News
New early learning and childcare centre opens in Prestonpans
A new Early Learning and Childcare Centre in Prestonpans has opened its doors to its first intake of children.
Fiona Robertson, Head of Education, said: “We are delighted that the Early Learning and Childcare Centre in Prestonpans is now open for business. The new centre provides much-needed additional nursery places for a growing local population, and will also serve as a centre for excellence where those interested in a career in childcare can spend time in support of their study and learning.”
The new Early Learning and Childcare Centre – formerly known as The Red School, sited next to Prestonpans Infants and Nursery School on West Loan – opened to children in November. The building has benefited from a half a million pound refurbishment of its ground floor to provide nursery accommodation, and will initially provide nursery places for three and four year olds, before expanding to welcome two and three year olds who meet eligibility criteria. The centre will eventually be able to accommodate up to around 40 children. Children have space to enjoy different activities such as messy play or puzzles, play in the nurture corner or enjoy books in the quiet corner, while there is a safe play area to explore outdoors.
Councillor Shamin Akhtar, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education and Children’s Services, added:“It’s fantastic to see children now enjoying this new facility in Prestonpans. The opening of this new building closely follows the opening of the new extension at Law Primary School in North Berwick. Both of these projects are part of a wider council investment in new or expanded schools throughout East Lothian, and it’s great to see the real, positive impact of this investment.”
See more photos of the new centre on our Facebook page.
East Lothian Council to support BorderCare
Scottish Borders Council (SBC) has recently agreed that the alarm monitoring and remote response function of SB Cares’ BorderCare Alarm service will be delivered in partnership with East Lothian Council.
The change is planned to take place from Spring 2018 and will create a tri-authority centre of excellence encompassing East Lothian, Midlothian and SBC.
East Lothian Council has an established partnership model which has been providing Midlothian Council’s monitoring services successfully since 2009. The council is considered expert in this field with a proven track record of innovation and quality, as well as sharing a similar public service ethos to SBC.
Under the new partnership arrangement, SB Cares’ BorderCare clients will see an improvement in the quality and resilience of their alarm monitoring service as well as being in a much better position to benefit from telecare innovations.
The proposal will see no change to the technical alarm installation and support service, and SB Cares will remain responsible for the overall BorderCare service to clients in the Scottish Borders.
SB Cares Managing Director, Philip Barr, said: “Midlothian Council has given us excellent feedback on the quality of provision that their clients receive through a similar arrangement with East Lothian Council and we are committed to making sure that Borders residents have access to the same benefits.”
Ross High awarded Rights Respecting School status
Ross High School in Tranent has become the first secondary school in East Lothian to be awarded a level 2 Rights Respecting School award by UNICEF UK.
The school has been awarded the highest level of award, which recognises achievement in fully embedding the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into the school’s policies, practice and ethos. The UNICEF UK Rights Respecting School award supports schools to develop positive relationships, develop a shared vision and improve behaviour and engagement in learning.
The school first registered to become Rights Respecting in May 2013 and first achieved Level 1 in June 2015. This latest award follows an assessment visit by UNICEF UK to meet with young people and staff, prior to which the school had completed a comprehensive self-assessment report and impact evaluation.
UNICEF UK’s report noted several key strengths including:
- A strong strategic direction that is fully committed to the Rights Respecting School Award
- Very positive respectful relationships throughout the school
- Pupil Voice is a strength of the school and continues to be nurtured and encouraged
Shamin Akhtar, Cabinet spokesperson for Education and Children’s Services, added: “This award is fantastic news. It takes a number of years to achieve the highest level of award, and congratulations go to everyone at Ross High for their hard work over recent years to achieve this status. When children and young people understand their rights, they know how other people should be treated. They become happier, healthier and more confident, and more engaged in their learning. All of this has a lasting positive impact on the wider community. I hope other schools are inspired and encouraged by Ross High’s success.”
Read the full story on the council website.
New extension open at North Berwick’s Law Primary
Pupils at Law Primary in North Berwick are enjoying learning in their new school extension, thanks to an ongoing schools investment programme.
Law Primary’s new extension, which opened to pupils after the October break, includes 16 classrooms and break out areas, a tutorial room, a new general purpose room, resource rooms and storage space, a meeting room and new staff offices, as well as a library. The contract value for the whole construction project, which also includes further phases of work providing new shared accommodation including a large three-court hall, is £7.6 million. The total project value is £8.45 million, which includes the cost of fees, IT, and furniture.
Councillor Shamin Akhtar, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education and Children’s Services, said: “It’s fantastic that this first phase of extension at Law Primary School has been completed and is occupied by the school. To see the children now enjoying this new, improved building is really wonderful.
“The council is strongly committed to ensuring that all our children have the best possible start in life, and these improvement works part of a wider investment by the council to spend almost £100 million in new or expanded schools over three years throughout the whole of East Lothian.”
View more photos on the council's Facebook page.
Yester Primary receives prestigious European awards
Teachers and students at Yester Primary have been celebrating after being awarded three highly regarded eTwinning National Quality Labels.
eTwinning, the digital community for schools has over 500,000 teachers registered in 43 countries across Europe and beyond and is funded by the European Commission as part of the Erasmus+ programme and managed in the UK by the British Council. The National Quality Label is issued to schools that produce outstanding work as part of their eTwinning partnership. 
To secure the Quality Labels, Yester Primary worked in partnership with schools in almost 40 countries across Europe to create three outstanding projects using digital collaborative tools. The projects “Silent Night” and “Schoolovision” entailed creating, singing and recording various songs, while the “European Chain Reaction” project is a Science based project with partners in 30 countries, who all created and filmed their own chain reactions.
Michael Purves, class teacher and project manager of all 3 projects at Yester Primary said:
“We are delighted to have been the awarded the eTwinning National Quality Labels. Everyone at Yester Primary has enjoyed working with our partners on all three projects. To secure the National Quality Labels is a real honour for the students and teachers who participated in the project. The eTwinning projects have brought much pleasure to the pupils involved.”
Cllr Shamin Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services added:
“I would like to add my congratulations to the staff and pupils at Yester Primary for these amazing achievements. The work they have carried out has taken in many elements of the Curriculum for Excellence and given the young students a tremendous insight into partnership working.”
Staff Budget Drop-in Sessions
The council recently launched a public budget consultation. 
The consultation gives people the chance to answer questions and air their views before the council sets its budget for 2018/19.
Three drop in sessions have been organised to give employees an opportunity to find out more about the challenges we face and contribute ideas and suggestions.
These drop in sessions will be held on:
- 7th Dec (12.00 – 1.30) - ground floor corridor, JMH
- 8th Dec (12.30 – 2.00) – ground floor corridor, JMH
- 13th Dec (12.00 – 1.30) – Garleton Room, Penston House
Dunbar Grammar students named national 'Mock Court' winners
A team of students from Dunbar Grammar School are heading to New York after being crowned Scotland's Mock Court champions.
The Scottish Schools Mock Court Project gives young people the chance to take part in the processes of a court trial, conducted in front of a real sheriff. The team from Dunbar Grammar School won the final, where they took on students from Prestwick Academy. The reward for winning is a week long trip to New York where the pupils will take on American teams in a further mock trial project.
Paul Raffaelli, Head Teacher at Dunbar Grammar School, said: “We are all extremely proud of our students’ success in this year’s Mock Court competition. Not only did our Pursuer’s team win first prize with a visit to New York in June, but two of our students progressed to a selection panel which will identify a UK team to take part in a World Mock Court competition at the European Court of Human Rights in the Hague in January/February. Congratulations to all of the students who participated.”
Read more on Dunbar Grammar School's Edubuzz page.
eResources from East Lothian Library Service
How often have you or someone you know struggled with a new smartphone, tablet, or software update? Do you want to learn how to use Photoshop or Microsoft Office more effectively? Perhaps you would like to learn all things Google, or are struggling with Apple products and software? Find the technology answers you need with Atomic Training - tutorial videos range from 1-3 minutes long and are perfect for absolute beginners or more experienced tech-heads. Atomic Training also includes sections on improving Career Skills, Internet Use, and Social Media techniques. 
Library members can access Atomic Training on our website. If you’re not a member of the Library, you can join online here. Joining the Library will give you full access to all of our eResources including eBooks, eAudiobooks, eComics, eNewspapers, eMagazines, eFilms and much more.
Christmas and New Year waste collections
Ideas Bank update
One of your suggestions to the Ideas Bank was to set up a community lottery within East Lothian (IB077) 
In a time of shrinking budgets and increased community need, council-run community lotteries provide a fun and effective way for local community groups to raise much-needed funds.
The lottery enables people to support the local causes they care most about, and helps good causes to connect with their supporters.
The first council-run community lottery was set up by Aylesbury Vale District Council in November 2015 and has so far raised £110,000 for local good causes.
How does it work?
Community groups and charities in East Lothian would apply to become beneficiaries.
Players buy a ticket to be entered into the draw and can choose which cause they support, or opt to pay into a general fund which will be allocated by the council to local good causes.
Once the numbers are drawn, the lucky winners receive cash prizes!
But the real winners are the good causes who receive 60% of the ticket price (to put this in perspective, when you play the National Lottery 28% goes to good causes).
Your Thoughts
A good idea for East Lothian? Let us know what you think by leaving your comments below.
Education Scotland thanks schools after Kuwaiti assessors visit
Education Scotland has thanked Campie Primary School, Dunbar Primary School, and Ross High School for their hospitality after the schools welcomed international trainees from Kuwait this month.
The Kuwait assessors visited our schools for two days during a visit to East Lothian between 20 November and 1 December. The focus of these visits was to support the new Kuwait assessors to evaluate learning and teaching in literacy in the primary schools, and the English department in the secondary.
Education Scotland's Graeme Logan said: "The Kuwait trainees were very impressed with their visit to Campie, Dunbar and Ross High schools. They found the staff very open, friendly and willing to share their practice. They learnt a lot from their classroom observations which will support them to improve their skills and knowledge in self-evaluation. They very much enjoyed engaging with the children and young people who were strong and proud ambassadors for their schools. We value our partnership with your schools in supporting our international engagement and look forward to further joint working next year."
Anna Boni, also from Education Scotland, added: "I would like to formally thank the senior teams, staff, children and young people in Campie, Dunbar and Ross High Schools for the way in which they supported the learning of our Kuwait trainees. I know that my team and I found the support provided by the schools to be of the highest quality. Their championing of the learning of the Kuwait group was far beyond expectations. The attitudes of the children in so openly accepting the influx of visitors from a very different culture was commendable. The generosity of spirit of the teachers who allowed us to observe their craft in class and also gave of their time to engage in professional dialogue was greatly valued.. I know that the Kuwait groups benefited significantly from their two days in your schools. I think the schools, while probably exhausted by their constant stream of questions, also enjoyed the visit."
Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School also welcomed international visitors this month. This November, a group of international health care professionals visited the Musselburgh school to see how they use the Scottish Government’s Improvement Methodology. Staff discussed how the school’s vision and values were developed by the children, parents and staff, explaining how the school lives these values, and how this underpins their Quality Improvement work.
Season of goodwill!
The council's Feedback team doesn't just process complaints about council services but also receives many compliments about the work we carry out. Over the past six months more than 60 compliments were received and the following are just a few to share.
- A customer contacted us to compliment an engineer who turned up in just over 1 hour for an emergency call out-he complimented him as being “efficient and very pleasant” and that he was “over the moon as the valve was changed and sorted”.
- Customer is very grateful to the workforce that came out to clear drains, “they were very polite and really concerned with what they were doing and they persevered until they fixed the problem”.
- Customer would like to thank us very much for the provision of rails on back door. She now feels secure that she won't have another fall.
- Customer would like to thank a joiner who recently attended their property – “he was excellent and so nice-fitted grip handle in shower cubical & handrail.” Customer over the moon with his service.
- “I would like to say thank you very much to the two contact assistants for arranging for our food caddy to be emptied after it was missed and Biffa for the quick response. We are so very grateful as we faithfully use the food caddy and were worried in case there was any rats and would not put this into the wheelie bin as the food caddy is great. I appreciate all your hard work to everyone who helped.”
Local businesses 'meet the council' at National Business Week coffee morning
To celebrate National Business Week 2017, a special coffee morning was arranged through Business Gateway and the Economic Development team.
The turnout of local businesses was great, with around 200 people in attendance, who got the chance to meet representatives from a wide range of council departments from planning to business rates and economic development to East Lothian Works and everything in between!
Three local entrepreneurs were also interviewed by Business Adviser Steve Newlin. Simon Poole from Jerba Campervans, James Barbour from Foxlake and John Jackson from Braw Beard Oils were full of tips for others, shared their inspiring plans for the future and were complimentary about the support they'd received from East Lothian Council.
Local businesses can get involved in a series of coffee mornings and networking events via @BizEastLothian or by emailing snewlin@eastlothian.gov.uk
Christmas period pay dates
The following are the payment dates for Christmas 2017, January 2018 salaries and wages.
Pay date 21st December 2017.
3 weeks normal pay. To ensure this is an accurate payment all relevant information must be with Payroll Section on or before 12th December 2017. *see further details below
Next pay date 11th January 2018.
Pay date 7th December 2017.
Normal payment, no amendment required. To ensure an accurate payment all relevant information must be with Payroll Section on or before 28th November 2017.
Next pay date 4th January 2018.
To ensure an accurate payment all relevant information must be with Payroll Section on or before 19th December 2017.
- Monthly Salaries (including Permanent Teachers)
Revised pay dates Thursday 21st December 2017 and Friday 26th January 2018.
To ensure an accurate payment all relevant information must be with Payroll Section on or before 5th December 2017 and 8th January 2018 respectively.
Pay dates Tuesday 12th December 2017 and Tuesday 9th January 2018.
To ensure time to process these payments all claim sheets must be with Payroll Section on or before 21st November 2017 and 19th December 2017 respectively.
Please consult Payroll Section if you have been unable to forward all claims by these deadlines.
*3 weeks wages will be paid on 21st December 2017, detailed below are the dates by which weekly timesheets must be submitted.
Date of Submission Timesheets Required Payment Date
12/12/17 Actual hours for week 21/12/17
ending 10/12/17
(+ 2 weeks basic hours no timesheets required)
19/12/17 Actual hours for week 11/01/18
ending 17/12/17
09/01/18 Actual hours for week 18/01/18
ending 24/12/17. Plus
amendments only for
w/e 31/12/17 & 07/01/18.
Coming soon - online payment system for school meals
Many parents face a frantic rake through wallets and purses in the morning for loose change to pay for school meals, milk and trips. But the last-minute scramble for coins will soon be a thing of the past.
Parents and carers of children at secondary schools are already familiar with cashless catering, where you can put cash on to your child’s entitlement card at a time that suits you through the council website. Soon that convenience will be available to parents of primary school pupils, but without asking them to carry entitlement cards.
We will soon be launching a new digital system that will enable parents to log into an account and order school meals for their children in advance. With the new system, parents will not only be able to make informed menu choices, but payment for meals can be taken online. Payments for milk and trips will also be possible through the online account, including the option to make payments in instalments for larger expenses. Payments can be tracked electronically meaning that you will be able to see when payments are due and how much is still outstanding, which should make managing your budget easier.
Councillor Shamin Akhtar, cabinet spokesperson for education and children's services, said: “The benefits of this new online system are clear. Not only will it be quick and easy to use, but it puts parents in control of their finances. Benefits to the council are also significant. Banks currently charge double to process cash and cheque transactions, but by undertaking more payments online, payments are processed quicker and at less cost to the council. Over time, this represents a significant cost saving to the council, meaning that we can make your money go further to deliver essential services.”
The school payments system will be launched in 2018.
Protecting your information
Protecting your information – and money – from hackers is extremely important to the council. That’s why we’re going beyond the minimum expected security measures to give you peace of mind when you use our online services to pay for things. For the new parents/ carer portal, we’re investing in new security arrangements. This will allow us to be confident we’re doing as much as we can to ensure the new portal and our existing schools administration system ‘talks’ to each other without fear of someone breaking into that link. This link allows us to keep your information up to date and help you save time when you’re logging in to use the new portal.
Local office cash payments
From 3 January 2018 cash payments at George Johnstone Centre, Tranent, Aldhammer House, Prestonpans and North Berwick council offices will only be accepted 9am-12 noon only. Service users will be advised of other payment options.
What's On
Hogmanay in the Honest Toun
Following five successful years delivering Family Hogmanay in Musselburgh, The Brunton once again hosts 
Hogmanay in the Honest Toun on Sunday 31 December with a packed programme of performances, workshops and events. The day-long celebration include two ceilidhs, lantern making, storytelling and puppetry. It all culminates in a stunning lantern parade and firework display lighting up the sky along the Musselburgh coastline.
“Loved the lantern making – staff were 1st class! Brilliant little lamps and smiles all around.”
“Fantastic to have events for the whole family!”
Will most definitely be a family tradition from now on!”
Hogmanay Celebrations in the Honest Toun are delivered by East Lothian Council and The Brunton, and has received support as part of the Scotland’s Winter Festivals, a programme of events managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Sunday 31 December
Lantern Making (45 mins) | 11am, 12 noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm | £5
Make a lantern for the 7pm parade and leave it with us to collect later from 6pm. Join the parade from The Brunton, led by illuminated walkabout characters, to Fisherrow Links for a spectacular free fireworks display.
Edinburgh Samba School Drumming Workshop (1hr) | 11am, 12 noon, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm | £6
Learn some new skills and have fun with our drumming workshops.
It’s In The Bag: Sam and Rosie’s Tartan Tea Party | 11am (50 mins) | £6 adult, £5 child
Join Sam and Rosie as they journey to the North of Scotland for the annual Tartan Tea Party. With lots of well-known Scottish nursery rhymes and songs, guaranteed fun for little ones aged 0 – 2 years.
It’s In The Bag: Sam & Rosie’s Highland Adventure – The Mystery of the Lost Haggis! | 12.30pm (50 mins) | £6 adult, £5 child
Oh no! Disaster strikes just as the Highland Feast and Ceilidh are about to begin. Dressed in their finest tartan, Sam and Rosie must solve the mystery of the missing haggis. Fun for ages 3 – 6 years.
Clydebuilt Puppets: The Three Giants | 2.30pm & 3.30pm (30 mins) | £5 adult, £4 child
Finn MaCool’s great comic battle of trickery with the Scottish giant McGonigle! A wonderful story for all the family with life sized body puppets.
Pantomime: Beauty and the Beast | 1pm & 5pm | £18.50 (£15.50) £66 family of 4
A fun, traditional pantomime for all the family.
Family Ceilidhs | 1pm – 2.30pm & 3.30pm – 5pm | £8, £30 family of 4
Lively fun for all the family with pipers, a live ceilidh band and Scottish Country dancers. Watch the dance display then join in, a caller will keep you right. No dance experience required. Once again we are running 2 ceilidhs which allows more dance space and seating.
Lantern Parade & Fireworks Display | 7pm – 8pm | FREE
If you made a lantern during the day, collect it from 6pm or you can bring your own. The Lantern Parade sets off at 7pm led by the Edinburgh Samba Band, Apus walkabout illuminated birds and Jacks of Frost. This leads to Fisherrow Links for a spectacular Scottish fireworks display from 7.30pm to 8pm.
Hogmania! | 7.45pm – 12.30am | £25 adult, £7.50 child 5 – 16, under 5s free (all children to be accompanied by an adult)
Musselburgh welcomes in 2018 with Hogmania! A family friendly New Year’s Party with live music, dancing, piper and platters of traditional Hogmanay snacks for each table.
All tickets are available from The Brunton on 0131 665 2240 or online at www.thebrunton.co.uk
Coming up at The Brunton, Musselburgh
December Highlights
Festive fun fills The Brunton this December, with music, comedy, our panto and even some new film additions!
Can’t wait to see what else is coming this season?
Download our What's On Guide Sept 17 - Jan 18!
Film: Victoria and Abdul (PG) | Wed 6 Dec 7.30pm | £7.50 (£6.50)
The bond between Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a clerk from India, and Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) brings both a fresh new perspective into her life, as she reflects on her role and legacy, and also deep suspicion and unrest from her household and inner circle...
Film: Goodbye Christopher Robin (PG) | Wed 20 Dec 7.30pm | £7.50 (£6.50)
A rare glimpse into the relationship between beloved author A. A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) and his son Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired the magical world of Winnie the Pooh.
Feeling Good: A Celebration of the Music of Michael Bublé | Thu 21 Dec 7.30pm | £22.50 (£20.50)
Featuring one of the UK’s premiere Michael Bublé impersonators, Mitchell Rutter, Feeling Good is a musical journey through the story and songs of one of the most important and successful male artists of recent decades.
The Brunton Pantomime: Beauty and the Beast | Tue 28 Nov – Sat 6 Jan | Peak: £18.50 (£15.50), £66 family of 4, Off Peak: £16.50 (£13.50), £58 family of 4
Join us for a fabulous festive feast of laughter, singing and dancing with the tale of Beauty and the Beast.
DON’T MISS: FAMILY HOGMANAY IN THE HONEST TOUN
For more unmissable entertainment download our What's On Guide Sept 17 - Jan 18 or visit our website.
All tickets are available from The Brunton on 0131 665 2240 or www.thebrunton.co.uk
Staff Christmas Bash
After an absence of 9 years, The East Lothian Council Staff Christmas Bash makes a welcome return to Haddington Corn Exchange! The event will be held on Friday 15 December from 7.30pm to 1.00am with disco, live band and licenced bar. 
Tickets only £5 - available from John Muir House, Brunton Hall, Randall House & Penston House. All proceeds from the event will go to ‘Rockin for Tots’ charity to help support neo-natal care of babies and other related charities.
This event is guaranteed to be popular, so get your tickets now to avoid disappointment!
Christmas carol fundraiser
Fancy belting out some Christmas Carols with your colleagues, whilst raising money for charity? Of course you do!
No special singing ability, time commitment or feats of memory are required - a song sheet is supplied, so simply bring your enthusiasm!
Tuesday 5 December, 12.30pm - rehearsal (optional)
Saltire Rooms at John Muir House, Haddington
Tuesday 12 December, 12.30pm - Performance!
Gather outside the Saltire Rooms at John Muir House, Haddington
Bring coats, gloves etc - we will go outside if the weather permits.
For more information and to sign up, contact Christine Dora (7104) or cdora@eastlothian.gov.uk
This year's nominated charity is Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity (formerly known as 'The Sick Kids Friends Foundation').
ECHC supports the work of Edinburgh's 'Sick Kids' hospital, and "transform the experiences of children and young people in hospital so they can be a child first and a patient second".
Read more about ECHC or donate online at https://echcharity.org/
Christmas Wreath Making Event
Join the Countryside Rangers and create your own wreath to take home. We will supply all the materials that you need, as well as providing refreshments all in a festive atmosphere! 
Friday 8th December, 9.30-11.30am
Gibb Room, Bleachingfield Centre, Dunbar
Cost £10 and booking is essential via:
http://eastlothian.bookinglive.com/ranger-service-annual-programme/family-activities/
New Year's Raceday at Musselburgh Racecourse
Monday 1 January 2018
Gates open 11am, First Race 12:30pm
Musselburgh Racecourse, Linkfield Road EH21 7RG
Bring in the New Year with an exciting day of top quality jump racing featuring one of the most historic athletic events in the world, The New Year Sprint. Featuring the £40,000 Hogmaneigh Hurdle as part of the £120,000 card this promises to be an exciting day of Jump racing. Continue your celebrations at this traditional highlight with a seasonal flavour - warm up with mulled cider and a carvery pork roll!
Purchase your ticket in advance before 11:59pm on Friday 8 of December and SAVE £10 per Adult. Children 17 & under go FREE when accompanied by an Adult.
Find out more on the Musselburgh Racecourse website.
Visit East Lothian Airways!
Visit East Lothian is hosting an innovative networking event at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune.
Tourism-related businesses based in East Lothian have received a 'boarding pass' for the event, on Tuesday 12th December from 4.30 - which will involved drinks, canapés and festive fun!
In reality, it's a networking opportunity but using one of our most iconic venues.
If you're aware of a tourism-facing business who many not have received an invitation but would like to get involved, they can get their boarding pass at visit@eastlothian.gov.uk
Charity Christmas sale
The Council Tax team's Annual Christmas Sale will be held in John Muir House reception on Wednesday 6th December between 12 and 2pm. 
Lots of exciting things will be on offer along with tombola and lucky dip.
Donations of bottles for the tombola along with any items for Revenues Christmas Raffle would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Fay Glynn for more information.
Why don’t you pop along and see what’s on offer ?
Our People
Sleep in the Park.
A Mass Sleepout to End Homelessness in Scotland. For Good. 
Depute Provost, Andy Forrest and Stuart Baxter, Area Manager, Musselburgh Area Partnership are taking part in Sleep in the Park in Princes Street Gardens on the 9th of December for the world's largest ever sleepout.
It’s hoped around 9,000 people will be taking part to raise funds and awareness of homelessness in Scotland.
Andy and Stuart will be part of the Capital Credit Union team of 6 signed up to support Social Bite raise £500,000 to help homeless people all over Scotland.
A small donation to their fundraising activities would be greatly appreciated. Check out https://www.sleepinthepark.co.uk/our-plan for more information on how your donation can help.
Andy said: “We have calculated that if all our contacts at Capital Credit Union donated just £5 - £10 each, we would smash our target.”
To donate to this excellent cause, please visit;
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/capital-credit-union
Pancreatic Cancer fundraising
Janet Fairnie, Assistant Registrar based at Brunton Hall, sadly lost her husband last year to pancreatic cancer. It's currently the 5th most common cause of cancer death in the UK and almost 10,000 people are newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year. 
Some of Janet's colleagues have been involved in fundraising initiatives for Pancreatic Cancer Scotland and recently presented a number of cheques to the charity.
Janet said: "The support I have received from colleagues and friends has been overwhelming. My friend and ex-council colleague, Jean Russell organised an Afternoon Tea which raised £1800, Pearl Lane, a colleague at EL Works raised a further £700 through a sponsored cycle event 'Pedal for Scotland' and Carol Anne Darling, a fellow registrar at the Brunton Hall donated £100 from a fundraising event held by her lady's guild at St Martin's Church, Tranent.
"Pancreatic cancer is a particularly horrible disease but research continues to help with new treatments and I am grateful for the donations raised in my husband's memory."
More information available online.
Education Services celebrates Professional Learning
On Friday 17 November, eight teachers were presented with Professional Learning certificates at a special event held at John Muir House.
The participants – who had taken part in the Education Service’s First Steps Into Leadership, Next Steps Into Leadership or Coaching For Success programmes – came together with their mentors to celebrate the professional learning they had undertaken over the past academic year. Before the meeting each participant was given a series of five questions that asked them to reflect on the impact that their learning has had, before they discussed in small groups how this has informed their practice.
Sandra Banks, who took part in the First Steps into Leadership programme, said “This course has enabled me to examine theories and models of leadership, all within a supportive and collaborative environment. Reflecting upon this, and implementing what I have learned by leading a project and working towards the GTCS Standards for Leadership and Management, as well as exploring East Lothian’s Education Leadership Framework, has all made me a much more assured and informed leader.”
Those who participate in the Coaching For Success programme have the option to apply for Professional Recognition, which is set at masters level, from the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS). Charli Prime, who has gained this recognition, said “Coaching For Success has given me the opportunity to refresh my confidence as a coach, but the most essential skill I developed is being effective at active listening. This is essential for leading a growing team and building trust with young people that have autism or other additional support needs.”
Sean Stitt, who took part in the Next Steps Into Leadership programme, added “It was really enlightening being able to network with others and discuss how our school improvement projects have had an impact. Being able to identify and recognise where our leadership projects align with local and national priorities was also very informative.”
David Scott, Quality Improvement Officer, shared his thoughts on the afternoon: “Today we saw the participants asking critical questions about themselves and how they would apply their learning in their future work. This is professional learning in action, and shows how effective leadership can enhance learning and teaching. I was really struck by the enthusiasm and passion that all these participants had to make a difference to the children and young people of East Lothian.”
For more information on these training courses for Education Services staff, contact Margo Cunningham, Training and Development Officer on 01620 828767 or mcunningham@eastlothian.gov.uk
Graduates improving customer service council-wide
The annual Customer Service Professional Qualifications (CSPQ) graduation ceremony was held at Penston House to celebrate the success of 22 graduates over the last 12 months. 
This has been a particularly successful year for CSPQ in East Lothian as we reached our 100th graduate in August and Stuart Fynan (Contact Centre) won the CSPQ national Candidate of the Year.
Councillor Jim Goodfellow led the tributes saying that CSPQ has come a long way since it was launched in 2008 and the impact this has had on Customer Service. He said: “CSPQ has encouraged staff to improve service for our customers. We can now build on this success and continually improve and encourage others by promoting CSPQ and promoting excellent customer service.”
Depute Chief Executive Monica Patterson said: “ELC is seen by other councils as an exemplar for CSPQ and we are in the top three councils for having the most graduates."
We have:
- 5% of all graduates at Award level
- 11% of graduates at Certificate level
- 18% of graduates at PDA level”
She then acknowledged Stuart Fynan’s achievement of becoming national Candidate of the Year 2017 and Sam Fleming (Customer Services) who was the 100th graduate. Both graduates explained how the qualification had helped them. Stuart stated that he felt much better equipped to deal with difficult calls and mentoring newer members of staff. Sam described how she had learned different skills through the qualification and how she had managed to put them into practice.
Angela Leitch summed up by outlining the importance of development to the council and the impact CSPQ was having, particularly when dealing with customers who have very complex needs.
Green Corner
STAR Awards winners
The East Lothian Council STAR Awards 2017 ceremony was held at the Brunton on Thursday 7 December. More than 190 people attended the event which recognises the achievements of council teams and individuals.
Congratulations to ...
Council worker of the year - Margo Cunningham 
Described as ‘carrying out her role in a very understated manner’ and considered to be an excellent ambassador not only for her department but for the council as a whole, she has made her mark with a range of national professional organisations and is well respected by them all for her engagement, commitment and promotion of training and professional development. Recently recognised by the General Teaching Council for Scotland when she was presented with their Professional Recognition Award for the Accredited Coaching Diploma programme that she has developed and jointly delivers.
Team of the year - Environmental Health Service 
The Environmental Health Service has recently undergone structural and cultural change amalgamating the Food and Safety and Environmental Protection teams. Performance Indicators were revised and these have now become a useful validation tool for service delivery standards published in a Service Charter.
Details and photos of other award winners to follow in Inform
STAR Awards winners (2)
Congratulations to ...
Customer Excellence – Individual 
Sandra Thomson, Housing Officer (On left presented with her trophy by Lyn Holmes of Canon UK)
Over the past year Sandra has made an outstanding contribution to assisting vulnerable clients as they adjust to the new Universal Credit benefit system. In addition Sandra is always on the look out for good quality household items for her clients who are struggling to furnish their home.
Customer Excellence – Team 
Assessment and Review Team for Care Homes
This team is responsible for ensuring more than 500 clients, who can no longer live in their own homes, are receiving quality care in a homely environment. They support families with the difficult and life changing decisions when considering a care home and provide advice and emotional support.
STAR Awards winners (3)
Many congratulations to ...
Unsung Heroes 
John Christie, Amenity Services (John on left presented with his trophy by Cllr Norman Hampshire)
John is a tractor driver within Amenity Services and is involved in training other staff members, He has built up an invaluable amount of knowledge and skills which is both highly rated and appreciated.
Service to Communities – Individual 
Fiona Melville, Computer Buddy Scheme (Fiona was presented with her trophy by Ross Prentice)
Fiona is based at Longniddry Library and co-ordinates the Computer Buddy Scheme which provides help and support to people within the local community with little or no knowledge of IT.
Service to Communities - Team 
Inveresk cemetery workers
The team have been recognised as providing a very high standard of service maintaining the cemetery and also being very caring and understanding in dealing with bereaved families.
STAR Awards winners (4)
Many congratulations to ....
Services to our People 
Share the Care Team
Share the Care is the council’s short breaks service for families of children with disabilities. They are responsible for recruiting, training, supporting and matching carers with children and in recent months have embarked on a major information campaign which has resulted in new carers being recruited.
One Council Award 
Red School Project
Colleagues of Early Years Team, Interior Design, Architecture/Development and school Headteacher have combined to successfully manage the redevelopment of the former Red School in Prestonpans to the new Early Learning and Childcare Centre.
Community Partner 
Colin and Louise McFarlane, Foster Carers
Colin and Louise first became foster carers more than 30 years ago and over that timescale they have welcomed and supported a number of children into their lives alongside their own growing family. Being a foster care requires patience, love and support which Colin and Louise have demonstrated in abundance.
STAR Awards winners (5)
Congratulations to the following winners ....
Provost’s Award 
Vicky Forbes, Revenues
Nominated by colleagues in recognition of the amazing charity fund raising events she has organised and even undertaken whilst battling her own serious health problems. She is described as a much valued member of the Revenues Benefits team.
Young Council Worker of the Year 
Jordan Reid, Safer Communities (Jordan was presented with his trophy by Depute Provost, Andy Forrest)
Jordan has listened and acted upon a number of antisocial behaviour complaints which has greatly improved the lives of residents within his area. Local residents describe Jordan as ‘very approachable and great at communicating updates which have made a massive difference to my family’s lives.’
East Lothian Courier Award 
Helen Kelly, Welfare Rights Officer (Helen on left presented with her trophy by Cllr Fiona O'Donnell)
Helen is considered to be a caring member of staff who helps and supports customers who have concerns about Welfare Rights. She deals with a wide variety of queries and has a wide knowledge of the subject which she uses to support and advise local residents effectively and compassionately.
What's your problem?
Do you have a challenge in delivering your service that you can’t find a solution for?
Scottish Enterprise is on the hunt for innovation challenges in Scotland's public sector.
An innovation challenge is a problem where there is no clear fix or current market solution available.
Got a problem? You can get up to 100% funding through the CAN DO Innovation Challenge Fund to find and develop solutions in partnership with innovative Scottish businesses.
The deadline for submissions is Friday 19th January at 5pm. You will need to submit a short expression of interest form which contains 10 questions about the challenge.
For more information:
FREE Weekend Activities with East Lothian Council museums
All our museums have FREE ADMISSION and lots of drop-in crafts and activities that are perfect for a last-minute day trip. See www.eastlothian.gov.uk/museums for details.
EVENTS:
Family Festive Fun Day
Friday 15th December 1-4pm, John Gray Centre, Haddington.
FREE Entry: £1 for Craft Activities: meet Santa Claus, make Christmas crafts, Christmas carols, storytelling in Library 3pm, Twelve Days of Christmas hunt, design a Christmas
Fun & Crafty Weekend Drop-in Activities
Join us for fun drop-in crafts and activities! Suggested donation £1
John Muir Birthplace & John Gray Centre
Friday lunchtime to Sunday afternoon, 1pm-4pm
EXHIBITIONS:
East Lothian – Birthplace of Scotland’s Flag: The Story of St Andrew and the Saltire. Admire rare objects including a coin of Constantine and a replica Pictish stone on loan courtesy of National Museums Scotland. Includes plenty of hands on activities for families.
Sat 28th Oct to Tue 30th Jan (closed Wed and Thur), John Gray Centre, Haddington.
Scottish Landscape Photography
Showcasing the talents of the many great photographers who practice photography in Scotland; see the beauty and diversity of the Scottish landscape, its coasts, islands and towns & cities in a collection of beautiful images. Dec (closed Mon & Tue), John Muir’s Birthplace
Digging Up Dunbar. Over ten thousand years of history in this exhibition of archaeological discovery. Sat and Sun 2pm - 4pm courtesy of Dunbar & District History Society
Oct to Mar. Dunbar Town House Museum & Gallery
Master Plan for Prestongrange
Earlier this year East Lothian Council commissioned Simpson and Brown Architects as the lead consultant to deliver a master plan for the future of Prestongrange Museum. If you are a regular visitor to Prestongrange Museum you may have noticed lots of people on the site in hard hats and high vis jackets recently. These people are the architects, surveyors and engineers who are working on the conservation and development plans for the site which will be brought together early next year to form the master plan.
An essential part of this work is to find out what our visitors, our communities and stakeholders think and to make sure those voices and views are reflected in the final plan. There will be various different ways to get involved in this consultation over the coming months. To help with this consultation and engagement aspect of the project we are working with Ergadia Museums and Heritage who are conducting a survey in order to capture the voices and perspectives of people from local communities. Participation in this survey will be crucial to the Masterplan's success. The survey is anonymous and should not take more than 15 mins to complete. You can complete it here:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PGMasterPlan
Over the next few months we will also be delivering a vibrant programme of community engagement events and activities. Learn about our forthcoming programme by liking our Facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/Prestongrange-Perspectives-872559646259120/
We are looking forward to hearing your views!
WINTER OPENING HOURS FROM SUNDAY 1ST OCTOBER:
Coastal Communities Museum
Closed until Spring.
Dunbar Town House Museum & Gallery
Sat and Sun 2pm - 4pm courtesy of Dunbar & District History Society. Open at weekends during festive period.
John Gray Centre
Mon, Tue, Fri 10am - 5pm, Sat 10am - 4pm and Sun 1pm - 5pm (closed Wed and Thur). Closed Sun 24th Dec to Thurs 4th Jan inclusive
John Muir’s Birthplace
Wed to Sat 10am - 5pm and Sun 1pm - 5pm (closed Mon and Tue)
Closed Mon 25th Dec to Tue 2nd Jan inclusive.
Musselburgh Museum
Now closed for winter.
Prestongrange
Open for specific events until end Mar.
Jingle bags thank you
A great big thank you to all who helped organise and who
donated to ELC’s contribution to the Foodbank Jingle Bags Appeal. The amount donated this year was so much that it nearly filled a room and had to be collected in 2 lots by the Foodbank Team.
A lovely idea we heard of was that some even arranged to forego Secret Santa this year and donate instead.
Many, many families in East Lothian will benefit this Christmas from the generosity of ELC staff.
Massage appointments
Susan Green has massage sessions available on the 22 December 
in the Occupational Health Suite in Haddington.
Appointments can be made by emailing HWL@eastlothian.gov.uk and will be given on first come/first serve basis. Sessions last approx 1 hour and cost £25
Appointment times are 9am, 10am and 4pm.
Partnership
Success for East Lothian Path Wardens
The East Lothian Path Wardens were recently presented with the Community Group of the Year award at Path for All's annual awards. 
This busy group have been maintaining their local path network for 6 years with an impressive 54 volunteers recording 2,161 hours of volunteering in 2016/17. They have become established as the people to go to with any path-related issues. This has made them a great asset to their local communities and the council.
Volunteers have undertaken several duties from practical management of paths, through to raising funds for project work, securing grant awards and successfully becoming a charitable group. 2017 saw the group start a series of free guided walks for the public with plans to develop a series of walk guides.
Find out more about their activities on their Facebook page.
East Lothian Carers
The East Lothian Carer’s Strategic Group is really keen to hear from you about its proposed eligibility criteria for carers. It would great if as many people as possible could take part, so that everyone has a chance to give their views.
Click on the link to see a quick introduction to the eligibility criteria and then answer the three questions on our questionnaire. It should only take a few minutes and it would be really good to hear from you.
Shop Local this Christmas and win!
The annual Shop Local campaign is well underway and up to the 24th December, shoppers who spend more than £20 in a single 
transaction at a participating retailer will receive an entry card to the competition to win a share of £2000 worth of shop local vouchers.
There are a range of businesses across East Lothian who have joined forces with the council's economic development team to run the campaign. Full details can be found at the Visit East Lothian website.
The winners' draw will take place on 6th January 2018 so make sure you get your entries in and encourage friends and family to take part!
The new Business Buzz is out now!
Business Buzz, the newsletter for East Lothian businesses, is packed full of features on what support the council offers to businesses large or small plus details of networking events, training, best practice and features on some of the wide variety of businesses in our area.
It's produced by the economic development and communications & marketing teams.
Read it today to discover your new favourite East Lothian business!
And, of course, pass the link on to any businesses you know of who'd like a copy emailed to them regularly.
Could you design a flag for East Lothian?
An open competition to design a brand new and distinctive civic flag for East Lothian has been launched.
Run jointly by East Lothian Council and the Scottish Flag Trust, in association with the Lord Lyon and East Lothian Courier, the competition is open to anyone and is free to enter.
The closing date for entries is 28 February 2018, so there is plenty of time for individuals and groups with artistic or creative skills to work up their submissions.
East Lothian Council Provost John McMillan, said: “Having a distinctive new civic flag for East Lothian will allow individuals and groups across the county to express pride in their local community, to celebrate their heritage and help raise recognition and awareness of East Lothian nationwide. I think this competition will capture the imagination of many people and will attract a great deal of interest from across the county as well as further afield. I’m particularly keen for our schools to get involved too and I very much look forward to seeing all the entries as I’m sure they’ll be varied and inspiring.”
David Williamson, Chair of the Scottish Flag Trust, said: "What makes this initiative particularly special is the collaborative working between East Lothian Council and the Scottish Flag Trust along with the support and guidance of the Lord Lyon. We are hopeful that this competition, followed by a public vote, will deliver a new flag that will reflect the county and be welcomed by everyone".
Guidelines and entry forms for the competition are available online with hard copies also available soon at council offices and libraries.
Most people are aware that flags, whether national, territorial or corporate, come in a multitude of colours and designs, that they can be a powerful symbol of identity and that they are often linked to the history of the area or to ideals and aspirations.
What is perhaps less known is that there has been a growing trend for flags to be designed for civic areas. In the UK almost 100 counties, cities or towns now have their own distinctive flag, recent examples in Scotland being Orkney (2007), Kirkcudbrightshire (2016) and Caithness (2016).
At present East Lothian does not have a flag of its own, though the county is of course associated with the St Andrew’s Cross or Saltire – East Lothian being well known as the birthplace of Scotland’s flag.
The published guidelines provide a great deal of advice to aspiring flag designers. There is emphasis on the need to keep any design simple, not to use too many colours or any words or be as intricate as a formal coats of arms. The guidance asks that the design should try to be recognisable and reflect East Lothian as a whole.
Once the competition deadline of 28 February has passed, an assessment panel will meet to consider all the submitted designs, with a view to selecting a small number of the very best designs. The panel will comprise the Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian and representatives from the Court of the Lord Lyon, East Lothian Council, the Scottish Flag Trust and the East Lothian Courier.
In line with best practice, there will then be a public vote on the short-listed designs. All East Lothian residents will then have the opportunity to vote on the flag they believe to be the best. Details of how to vote will be widely advertised in advance. After the votes are counted, the winning design will be submitted to the Lord Lyon’s office to allow it to be officially registered, a process that can take some months.
Finally, it is hoped that the winning design, the new civic flag for East Lothian, will be unveiled in November 2018 at a public event. The new flag will then be available for everyone to use.