Chief Executive, Laurence Rockey

August is always an exciting time for our council. Summer is still with us, just about, and I hope colleagues who have had a break have enjoyed the opportunity to relax and recharge. If your holiday is still to come, I hope you have some well-deserved time away to look forward to.

As highlighted in my last Inform message, the work of our council continues throughout the summer months. From helping to keep people safe and cared for within our communities and across our open spaces, to ensuring East Lothian looks its very best for the many visitors attending fantastic events such as Fringe by the Sea and the Genesis Scottish Open, our services remain as busy as ever. Both events have once again been tremendous successes. I would also like to thank our Amenity teams for creating some truly stunning floral displays across the county, including the display in North Berwick celebrating the 80th anniversary of Capability Scotland.

Recent weeks have also seen a number of significant achievements and milestones. At the end of July, we marked the official naming and opening of Willie Innes Way, a new road through part of the former Cockenzie Power Station site. This is a fitting tribute to our former Council Leader, who sadly passed away in October 2021. It was a privilege to meet members of Willie's family and to reflect on his vision for the site as a place of economic opportunity and community benefit. My sincere thanks go to all colleagues and partners who have helped make this project a reality.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that our new Musselburgh Customer Services and Housing Office will open on 27 August at 141 High Street. This will coincide with the closure of the Brunton Hall to the public due to the significant challenges we continue to face with the building. This will undoubtedly be a sad and difficult moment for many colleagues and members of the local community. However, we remain committed to progressing plans for future arts accommodation in Musselburgh, creating opportunities that both the community and future generations can benefit from.

In another important development, refurbishment works at Tranent's Loch Centre are scheduled to begin in early October, marking a significant step forward for this valued community facility.

We are also looking forward to East Lothian Archaeology and Heritage Fortnight, which runs from 29 August to 13 September and will once again showcase the rich history and heritage on our doorstep.

Thank you to the 2329 colleagues who completed our recent employee survey. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us understand what we do well and where we can improve. You can read an update from Hayley on the results and next steps elsewhere in Inform.

I was also delighted to see Whitecraig Primary School shortlisted for the Pupil/Student Experience Award at the Learning Places Scotland 2026 Awards. In addition, our catering team has been retained the Food for Life Served Here Silver Award, acknowledging the outstanding quality of meals provided in our schools and three teams have reached the finals of the APSE awards. Congratulations to everyone involved in these excellent achievements.

I’d also like to congratulate all young people in East Lothian who received their exam results last week. It’s pleasing to know that East Lothian’s Higher pass rates remain above the national average, while the number of pupils achieving five or more National 5 qualifications is at its highest level in four years. I know that a lot of hard work will have been put in and huge thanks to all our Education colleagues for their hard work in supporting young people towards achieving their goals.

You may also have seen that nominations are now open for our second Inspire Awards event. I encourage you to take a moment to consider the outstanding individuals and teams who make a positive difference to the council and our communities every day, and to submit your nominations before 2 September.

This time of year is also an opportunity to look ahead and focus on our priorities for the months ahead. In the coming weeks, elected members will consider a number of important issues, including budget development, parking management and opportunities to support economic growth across East Lothian.

Please keep an eye on Inform and other council communications for updates on these and many other developments in the weeks and months ahead.

Thank you, as always, for everything you do to support our communities and one another.