Council boss in tourist tax ‘misleading public’ row

The leader of Edinburgh city council has admitted a tourist tax may now not be rolled out until 2022, as opponents criticised the administration for “misleading the public” by including the policy in this year’s budget consultation.

The council wants to introduce a tourism tax – branded a transient visitor levy (TVL) – but the authority has failed to secure permission from the Scottish Government to do so.

In July, council leader Adam Mcvey said he would be “ready to go” with the tourist tax within 12 months. The boast resulted in a social media rebuttal by tourism secretary Fiona Hyslop. Now the SNP council leader has admitted he aims to bring in the money-raising plans by the end of the council’s term in 2022.

Mr Mcvey said: “We are working to a very robust process to finalise the plans we have. We have a target date of the end of this administration. I’m confident of delivering it for the people of Edinburgh.”

The council will include the tourist tax, along with other proposed measures to increase the authority’s income, in its budget public consultation.