The new West Lothian Civic Centre is ready to serve.

Senior representatives from the partner organisations attended the official 'topping out' to mark the completion of the building stage. West Lothian Civic Centre is thought to be the most ambitious public sector partnership of its type in the UK.

The aim is for partners to share resources and knowledge, create efficiencies and best value, all of which will benefit the citizens of West Lothian. By late autumn when the Civic Centre is fully operational it will house around 1,000 staff and provision for:

• Divisional Police Headquarters.
• Sheriff and Justice of the Peace Court complex.
• Council Headquarters.
• The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
• The Scottish Children's Reporter Administration Service.
• Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service.
• West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership.

Lothian and Borders Police will be the first partner to move into the Civic Centre and open to the public at 7am on 23 July.


Leader of West Lothian Council Peter Johnston said: "It has taken a tremendous amount of commitment and work to bring the vision of true joined up partnership working to fruition. The West Lothian Civic Centre is leading the way in delivering both effective and efficient public services."

"I expect my team to be building professional relationships and developing a joined up approach with people from health, social work, education, housing and environmental services, to name but a few. This should directly impact upon those people who use our service, with a view to providing the very best response to individuals and the communities in West Lothian."

(GK/JM)