Edinburgh council officials accepted lap dances, free drinks and hospitality at football matches in return for awarding lucrative building contracts, a court has heard.

Charles Owenson and James Costello had been working for the council's property care services division.

They took bribes from Kevin Balmer, 52, and Brendan Cantwell, 44, directors at Edinburgh firm ABC Limited.

All four men admitted charges at the city's sheriff court earlier this week.

Philip Sim
Tayside and Central reporter, BBC Scotland

The BBC's Philip Sim is covering the Andy Coulson trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Follow him on Twitter for the latest updates, external.

Here is a snapshot of what he has been Tweeting so far.

• The use of "live text based communication" has been permitted, so for the first time BBC Scotland will be tweeting throughout the trial.

• Mr Coulson is charged with lying during the Tommy Sheridan trial in 2010.

• Representing Mr Coulson, Murdo MacLeod QC tells the court that his client pleads not guilty.

• Mr Coulson is charged with lying when he told the 2010 trial he didn't know about NOTW (News of the World) phone hacking or payments made to police officers.

• An agreed "statement of uncontroversial evidence" from the defence is now being read to the jury.

• Mr Coulson's defence statement quotes at length from Tommy Sheridan's reasons for calling him in 2010 trial.

• Court to be adjourned until Tuesday. Lord Burns makes a final instruction to jury: "have a good weekend".

Image source, BBC/Twitter

My message is clear - we can have a strong Scottish Parliament AND a strong United Kingdom. My video from Edinburgh - click here, external to view.

Image source, Twitter/David Cameron

Image source, other

Nicola Sturgeon tweets, external: All smiles as First Minister @NicolaSturgeon meets prime minister David Cameron in Edinburgh.

During their hour-long meeting at the first minister's residence - Bute House in Edinburgh - Nicola Sturgeon and David Cameron agreed to work constructively to resolve their differences over future powers for the Scottish Parliament.

Image source, Reuters

• Both agreed closer contact between ministers in the Scottish government and ministers at Westminster

• Prime minister and first minster agreed to meet more often

• Also agreed to discuss policies that impact upon Scotland at an earlier stage

• Ms Sturgeon said the prime minister had committed to fully implement Smith Commission proposals

• She said Mr Cameron also agreed to "consider" proposals on how much further powers could be devolved

• Business taxes, employment law, the minimum wage and further powers over welfare were all discussed during the meeting

Today's meeting between Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has attracted global media attention.

Here are some of the headlines from around the world:

Image source, Bloomberg

• The New York Times, external, The New Indian Express, external and The New Zealand Herald, external - UK PM Cameron Meets Nicola Sturgeon for Scotland Talks.

• The story also features in Le Monde, external - David Cameron in Scotland to discuss the transfer of powers

"The referendum was a once in a generation, once in a lifetime opportunity.

Image source, Reuters

"Scotland voted to stay in the United Kingdom, and now we should be focussing on the strongest possible Scottish Parliament inside a cohesive United Kingdom.

"The choice now is what sort of future is there for Scotland in the United Kingdom.

"My vision is a strong parliament, with tax raising powers, with spending powers - one of the strongest devolved parliaments anywhere in the world, but I wouldn't want to see Scottish taxpayers loaded with extra cuts or extra taxes because of another agenda."

"I don't support full fiscal autonomy.

"I don't want to ask the Scottish people to find another £7bn in taxes, or make £7bn in additional cuts.

"I believe in the solidarity of the United Kingdom, where all of the United Kingdom taxpayers stand behind the Scottish pensions, Scottish unemployment, where we support each other in our times of need.

"That is the sort of United Kingdom I want to build."

"Of course, if people want to make further proposals, I will look at them.

"But I am a great believer in our United Kingdom. We want a strong Scottish parliament but we also want the solidarity between the different parts of the United Kingdom. I don't want to lose that.

"Smith was the agreement made in Scotland by the Scottish parties."

"What I am going to do is keep the commitment I made to people in Scotland.

"I said the Smith Commission, which was a report made in Scotland, for people in Scotland, will be in a Scotland bill in the Queen's Speech implemented in full.

"Let's get that done first, because it does create a really strong Scottish Parliament - not just powers over health and education and those devolved matters, but taxing and spending as well."

"The Smith Commission proposals are a good starting point but they were before the election.

"People in Scotland have now voted fairly convincingly for the SNP, sending a message that we want the Smith Commission to go further."

She added: "The ball is in his court but I'm going into this in good faith."

On the issue of a second referendum, Ms Sturgeon said talks around another vote on independence were "for another day".

Prime Minister David Cameron tweets, external: An important meeting with @NicolaSturgeon, external on delivering our commitment to more powers for Scotland

Image source, Graham Fraser

James Cook
Scotland Correspondent, BBC News

Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish government plans were priorities but that the SNP would continue to argue the case for full fiscal autonomy, or control of almost all taxation and spending except defence and foreign affairs.

Asked whether she was confident of attaining additional powers Ms Sturgeon said: "I hope so and that's what I am intending to achieve."

She said the two politicians had agreed to meet more regularly. "I am going into this in good faith," she added.

James Cook
Scotland Correspondent, BBC News

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the prime minister has agreed to consider proposals for extra powers for the Scottish Parliament, beyond those already set out by the Smith Commission.

Ms Sturgeon told the BBC that her meeting this morning with David Cameron in Edinburgh had been "constructive".

She said they had agreed that legislation being drafted at Westminster would "fully implement the Smith Commission proposals" for extra powers but that "in parallel" the Scottish government would put forward plans for additional devolution over areas including 'business taxes, employment law, the minimum wage and further powers over welfare'.

Ms Sturgeon said there was 'no agreement in terms of the substance' of those plans but said Mr Cameron had agreed to look at them.

Nick Eardley
BBC News

BBC journalist Nick Eardley tweets, external: Sturgeon on @SkyNews: There's a world of difference between PM and I, but we both have jobs to do

On the issue of potential powers, which go beyond the Smith Commission, Ms Sturgeon said there had been "no agreement in terms of the substance of that" but that the proposals will be submitted, which will then be considered by the UK government.

She added: "There will be a meeting in the first instance between the deputy first minister and the secretary of state for Scotland to look at how we take that further forward."

Ms Sturgeon described talks with David Cameron around the Smith Commission as a "fairly substantial discussion".

There were two key areas of agreement on that issue, according to Ms Sturgeon.

She said: "There was a commitment from the prime minister that the legislation that's being drafted now will fully implement the Smith proposals and take account of the views and comments that were made in the Holyrood report yesterday.

"I've given a commitment that the Scottish government will work with the UK government to make sure that that is the case."

Ms Sturgeon said the Prime Minister also agreed to look at proposals from the Scottish government to suggest if and by how much further powers can go beyond the Smith Commission.

Nicola Sturgeon has described her meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron as being "constructive".

Image source, PA

The first minister said the leaders had agreed to meet more regularly.

She added that there was a mutual desire to have "much closer contact between Scottish and Westminster ministers to discuss issues of common interest".

Ms Sturgeon added: "David Cameron and I are a world apart politically but where we can, I am determined that we do business in the interests of Scotland and the UK and I'm determined to have a constructive and business like relationship."

Laura Bicker
Scotland Correspondent, BBC News

.@BBCJamesCook described as 'the office junior' by .@NicolaSturgeon as he forgets to switch his mic on. I'm not laughing - honestly (hahaha)

The Scottish government has described talks between David Cameron and Nicola Sturgeon as "constructive and helpful".

The discussions in Edinburgh were dominated by the issue of further powers for the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish government said Mr Cameron indicated he was open to considering proposals which would go further than the Smith Commission.

Mr Cameron is expected to comment on the discussions shortly.