News

Councillors will be asked to approve Falkirk Council’s next five-year financial strategy that seeks to bring a balanced position to its finances going forward next month. 

Professor Elizabeth Gammie has been appointed as a new Member of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Board. The announcement was made by the Minister for Higher and Further Education. Professor Gammie is an Emeritus Professor at Robert Gordon University and a Chartered Accountant with the Institute o

Inverclyde Council has appointed David Forbes as its new chief financial officer. Mr Forbes joins the council from North Ayrshire Council where he has worked since 2016 and is currently senior manager (strategic business manager).

A Chinese court has ordered two teenagers to pay 2.2 million yuan (around £231,000) in compensation after they urinated into a pot of broth at a popular hotpot restaurant. The 17-year-olds, identified by their surnames Tang and Wu, filmed their disgusting stunt and shared the footage online.

Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, has completed a £52 million bulk purchase annuity (BPA) transaction with The Amtico Company Pension Scheme, securing the benefits of all 425 members. The deal, concluded in August 2025, strengthens a long-standing relationship between Standard Life and lux

A Montrose-based pottery and creative arts studio has invested in new equipment to expand its classes and improve production after securing £4,500 in grant funding from Angus Council, thanks to support from Business Gateway. Clay Half offers a dedicated space for pottery enthusiasts and creati

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has urged the UK government to scrap the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) after official figures revealed a dramatic slump in revenues from North Sea oil and gas.

Glasgow-headquartered Weir Group has announced a binding agreement to acquire Fast2Mine, a Brazilian provider of mine management software (MMS). The move is set to accelerate Weir’s expansion into the South American market and enhance its digital solutions for the global mining industry.

Bank of Scotland-owner Lloyds Banking Group has announced it will close a further 13 Scottish branches. The closures, part of a broader 49 closures across the UK, are scheduled to take place between January and October 2026.

Mackays has climbed the ranks to become the UK’s second-largest marmalade brand, capturing a 7.6% share of the market volume, up from 5.8% in 2024. According to the latest Nielsen data, a 26% increase in consumer spending has also cemented its position as the fastest-growing marmalade brand in

Speaking at the University of Glasgow's Adam Smith Business School, a Bank of England policymaker has called for a fundamental rethink of how central banks respond to economic shocks, arguing that a cautious approach to cutting interest rates is necessary in an increasingly volatile world. Monetary

STV reported a pre-tax loss of £200,000 for the first half of the year, a sharp downturn from the £4.8 million profit recorded in the same period last year. The loss was driven by a 16% fall in national linear advertising, contributing to a 10% drop in total advertising revenue to £

Port of Aberdeen has appointed Ross MacRae as its new financial controller. Mr MacRae joined the port as a member of the functional leadership team on Monday 25 August and reports to chief financial officer, Jon Oakey. Mr MacRae is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Argyll & Bute has become the fifth Scottish council to stop developing plans for a local Visitor Levy amid concerns about the potential impact on the tourist economy. Councillors voted against developing its plans at this stage after the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) highlighted worries a

A tourist hotspot has announced a new tax on dogs, to be paid both by local residents and visitors. Bolzano, in northern Italy, will ask local residents to pay an annual tax of €100 per dog, while tourists will have to cough up €1.50 per dog per day of their visit.