assets:
• Over £2.6 million will be invested in ICT assets during 2025/26, which are required to support staff to carry out their roles.
• This includes nearly £1.5 million for schools, covering laptop, desktop and smartboard devices to support improving attainment in West Lothian schools.
Over £6million will be invested in roads, footways, street lighting, bridges and structures and flood prevention and drainage during 2025/26.
This includes:
• £2.2 million in improving West Lothian's A, B.C and U class roads. Roads to receive significant investment this year will include: the A70 from Auchinoon to Halfway House near Harburn; The A89 between Dechmont and the Kilpunt Roundabout; The B9080 Winchburgh Main Street to the Council Boundary; the C1 road from the boundary with South Lanarkshire to Harestanes, Armadale; and U class roads in Aitken Orr Drive in Broxburn, Drumshoreland Road in Pumpherston, Station Road in Addiewell, Menzies Road in Bathgate and Murieston East Road between Easter Bankton and Bankton Gardens in Livingston.
• £1.3 million on roads projects including Road Casualty Reduction schemes, Traffic signal improvements and active travel schemes.
• £1.2 million on structures such as bridges, with the Almond Valley Bridge and Houston Interchange in Livingston both receiving significant investment.
• £980,000 for street lighting improvements, which includes investment in Uphall and the Eliburn and Knightsridge areas of Livingston.
• £326,000 for flood prevention schemes, including Broxburn.
The Capital budget will be presented to Full Council next week (25 February).
