The City of

Edinburgh Council has today given notice of a special meeting of the Council which has been called by the Lord Provost, to be held on Friday 2 September at 10.00am. The meeting is to discuss the funding arrangements for the Edinburgh Tram Project to enable Council officers to implement the arrangements required by the Council decision of 25 August 2011.

The Council is currently legally committed to a contract to build the tram line to Newhaven and negotiations have been ongoing since mediation to amend the contract to deliver a truncated line as far as St. Andrew Square, as approved by Council on 30 June 2011.

The Council Chief Executive has met with senior representatives of Bilfinger Berger UK (Civil) and Siemens. On behalf of the consortium they have acknowledged the Council’s position as a result of last week’s decision and advised that they will respond to the Council formally before the 31 August deadline which was agreed by all parties at mediation.

The Council has also noted the public statement by the Scottish Government of its intention to review the business case for the shortened route to Haymarket and to consider its position with regard to the outstanding balance of £59.5m currently payable under the Council’s grant agreement with Transport Scotland and which is also due for renewal.

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