Moray and Shetland council staff will not get World Cup holiday

Council staff in Moray and Shetland will not get an additional public holiday to mark Scotland's participation in the World Cup.

First Minister John Swinney previously said that Monday 15 June should be designated as a national bank holiday.

The proposal was later approved by the King - but it is up to individual employers to make the decision.

Councillors in Shetland agreed unanimously not to grant it, as it would cost about £140,000 in extra pay and disrupt services. In Moray, approving the bank holiday lost by 16 votes to 10, amid estimated costs of more than £50,000.

Scotland's men's national team will be playing in its first World Cup since 1998 after qualifying with a 4-2 win over Denmark at Hampden Park.

Earlier this month Western Isles councillors decided against giving staff a public holiday, arguing it could not afford the gesture when it was facing a budget deficit.

However a special meeting of Aberdeen City Council's staff governance committee agreed on Monday afternoon that its staff should get the additional holiday.

The national team will face Haiti in their first fixture at the tournament on 14 June, with kick off at 02:00 UK time.

Both other group matches, against Morocco on 19 June and Brazil on 24 June, get under way at 23:00.

Aberdeenshire councillors have given the go-ahead for pubs in the region to stay open late to allow football fans to watch Scotland's games.

The blanket extension, with conditions, was approved by the local authority's licensing board.

In January, Aberdeen councillors decided hospitality businesses in the city will be allowed extended opening hours for Scotland's matches.

A blanket 03:00 closing time extension for the tournament was approved by the licensing board, with extra time for Scotland games that go beyond that.