Edinburgh council rejects World Cup public holiday

School pupils and council staff in Edinburgh will not be allowed a day off following Scotland's men's World Cup opener against Haiti.

First Minister John Swinney announced 15 June as a national holiday after the side qualified for the tournament for the first time in 28 years.

However City of Edinburgh Council rejected plans for the one-day break at a full council meeting on Thursday.

The local authority cited concerns over an estimated £350,000 cost for the holiday.

In a cross-party vote, 35 councillors rejected the proposal, while 26 voted in favour.

Public sector employees in areas controlled by the Scottish government will be assured of a day off depending on their contracts.

However, it has been left up to individual employers to follow suit.

The holiday has been planned for a few days after Scotland's meeting with Haiti in Boston, which kicks off at 02:00 BST on 14 June.

The council said the cost estimates took into account a loss of productivity from staff who had taken the holiday and additional costs for essential services to operate.

Concerns were also raised over childcare and the impact on school terms.

Scotland are also due to face Morocco in Boston and Brazil in Miami during the group stage, with both matches getting under way at 23:00 GMT.

Edinburgh is the latest council to reject the holiday proposal.

Only five councils in Scotland have approved it, while 12 others have denied it.