Weddings can now take place

Weddings can take place in West Lothian again following the lifting of lockdown restrictions.

Marriage and civil partnership ceremonies can now be undertaken and birth registrations started on June 29.

Some restrictions will be in place, as determined by the Scottish Government guidelines.

All ceremonies must take place outside and to ensure compliance with the guidelines, the wedding party is limited to eight people from a maximum of three households.

Birth registrations will take place on a phased basis and began taking appointments from June 29 and will be starting with babies born before the end of March initially and any priority registrations.

Registrations can be partially completed remotely over the telephone and appointments can be made with either the civic centre or Bathgate offices.

For all babies born before the end of March, contact 01506 281898 or 01506 282914 to arrange an appointment. For further guidance on how birth registrations are set to begin, visit the West Lothian Council website - https:// www. westlothian. gov. uk/ article/51290/Registration-ServicesUpdates

Executive councillor for culture and leisure, Dave King, said: “During the period of lockdown, civil partnership ceremonies, marriages and birth registrations unfortunately had to be suspended. Staff in our Registration Service must be thanked for their efforts as they continued through this period with the service operating seven days a week to deal with critical work.” For full and further details and to arrange a ceremony date, contact 01506 281898 or 01506 282914.