The Larder provided more than 120,000 meals during the lockdown. Now it has been recognised in national awards for paying its young staff the Living Wage throughout their training.

West Lothian's initiatives have included widespread cutting of energy waste, reduction in landfill and LED street lighting, and figures show C02 emissions have been almost halved since 2013/14.

West Lothian is among the first Scottish councils to benefit from a green fund to boost recycling programmes with cash to provide paper waste green bins for households.

The council will soon have a network of 24 charging points available to the public as they push forward projects to help meet net-zero targets for carbon emissions.

Ashfield Land has sold Pyramids Business Park in West Lothian to private equity company London & Regional for an undisclosed sum.

Livingston is bidding for city status as part of the Queen’s 2022 Platinum Jubilee celebrations.