Edinburgh Council has been accused of “raiding the pockets of residents” after putting out a £320,000 contract for “glitzy” graphic design services to work with its tourism marketing services.
A council tender for suppliers said it was looking for graphic design firms to “create promotional assets and aid with campaign and brand roll-out and delivery” for Forever Edinburgh, which markets the city to potential visitors and residents.
The cost is an estimate, and the final sum could be lower or higher than £320,000 if the council goes ahead with the project.
Councillors and campaigners have criticised the amount being spent on branding at a time when the city is raising council tax and looking at cuts to essential services.
Green councillor Ben Parker said: “Greens have consistently argued for the need to shift the tourist offer in the city towards a more sustainable model.
“It’s hard to reconcile this idea with hundreds of thousands of …