Cash to plug hole to keep kids off dole

Councillors have approved plans to dip into the city's reserves to help ensure young people don't end up on the dole.

The Evening News revealed last week that the city council will offer four-year apprentices to young people who have left school but not gone into a job, training or education.

The "Edinburgh Guarantee" scheme will also involve council chiefs working with major employers such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Microsoft to provide training to 80 people.

Councillors agreed to back the scheme at a meeting of the policy and strategy committee.

It means that 741,750 will be released from the council's reserves to fund the scheme.

Education leader Marilyne MacLaren said: "There has been a very significant drop in employment opportunities."