A PUBLIC holiday to mark the queen's platinum jubilee in 2022 has been designated at Clackmannanshire Council.

The additional public holiday on Friday, June 3, 2022 is to commemorate the monarch’s 70 years on the throne in line with UK Government arrangements.

Unions have advised they are supportive of the proposal to recognise the additional public holiday and leave the early May public holiday unchanged. 

But as Clackmannanshire Council does not recognise the late May bank holiday, which has been moved from Monday, May 30, 2022, to Thursday, June 2, 2022, there will be no four-day weekend as part of the festivities – something some other areas have adopted. 

A full meeting of Clackmannanshire Council heard how most services would therefore be closed on June 3, although the potential cost of staff who may be required to work on the additional public holiday is estimated at £30,000. 

Chris Alliston, human resources and workforce development senior manager, said: “Recognising June 3, 2022, as a local public holiday with no other changes would mirror the position taken by Stirling Council at their October meeting and would maintain continuity of schooling provision for those school pupils attending St Modan’s High School.” 

A request has also been made to the Scottish Government for the council to reduce the number of teaching days to accommodate the additional public holiday.

The Scottish Government has indicated there remains a requirement for provision for those parents entitled to 1140 hours of child care. 

To that end, while most council-run nurseries will be closed, the council has pledged to use its private partner provider nurseries to offer places on that day or offer the time back at a stand alone ELC on an alternative date.