Edinburgh Visitor Levy Forum Chair

The Role

The Chair will provide independent, transparent, and effective leadership to the Edinburgh Visitor Levy Forum and will play a crucial role in managing discussions among a diverse range of stakeholders, fostering consensus, and ensuring that the Forum effectively fulfils its advisory and consultative remit.

The Chair will have a front row seat to discuss the varied investment programmes with stakeholders who want to maximise the positive impacts that a levy can bring across many Council services. They will also be integral to the review process of the levy scheme and the future of the levy in Edinburgh, understanding what impacts it has had on the city and whether any enhancements can be made.

The establishment of an Edinburgh Visitor Levy Forum is a requirement in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act. The remit of the Forum is advisory, to review, discuss and advise on the Edinburgh Visitor Levy scheme, including the evaluation of the scheme and any proposed modifications to be made. The Forum will also be consulted for views on how the proceeds of the Visitor Levy should be invested.

The Forum will be made up of an equal number of representatives from the community and from businesses in the city’s visitor economy and it is recommended that at least 40% of the representatives are women. Council officers and staff may also attend meetings but will not be constituent members of the Forum.