Launch of Inspire Awards for 2026

We are delighted to launch this year’s Inspire Awards celebrating the hard work, commitment and achievements of East Lothian Council employees.

They recognise individuals and teams making an exceptional contribution to our organisation's work for the benefit of the communities we serve.

Any employee can nominate colleagues who they believe have gone the extra mile to deliver excellent service or make a positive difference to the delivery of high-quality services.

Chief Executive Laurence Rockey said:

“Last year’s inaugural Inspire Awards ceremony was a fantastic occasion, when we celebrated the professionalism and commitment of so many colleagues across the council. We had some great feedback on the awards and I’m really looking forward to the event taking place for a second successive year.

“There have been more brilliant achievements and successes over the last year and, despite a very challenging operating environment, our employees continue to demonstrate a relentless focus on providing the highest standard of service to East Lothian communities, highlighting our council values of Enabling, Leading and Caring in action.

“Please do take a look at the award categories and think about who you would like to nominate – we would love to hear from you.

“Everybody who lives, works in - or visits - East Lothian relies on at least some of the varied and essential services we provide. That’s why our Inspire Awards are a great way of recognising the excellent work that takes place 365 days of the year.”

Who is eligible to be nominated?

Any East Lothian Council or East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership employee can be nominated. Any employee can make a nomination.

How will the winners be decided?

Nominations will be judged by a panel including the Executive Leadership Team, Provost and a Trade Union representative.

How will the winners be announced?

All finalists will be invited to a ceremony in Haddington Corn Exchange on the afternoon of Monday 26 October, where winners will then be announced. Details and photographs will then be published in Inform.

How can I make a nomination?

Employees can make as many nominations as they wish across seven different categories. This can be done using an online form from today until 5pm on Wednesday, 2 September. 

What are the categories?

• Customer Excellence Award - an individual or team who has truly excelled in supporting and helping others, contributing to the delivery of quality service.
• Community Focus Award - an individual or team making a difference in the community by working collaboratively and effectively with our partners and local groups.
• Unsung Hero Award - an individual who works selflessly and shows dedication to their role without seeking recognition or acclaim.
• One Council Award - an individual or team who personifies our council values of Enabling, Leading and Caring by working collaboratively with colleagues in different areas to achieve shared outcomes.
• Sustainability and Efficiency Award - an individual or team who champions sustainability - whether it’s in relation to improving services, doing things more efficiently or protecting and enhancing the environment.
• Innovation Award - an individual or team demonstrating an innovative and inspirational approach in their work for the council to deliver for customers and communities.
• Team of the year - an award which recognises the importance of effective teamwork and employees working together to ensure continuous improvement, with a clear focus on getting things done for the benefit of others.
• Council employee of the year - this award will be presented to an outstanding employee nominated in one or more of the categories above. It recognises a standout and inspirational individual who has truly gone the extra mile to carry out their work to the highest level and whose efforts have been praised widely by their colleagues.

Employee survey: thank you

A huge thank you to all 2,329 colleagues who completed our recent employee survey, either online or on paper. We appreciate you taking the time to share your views and ideas.

Your feedback is incredibly valuable and will help shape improvements across our council. We will begin reviewing the results and suggestions once they become available next month, with the full survey findings set to be shared in the coming months.

Most importantly, this survey will lead to action. Every Service Manager will be asked to identify three key actions for their teams based on the results, with progress reviewed regularly by the Corporate Leadership Team to ensure accountability and follow-through.

You may remember the question, "What one thing would you change about the council if you were Chief Executive?". Laurence will be responding to the key themes and suggestions raised, so look out for further updates soon.

Finally, thank you for helping support a local cause. Following participants’ votes, East Lothian Foodbank will receive £500 through supplier Community Benefits funding.

Thank you again for getting involved. We look forward to sharing the results and next steps with you soon.

Hayley Barnett

Head of Corporate Support

Willie Innes Way officially opened

The new road through part of the former Cockenzie Power Station site was officially opened and named after our former Council Leader, the late Willie Innes, with his daughter Gillian invited to come along and perform the official ribbon cutting.  

Many colleagues will have worked with Willie, who was Council Leader from 2012 until he sadly passed away in October 2021. 

Current Council Leader Norman Hampshire said: “It was an honour to meet Willie’s son Craig, daughter Gillian and granddaughters Hanna and Isla to officially open this new road. Under Willie’s leadership, East Lothian Council bought the former Cockenzie Power Station site for economic and community benefit and that’s why this road has been named after him as a lasting tribute to all he did for East Lothian.” 

Willie’s daughter Gillian McEwan said: “I was really pleased to help cut the ribbon today on behalf of all the family. We’re very proud of what dad achieved during his time as a community councillor, local councillor and Council Leader and to have a road named after him is a real honour and something the family really appreciates.” 

The new road links the Alder Road junction on the B6371 approach to Cockenzie with the existing B1348 Edinburgh Road. It has been built with the support of Hub South East by contractor Balfour Beatty on our behalf as part of the wider work to bring the industrial site up to standard for redevelopment. It largely follows the route of an original service road to the former power station coal plant and is designed to ease pressure on existing roads in the community in preparation for potential new commercial and other developments on the former power station and coal store sites. 

We purchased the former ScottishPower site in 2018 to support ambitions to promote economic growth and create employment opportunities. 

You can read the full story on our website.  

Over £1m saved from counter fraud action: report now

We have a duty to safeguard public money. We expect the highest standards of conduct and integrity from everyone who deals with us. This includes employees, elected members, contractors and the public.

If you suspect that any person or organisation has committed a fraud that involves our council, you can report it in confidence online. This includes:

• tenancy and housing fraud
• Council tax discount fraud

You don’t have to identify yourself or provide personal information, just information about the type of fraud and who has committed it. You can also upload documents or photographs as evidence. Our specialist Corporate Fraud Officer will consider all information.

Fraudulent claims and behaviours affect communities by reducing the amount of money available to fund council services or reducing availability of housing for people who are in genuine need.

A report to Audit and Governance committee in June highlighted the costs highlighting that, in the last year, our Counter Fraud Officer Debbie McKinlay has investigated in excess of 1,500 cases and provided estimated savings of approximately £1,044,470.15, through National Fraud Initiative work and staff reporting, while bringing back into use six council properties. The positive impacts of this work were highlighted in national media.  

Find out more about reporting fraud: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/report-fraud

East Lothian learners congratulated on exam results

The number of East Lothian pupils achieving five or more National 5 qualifications is at its highest level since 2022 according to analysis of Qualifications Scotland (QS) Attainment Statistics for 2025/26 published recently.

2782 candidates achieved 14,999 awards, an increase on the previous year (2757/ 14,365). Qualifications Scotland awards include National 2 to National 5, Higher, Advanced Higher and ungraded Skills for Work courses. 

Analysis was carried out compared to 2024/25 results and the historical five-year average 2015-2019, a period unaffected by alternative certification models adopted during Covid-19.

Overall the percentage achieving A-C awards across all levels was in line with the 2024/25 at 83.4% (compared to 83.5%) and above the five-year historical average.  

Key highlights by QS level are:

National 2, 3 and 4

Young people achieved more National 2, 3 and 4 awards this year compared to last. The number of pupils presented increased from 1501 to 1561, with the number of awards they achieved also increasing from 3504 in 24/25 to 3615 this year. The qualifications are made up of units which are internally assessed as pass or fail at school or college level then externally quality-assured by QS.

National 5

The number of pupils achieving five or more National 5 qualifications is at its highest level since 2022. 79% achieved A-C grades, broadly in line with 2025 (79.6%) and an increase of two percentage points on the five-year average (77%). The pass rate for English was in line with the previous year (89%) while Maths increased by three percentage points on 2025 at 75%, the third successive year of rises in the subject and 11 percentage points above the five-year average (64%). East Lothian’s National 5 pass rates are in line with the national average.

Higher

While the number of pupils sitting Highers was in line with previous years and the five-year average (74% of the cohort), there was an increase in the numbers achieving A-C grades (78% compared to 77%). The pass rate at English increased from 74% in 2025 to 80% which is in line with the five-year average. Pass rates for Maths fell from 80% last year to 75% this, which remains above the five-year average (74%). East Lothian’s Higher pass rates are above the national average for the second year in a row.

Advanced Higher

The number of S6 pupils presented for an Advanced Higher increased to 48% from 47% compared with the previous year and slightly below the five-year average (50%). 72% achieved A-C grades, an increase of 4 percentage points on the previous year. 

Attainment gap 

The attainment gap between students living in the most and least disadvantaged areas increased across National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels compared to the previous year. The difference at National 5 was 15 percentage points (11pp in 24/25), 19 percentage points at Higher (compared with 13pp) and 13 percentage points (7pp in previous year).

Find the full results from our website. 

Catering team retains Silver Award for school meals

Our catering team have been honoured for their amazing work with the Food for Life Served Here (FFLSH) silver award.

As a result of their efforts, our council retained its silver status for the fifth year in a row in the award scheme run by Soil Association Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government.

Around 5000 nutritious, sustainable and locally-sourced Food for Life meals are served in our 37 primary schools and nurseries every day.

The FFLSH accolade was presented following an independent assessment and inspection to ensure the food being served in schools is good for pupils’ health, the environment and the local economy.

As an FFLSH silver award holder, we must spend at least five per cent of the ingredients budget for this service on organic produce and support local producers. This is in addition to meeting the FFLSH bronze award standards, which includes freshly preparing a minimum of 75 per cent of dishes using fresh, whole and minimally processed ingredients.

Meals also have to be free from undesirable trans fats, sweeteners and additives, and use free range eggs, higher welfare meat, and ingredients from sustainable and ethical sources.

Vanessa Sanal, Service Manager with Facilities Management Services, said: “Facilities Management are extremely proud to have retained the Food for Life Served Here silver award. This achievement reflects the team's ongoing commitment to providing quality, nutritious, and sustainably sourced food for children across East Lothian’s 37 primary schools and nurseries.

“Retaining this award demonstrates our dedication to supporting health, wellbeing, and positive food experiences for those we serve every day.”

We helped to achieve silver status by purchasing Scottish organic milk and dairy products, switching to locally produced organic flour from Mungoswells Farm in Drem, and introducing initiatives such as dining hall education displays to help children understand food provenance and healthy eating.

Our FFLSH silver award was first attained in 2022. Prior to this, a bronze award had been held since 2013.

Whitecraig Primary School shortlisted for national award

Recognition for an outstanding learning environment

Whitecraig Primary School has been shortlisted for the Pupil/Student Experience Award at the Learning Places Scotland 2026 Awards.

The Learning Places Scotland Awards are part of the annual Learning Places Scotland and EdTech Scotland event, delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government. The awards celebrate the people, projects and partnerships that are helping to shape learning environments across Scotland.

Celebrating positive pupil experiences

The Pupil/Student Experience Award recognises projects that have made a significant positive impact on learners. This includes initiatives that support inclusive learning, wellbeing, digital innovation and learner engagement.

The nomination for Whitecraig Primary School reflects the hard work, commitment and collaboration of everyone involved to deliver the project and create an environment that supports and inspires young people.

A building designed to support learning

Head Teacher, Viv Short highlighted the impact the new school building has had on pupils and the wider community.

She said: "The new school building is truly special. Its spaces allow curiosity to flourish, confidence to grow and new possibilities for every young person to be supported in the best way they can be.

"Whitecraig Primary School has always been at the heart of its community and our new building strengthens that connection, providing a welcoming place for families, partners and neighbours to come together.

"We are immensely proud and deeply thankful to everyone who has helped make it possible."

The winners of the Learning Places Scotland 2026 Awards will be announced at an event in Glasgow on 3 November.

Three teams reach APSE award finals

Three council service areas have been chosen as finalists in this year’s APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) awards, which recognise the outstanding work taking place in local authorities across the UK and celebrate excellence in frontline service delivery. 

We are finalists in the Best Climate Action or Decarbonisation Initiative, Best Service Team of the Year (Technical Services) and Best Service Team of the Year (Cemetery and Crematorium) categories. The winners will be announced in September. 

Council Leader Norman Hampshire said: “Well done to everyone who has been involved in these projects. The nominations are well deserved and it is welcome recognition for all the hard work that goes on in our teams right across the council. All of these service areas are delivering initiatives that are making a real difference to our residents, our environment and our communities. East Lothian would not be the wonderful place it is without the hard work of our council staff. Good luck to all our finalists!” 

Technical Services Team of the Year

The Technical Services Team of the Year nomination is for Fleet Services. The team has delivered a major expansion of in‑house Additional Support Needs (ASN) transport in response to rising demand, taxi market failure and climate pressures. Investment in wheelchair‑accessible buses, workforce growth and modern apprenticeships now provides safer, more inclusive, lower‑carbon transport for over 40 additional ASN pupils. Growth has generated significant value with average savings of £3,516 per user, equating to around £141,000 per year for 40 users, while strengthening local employment and long‑term skills sustainability. 

Best Climate Action or Decarbonisation Initiative

The Best Climate Action or Decarbonisation Initiative nomination is for the East Lothian Climate Forest, an ambitious programme driving climate action at landscape scale. One of Scotland's first Climate Forests, it aims to plant two million trees across East Lothian by 2031 through a partnership involving landowners, developers, communities and our council. More than 247,000 trees have already been planted in East Lothian, guided by our Tree and Woodland Strategy. By increasing carbon capture, enhancing biodiversity and creating healthier, more resilient landscapes and places, the Climate Forest is helping shape a sustainable future for East Lothian. 

Service Team of the Year

The Service Team of the Year nomination is for our Bereavement Team. Since January 2024, they have delivered a significant transformation of burial and bereavement services across East Lothian, modernising the service while protecting and improving the support provided to stakeholders. The team has transformed from a once lengthy, paper-heavy service to a modern, digitally-led operation that puts families first at the most difficult times.

Burial capacity in the west of East Lothian has been doubled through structured scheduling, while the introduction of a modern digital booking system now provides streamlined, consistent information across the service. Historical burial records dating back to the 1800s have been digitised across 39 cemetery sites, with 24 sites also being fully drone imaged, helping to safeguard this important information for future generations and significantly improving access to records.

Alongside this transformation, a dedicated headstone health and safety inspection programme is now underway across East Lothian cemeteries, risk assessing every headstone and ensuring failed headstones have a proactive plan to be made safe. The transformation has not just been about systems and processes. Strong relationships with funeral directors and monumental masons have developed and strengthened, supported by a dedicated bereavement line and open-door approach that puts families, communication and compassionate service at the forefront of the service. 

More details of the APSE Awards is on their website. 

New customer service office in Musselburgh

A new customer services office will open to the public in Musselburgh on Thursday 27 August following closure of the Brunton Hall.

A decision was made last year to close and mothball the Brunton Hall, due to the presence of RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) which is unaffordable to repair.

The Musselburgh customer services and community housing teams will be working from their new location of 141 High Street, the former Citizens Advice Bureau.

The new office will open at 11am on 27 August. Opening hours thereafter will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4pm.

A number of teams have already been relocated to alternative accommodation, with the Brunton Theatre Trust relocating its main base to the Corn Exchange in Haddington while continuing to provide high quality cultural experiences in Musselburgh with a programme of events primarily at Northesk Church and Loretto Theatre.

Meanwhile, we’re progressing with work to ensure future accommodation for the arts in Musselburgh by exploring opportunities to finance a replacement of the Brunton Hall. The focus is on finding an affordable solution for alternative accommodation to maintain all the associated cultural, economic and social benefits that has been delivered at the Brunton Hall over many years.

Justice Social Work will be moving to accommodation within Fisherrow Community Centre on Thursday 20 August.

The Brunton will be closed to the public from 27 August.

Main refurbishment of Loch Centre to begin in October

The main refurbishment works at the Loch Centre are scheduled to begin in early October as part of a £5 million repair and revitalisation project.

The timetable has been drawn up following the appointment of Algo Construction Scotland as the contractor to carry out these improvements at the Tranent facility. 

Advance works are due to start at the end of August and be completed by the end of September with the centre remaining open during this period.

The start of the main works in early October will require the centre to be closed for a year. Following a comprehensive review, it was previously determined that a year-long closure for the final phase of the project was the safest and most economical way to undertake the essential repairs.

Extensive work has already been completed on heating systems and other services at the centre which constituted the project’s first phase.

Funding for the renovation has come from our council’s capital budget.

Bill Axon, Chief Executive of Enjoy Leisure, said: “The Loch Centre in Tranent is a well-loved facility, so it’s brilliant that we’re now nearing the start of the main refurbishment. These essential works will modernise the Loch Centre and help ensure we can continue to meet the needs of local communities and visitors for many years to come.

“As part of our preparations for the temporary closure, we’ve been working to accommodate our clubs, classes and other activities across our other Enjoy Leisure venues wherever possible.

“We also want to provide our colleagues and our community with a clear and firm assurance regarding the Loch Centre team’s future. We're fully committed to protecting the livelihoods of our dedicated workforce throughout the refurbishment; therefore, we guarantee there will be no enforced job losses resulting from the temporary closure. We've developed a comprehensive plan to redeploy our team members across our other facilities, ensuring they remain supported and fully integrated into our operations while we transform your centre into a venue for the future.”

Secondary students start school year with individual laptop

All of our secondary pupils will start the new school year with their own laptop following successful roll-out of the council’s 1:1 devices project. 

Throughout 2025/26, our council officers worked with all seven secondary schools to introduce individual Chromebooks as part of the authority’s Learning, Connected project. The team used a phased approach starting with Dunbar Grammar and completing the year at Ross High School. 

Learning, Connected was developed to increase access to technology in schools, improve digital literacy and help learners access resources tailored to their needs and pace. A new web-filtering system on all Chromebooks provides a protected online environment whether they are used in school, at home or on any other network. A stakeholder agreement outlines expectations of all parties, including learners, parents and carers, for caring for the device and online behaviours. 

Staff have already been offered support and will continue to have the opportunity to take part in general and bespoke training to upskill and embed digital technology in their teaching and the curriculum. 

Alongside the increase in devices for secondary schools, primary school stocks increased to one Chromebook for every two pupils. The project has been funded from the council’s existing education IT budgets and careful management of the devices’ lifespans.

Read the full story on our website. 

Celebrating the successful launch of our new website

Our new website successfully went live on 16 June, marking a major milestone in our digital transformation journey and providing a modern digital front door to council services.

The launch followed months of collaboration across our council, with colleagues designing and improving content, migrating pages, creating better user journeys and testing the site.

Importantly, the website launched on time, with no disruption to services and a seamless experience for our communities.

Delivering better outcomes for residents

The new website makes it easier for residents to find information and access services online, supporting our ambitions for digital-by-default services, greater efficiency and more sustainable ways of working. Early feedback suggests these improvements are already making a difference.

One resident said: "The new website looks great, but what I really like is how easy it was to get to my destination page. The user journey is so much better. Bravo!"

Another commented: "Very clear and easy-to-follow website instructions – even for an old person like me who hates doing stuff online!"

Project reflections

Strategic Change Team Manager, Nicky Aitken said: “We feel the key to our success has been communication and collaboration. Building relationships with the web editors from the early stages has been key to keeping them informed on what is happening and what was required of them. Forging a strong relationship with transparent and regular communication with our supplier Big Blue Door has also been invaluable.”

Feedback from the Web Strategic Oversight Group (WebSOG) has been highly positive, with members describing the new website as cleaner, clearer and easier to navigate. The project was recognised for being delivered on time, highlighting the strong partnership and collaboration between the project team, web editors, and our supplier Big Blue Door as a major factor in achieving a successful transition.

A member of the WebSOG said: “The Web team were really helpful and always available for support which was much appreciated.”

Training and support was also received positively by the team, indicating a preference for in-person training and protected leaning time to get to grips with the new system and create the new website. Overall, feedback so far has been positive and constructive, with further benefits likely to be realised through continued support, in-person training and ongoing content reviews.

A collaborative success

This achievement reflects the dedication of colleagues across our organisation. Thank you to our Departmental Web Editors, Web Strategic Oversight Group, IT, Strategic Change and Customer Services teams, and delivery partner Big Blue Door, whose expertise and commitment helped make the programme a success.

Special thanks go to Laura Hall (Web Manager), Nicky Aitken (Team Manager Strategic Change), Raymond McGill (Service Manager and Project Sponsor), and Megan Waddell (Change Manager) - this project would not have been possible without their leadership, expertise and commitment to improving digital services for our residents. Thank you!

Continuous improvement

The new website has been designed to evolve. As residents and colleagues continue to use the site, we will identify opportunities to make content clearer, improve user journeys and refine how information is organised.

The Web Team will continue to monitor website performance, analyse feedback and usage, and make ongoing enhancements to navigation and content. We encourage staff to share feedback from customers and services. If something isn't easy to find, a page title could be clearer, or a customer journey can be improved, please contact your departmental web editors or contact the Web Team at webteam@eastlothian.gov.uk.

Next steps

Over the coming months, the Web Team will continue to support our network of Web Editors and provide training for new Web Editors, while working with LocalGov Drupal community to take advantage of future enhancements and innovations.

The project team will also develop a case study to capture lessons learned and gather feedback from both colleagues and residents, helping to shape future improvements and showcase the benefits delivered through the programme.

Together, we've delivered a website our residents can be proud of, a platform our services can build upon, and a digital foundation that will support East Lothian for years to come. Thank you again to all involved!