Chief Executive Monica Patterson

I would like to take this opportunity to wish colleagues a very happy new year and to wish you all the very best for 2025.

Festive period

The festive period often provides an opportunity for some rest and to re-charge the batteries and I do hope you managed to have an enjoyable and relaxing break.

It is important to recognise that many people will have been working or on call across Christmas and New year, continuing to provide key frontline services and caring for vulnerable people in our communities which forms a key part of the critical services we provide as a council.

More recently there have been some weather warnings issued by the Met Office and so our teams have worked hard to keep local roads and streets safe. Sincere thanks to all colleagues, in a variety of roles, for your support.

In December, I had the opportunity to attend a ‘topping out’ ceremony to mark the completion of the roof and structure of the Edinburgh Hub. This is a joint venture between the council and Queen Margaret University (QMU) and will be a nationally significant centre for innovation driven business growth and to create new high value employment. We are very pleased to be involved in this joint venture, supported by the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, which will create a sought-after location for business growth and will attract high value jobs for East Lothian and the surrounding area. It is expected to be completed this year.

Last week, I was delighted to join colleagues and Depute Provost Andy Forrest in congratulating Margaret Ramsay on reaching the milestone of 50 years of service with the council. Margaret’s continuing dedication and commitment to local government in East Lothian is very impressive and it was really interesting and so insightful to hear her reflections. Thank you and well done, Margaret!

Immediate priorities

This is likely to be the second last message I publish in Inform before retiring next month. I am looking forward to meeting with as many colleagues and partners as possible in the coming weeks and to thank people for the support I’ve received since joining East Lothian Council in 2010. I will say a bit more in the February edition about my happy memories and reflections on working with East Lothian Council.

In the meantime, it is a very busy period. A key priority at the start of every calendar year is supporting elected members with the budget development process. A full Council meeting is due to be held in February when members will meet to make key budget decisions, including the setting of council tax and rent levels, for the year ahead. We are all acutely aware of the financial challenges facing the council and local government more broadly and so our immediate focus is on supporting elected members with the setting of a balanced budget for 2025/26 and beyond.

Building on achievements

In my message just before Christmas, I mentioned the many achievements by employees and teams across the council in the previous 12 months.

I have every confidence that, whilst the coming year will signal another time of change and challenge across the council, we will build on these achievements by continuing to adapt and innovate.

Throughout 2025, Inform will continue to feature a range of interesting articles including stories about our employees and their successes, as well as information on events and things that are happening around the council. These stories will highlight the value of the council and our Enabling, Leading and Caring values. We will also highlight opportunities for colleagues to participate in learning and development and initiatives to support wellbeing.

I know that, if there is anything you would like to see covered in future editions or if you have a story to share, the Communications team would be very pleased to hear from you. Please send any ideas or suggestions to inform@eastlothian.gov.uk 

Monica

Sofia and Ivy win Library Service writing competition

The two young winners of 2024's Library Service writing competition were presented with their prizes on Friday 20 December.

The competition was part of Book Week Scotland, which runs every year in public libraries in November, organised by Scottish Book Trust. The theme for 2024 was Hope.

More than 160 entries were received for the competition, which was publicised in all public and school libraries, online and in media.

‘Hope for the World’ by 10 year old Sofia Skvarnyk of Law Primary School, scooped first prize in the 7 to11 years category. Sofia wrote this moving piece about her experience of fleeing the Ukraine when war broke out.

‘All for a pinch of hope’ by 12 year old Ivy Crawford of Dunbar Grammar School, won in the 12 to15 years category – a tale of friendship, values and fighting for a good cause.

Rebecca Roberts of Night Owl Books in East Linton sponsored and judged the competition and presented the winners with their £50 book tokens. She said: “Hope for the World, by Sofia, was incredibly moving and hope-filled, and I was really impressed by the expressiveness and rich vocabulary of the writing. I was impressed by the quality of the writing in All for a pinch of hope, by Ivy. It was well-plotted and paced and highly engaging, with an excellent, hope-filled message about our potential to bring about positive change in the world.”

East Lothian Provost, Councillor John McMillan, said: “The standard of entries for the competition was extremely high so thank you and well done to everyone who submitted an entry – and congratulations to Sofia and Ivy for their fantastic stories, which were obviously straight from the heart and beautifully crafted.”

The girls said they were delighted to have won and both love books and reading.

Child poverty consultation

One in five children in East Lothian currently live in poverty. As a member of the East Lothian Partnership governance group, East Lothian Council is actively investigating their lives and experiences to support children and their families towards a stable and fulfilled future.

The council is focusing on what matters to families, specifically how services collect, measure, use, and share data that is meaningful to families in East Lothian.

Services are struggling to meet the growing needs of those living in poverty. This project will enable services to better meet the needs of children and families by measuring and analysing lived experience data and embedding this into the way services work.

The council recognises that services and strategies work better when listening and responding to the experiences of communities. While large amounts of quantitative data are collected to inform services and strategies, a more balanced, qualitative approach that values both equally is required.

“This is not just about running more efficient and effective services. The Children’s Services Inspection Report and the Child Poverty Action Report require these improvements to how lived experience is embedded. Child poverty cannot be tackled alone. All partners need to come together to address this at both an operational and strategic level,” said Lucy Higginson, Community Planning Officer (Children’s Strategic Partnership).

Data has been identified as a key area for improvement in many strategic and operational discussions. This survey will help establish what data is currently collected, how, when, and why it is collected, and how it can be better used. This is the first step of a wider test of change for managing data.

The survey is estimated to take up to 20 minutes to complete and can be downloaded here.

 

Shaping our future

When looking to the council's future, the focus remains on delivering essential services to our local communities. However, with projected financial savings required over the next five years amounting to nearly a quarter of our annual running costs, it's clear that we must adapt and innovate to continue deliver these services. Your skills, experience, and insight are critical in helping us navigate these challenges as we implement new ways of working and build a sustainable East Lothian Council for the future.

Earlier this year, elected members agreed three new short-term priorities to reflect the current financial challenges we face:

1. Ensure the financial sustainability of the council through the delivery of approved savings and transforming the way we deliver services
2. Target resources on statutory services and focus on the highest risks and those most in need

Deliver key infrastructure, economic development and environmentally sustainable projects within available council resources and maximising external funding.

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You said, we did: putting your ideas to work

Your ideas are key to the council’s continuous improvement. At the start of 2024 we asked for your ideas, and we had a fantastic response with 761 suggestions submitted. Over 400 suggestions are being considered as part of continuous improvement within services.

Ideas with broader, strategic implications are being progressed as part of the portfolio of transformation projects, with many already underway and continuing into 2025. Significant projects include:

• Developing a strategy and roadmap for our core IT systems
• New systems for housing management and finance
• New council website
• Rolling out Microsoft 365
• Identifying and prioritising opportunities for using technology to support the automation, simplification and improvement of our business processes
• Sponsorship and advertising
• Parking strategy
• Assessing the potential for using council data to support decision-making
• Energy transformation
• Corporate and place-making asset reviews
• New lets and bookings system

You can read more about what we have been doing on the 'Shaping our Future' page on the intranet.

We want to hear from you!

Do you have an idea?

Your continued involvement is essential in ensuring that we not only meet today’s needs but also build a stronger, more resilient council for the years ahead. Following the success of the Shaping Our Future ideas drive we are opening up the suggestion box again. We are looking for fresh, creative, and impactful ideas that can help address the challenges we face and shape the future of East Lothian Council and the communities we serve.

Tell us about your idea on the Shaping Our Future contact form

Email and voicemail consistency

The following guidance has been created for all corporate staff email signatures and voicemail. Providing a consistent voice to our customers across all our services builds trust and reinforces the customer service standards and strategy that the organisation has in place. Please share widely and ensure that you and your colleagues follow this guidance. 

Please use calibri font size 11 in either black or ELC corporate blue (in 'signatures' choose 'more colours' and use the following codes: R-0, G-82, B-147 or hex code #005293)

Email signature

• Name (optional - He/him; She/Her; Their)
• Role
• Team
• Service
• Department
• East Lothian Council
• Comhairle Lodainn an Ear (optional)

 

• Phone: {Enter}
• Email: {Enter}
• Website: www.eastlothian.gov.uk (or optional link to current service initiative/consultation)

 

Out of office reply

"I am out of the office until {XX, month}. If you have a query or need support in the meantime, please contact {enter alternative contact details}"

 

Voicemails

"This is {say name}, {state title} at East Lothian Council. I am currently unavailable. Please state your name and contact details and I will return your call as soon as possible."

 or

"This is {say name}, {state title} at East Lothian Council. I am out of the office until {XX, month}. If you have a query or need to speak to someone before then, please contact {provide alternative contact details}. Otherwise, please state your name and contact details and I will return your call as soon as possible."

Prevention of sexual harassment - Incident reporting and training

Dedicated services have been introduced for any employee who experiences or observes sexual harassment in the workplace.

Employees can now report incidents directly via the council’s newly introduced telephone helpline on 01620 827200 or by e-mail at shrs@eastlothian.gov.uk . These services are managed by Human Resources between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday. All employees are assured that concerns raised via these routes will be dealt with sensitively and confidentially.  Employees can also raise any concerns related to sexual harassment directly with a manager or their Trade Union Representative.

To ensure shared awareness of the council’s zero tolerance stance and to keep our employees safe, everyone must complete the new Learnpro Module on Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Work as soon as possible.

The module can be found by logging on to learnPro and selecting the Human Resources section.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that all employees undertake this module and any barriers to access should be discussed with Human Resources.

If you have any queries, please speak with your line manager or contact your Human Resources Adviser.

Accessing your myHR account

The HR systems team is aware that some colleagues may be having issues accessing their myHR account. If you are having issues accessing myHR please email them at hrsystemitrent@eastlothian.gov.uk with details of the issues you are experiencing and, if you are able, please include screenshots showing the part of the log in process you are unable to pass.

For security purposes please include the following information in your email:

• Name (include any other previous name):
• Employee number:
• NI number:
• Date of birth:
• Address:

If the team is unable to resolve your query either by email or by telephone, they will be offering a drop-in session on the date listed below.

Monday 27 January between 9am to 4pm at John Muir House

Please go to main reception and ask for the HR Systems Team and a member of the team will be available to try and help you. More days will be arranged if required.

Update on the new council finance system

The project to implement a new council finance system, called Connected Intelligence Anywhere (CiA), has made good progress. A programme of design workshops has been completed and formal outputs agreed with the system supplier. This allows the project to move forward to the next stage of system setup and testing.

I would like to thank everyone involved in these workshops, recognising that this has been a significant commitment while continuing to deliver day-to-day services. A lot of encouraging feedback has emerged from this work, about the potential of the new system to improve the way we capture, report and use financial information throughout the council.

Introducing the new Finance System will impact on staff other than our Finance teams. Change to financial codes is an unavoidable and important strand of this project, as is change to the way goods and services are purchased, and invoices processed. A lot however remains to be done before the new system is operational, which is targeted for summer 2025.

It is vital therefore that we keep all stakeholders up to date with progress and the timing of changes to existing practice. More information about the project is now available on the council’s intranet, which will be updated as the project moves forward.

If you have any queries about the project, please contact the project team: financesysproject@eastlothian.gov.uk

Project Sponsor, Sarah Fortune

Work begins at Bleachingfield Centre: room booking details

Work is being carried out to improve soundproofing within the Bleachingfield Centre’s spaces. The centre benefits from a range of meeting rooms and pods which are used by community groups, council services and partner organisations. In order to provide a better experience for users and increase soundproofing when multiple spaces are occupied at the same time, new acoustic ceiling tiles and doors are being installed. A roller shutter door at reception area is also being replaced with a new partition between public and staff-only spaces.

The interview rooms will be unavailable until end of March to accommodate the works and BookingLive has been updated to reflect this change. Colleagues can choose from a range of other spaces within the centre and in other facilities during this period ahead of the new improved areas reopening in Spring.

Fraud prevention and key amnesty for council homes this January

The council is holding a ‘key amnesty’ throughout January when council tenants breaking the law by subletting their council property have the chance to hand their keys back in order to avoid legal action. 

The aim is to reclaim council homes that are being illegally sublet so we can ensure they are given to people on our waiting list who are in desperate need of social housing. 

As well as the key amnesty, we are increasing efforts to track down people who are carrying out the illegal practice of subletting their council home and have recently recruited a dedicated Corporate Fraud Officer to investigate. 

Usually, housing fraud carries serious penalties, including eviction. January’s key amnesty gives people the opportunity to hand back their keys to their Local Housing Office without facing any further action. Housing fraud is a serious issue as it denies people in genuine need of a home. This is part of a national initiative and all councils and agencies have agreed to share data to tackle this problem.

Any council tenant wanting to hand back the keys to their property with no threat of legal action can simply put the keys in an envelope with the address of the property written on it and drop this into the reception area of their local housing office. 

We have also appealed for help from all residents of East Lothian to help us identify incidents of housing fraud and have asked them to contact their local Housing Office or email corporatefraud@eastlothian.gov.uk if they have suspicions about anyone in their neighbourhood. For example they may have seen a tenant moving out, or noticed a property where the occupants seem to change regularly. Maybe they have seen someone collecting rent from subtenants. All reports will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be made anonymously.

Museum events, exhibitions and activities

Museums are a warm place with a friendly face

Free to visit and have regularly changing craft activities suitable for children and families as well as temporary exhibitions and reference books available to browse and read.

John Gray Centre (Museum) 15 Lodge Street, Haddington, EH41 3DX.               

Thursday and Friday 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 5pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm, 2pm to 4pm.

John Muir's Birthplace 126 High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1JJ.

Wednesday – Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm.

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1ER.

Saturday 2 to 4pm courtesy of Dunbar and District History Society volunteers.

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Visit past exhibitions or explore our local history from the comfort of your home or a local library!

John Gray Centre East Lothian History

What’s so special about bogs? An exhibition from one of our partner organisations, the John Muir Trust, as part of their Peatland Appeal. Discover more about this slow-growing, water-packed ecosystem that’s fast becoming recognised as an amazing collector of carbon, a rich archaeological site, and home to unique species of wildlife.

John Muir, Earth, Planet, Universe  This exhibition focuses on John Muir’s legacy and his role as an environmental activist and successful campaigner and his relevance for our situation today in addressing the climate crisis. 

Muir Houses Through Time Museum Assistant David Anderson spent part of the 2020 lockdown amalgamating all his research on the buildings occupied by the Muirs on Dunbar High Street. What has emerged are tales of commerce, greed and deceit as we follow the lives of those who have occupied the site from the iron age onwards. First published as a series of blogs June – August 2020

Gardens of East Lothian An exhibition by Sheila Sim Photography. East Lothian has a long and proud heritage of gardening and has produced several horticultural pioneers. With its good climate and fertile soil, the county has often been called ‘the garden of Scotland’.

125 Years of the Sierra Club This exhibition curated by Friends of John Muir’s Birthplace gave an overview of the history of the Sierra Club with an emphasis on John Muir’s involvement in the founding, and ethos, of the organisation.

John Muir and Geology 

Another exhibition from Friends of John Muir’s Birthplace  John Muir and Geology explores the Scottish heroes who helped unravel Dunbar’s geological history.

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Ukraine/Scotland – Land Art and Photography Exhibition

John Gray Centre, 15 Lodge Street, Haddington, EH41 3DX

Friday 11 October 2024 to 25 January 2025. Opening times at  www.johngraycentre.org

LAND is the focus of this exhibition and what it means to people when it is the land of their birth, their own country. Many Ukrainians, for the time being, have settled in Scotland. As a group of artists both Ukrainian and Scottish, we wanted to record this brief moment in history and celebrate the connection between the two countries. We celebrate the land with photography, painting, print, drawing and some small sculpture. Although the conflict continues there is still the need to enjoy the beauty of the landscape of each country, a subject which has inspired artist for centuries. Group exhibition curated by Cathy Bell.

Find out more here

Images: Top L to R photograph by Vika Yasynska and Bass Rock by David Hutchison. Bottom L-R Land by Cathy Bell and Saturation by Ira Andreichuk.

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Working Lives at Dunbar Town House Museum & Gallery

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery, High Street, Dunbar EH42 1ER

October to March, Saturdays 2 to 4pm

Display open courtesy of Dunbar & District History Society. Free admission but donations welcome.

Dunbar’s Town House or Tolbooth is more than 400 years old and touched the lives of many people. Through the Town Council, Police Station, Library, Registrars, Tourist Information, Housing Office, MP and MSP Office, Museum and many more!

Do you know someone who worked here? Have you been to a wedding here? We would love to hear your stories and see your photos.

Step back in time as we help you discover the hidden past of this iconic building.

New year, new programme at the Brunton

New year, new programme!

The Brunton are so excited to welcome you back to our venues in Musselburgh and Haddington for what promises to be a fantastic year of performances. With a fresh line-up of captivating shows and talented performers, the 2025 season is set to dazzle and delight audiences of all ages. From world-class musical acts to thought provoking theatre and blockbuster hits, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Starting off the year with a bang, Rikki and Me tells the story of on of Scotland’s funniest comedians. Presented by The Brunton in association with David Ross, this production features an incredible community cast as they bring back to life some of Rikki’s most beloved characters. Rikki and Me will be performing at Loretto Theatre between Thursday 23 to Saturday 25 January at 7:30pm with a Saturday Matinee at 2:00pm.

Book 'Rikki and Me'

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For those that adore the magic of cinema, The Brunton are ecstatic to be bringing a programme of films to Haddington. Supported by Film Hub Scotland, Film Fridays has something for everyone. The first Family Film of 2025 will be Moana 2. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. Moana 2 (PG) will be playing at the Corn Exchange in Haddington on Friday 24 January at 1:30pm.

Book 'Moana 2' (PG) | Haddington

For the first Matinee Movie of the Film Fridays programme, The Brunton will be playing Conclave (12A). When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of the Catholic Church. Conclave (12A) is at Corn Exchange, Haddington on Friday 24 January at 4:15pm.

Book 'Conclave' (12A) in Haddington

And for those in Musselburgh that also love the silver screen, The Brunton continues their Midweek Movies programme at Loretto Theatre. Conclave (12A) will be playing on Wednesday 29 January at 7:00pm in the Loretto Theatre, Musselburgh.

Book 'Conclave' (12A) in Musselburgh

The highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator will be playing as The Brunton’s Big Screen Favourite. After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people. Gladiator II (15) is at Corn Exchange, Haddington on Friday 24 January at 7:00pm.

Book 'Gladiator 2'

On Wednesday 5 February A24’s tearjerker We Live in Time (15) will be playing at 7:00pm in the Loretto Theatre, Musselburgh. . An up-and-coming chef and a recent divorcee find their lives forever changed when a chance encounter brings them together, in a decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.

Book 'We Live In Time' (15)

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Music connoisseurs can look forward to an intimate concert in the beautiful setting of Northesk Parish Church on Thursday 6 February. Join Nicholas Mulroy and a handful of Dunedin’s outstanding string players for a gig that knits together some of Henry Purcell’s greatest tunes with instrumental music by his contemporaries in London in the late 17^th Century. Dunedin Consort will be performing at Northesk Parish Church on Thursday 6 February at 6:30pm in conversation with Nicholas Mulroy and 7:30pm for the concert.  

Book Dunedin Consort tickets

Lunchtime football sessions

For the last 20 years every Wednesday lunchtime a small group of East Lothian Council employees have had a regular 7-a-side football game. This includes all ages and ability. Due to players moving away, retirements, workloads, and illness, numbers have fallen slightly. We are therefore looking to for new players.

We play at the 3G at Haddington Athletics pitch in Whittinghame Drive, Haddington every Wednesday lunch time and changing rooms/showers are available.

To cover the costs there is a small charge of £5.00 per game.

Email Neil Irvine (E-Mail: nirvine@eastlothian.gov.uk )

or Graham Mackenzie (E-Mail: gmackenzie@eastlothian.gov.uk)

Margaret celebrates 50 years service

When Assistant IT Analyst Margaret Ramsay joined the then East Lothian County Council in September 1974, she could not have conceived of what her role would look like today. Not only was the creation of East Lothian Council as we now know it over twenty years away, but the technology that Margaret routinely supports and organises for staff in her current role did not exist.

At the time she didn’t realise that this would be a lifelong employer and was happy to join the motor taxation department, a function that was then administered locally from offices in Court Street. When services moved to Edinburgh and Swansea, which is where DVLA is now based, Margaret joined the finance team working in what would now be considered revenues.

“In these times you had to balance everything manually using ledger books,” she laughed. “There were quite a few staff involved in the various procedures. I was there from 1977 for around ten years.

Early steps into IT

Following her time in finance, Margaret moved to join the data room and East Lothian’s early steps into IT. “People didn’t have a PC on their desks in those days,” Margaret explains. “Across the council there was information that needed to be computerised such as creditors, property maintenance, housing, and payroll that needed to be paid. These records came to the central area and had to be processed in the data room.” She and her colleagues worked in shifts as part of a team of six entering the paper-based information into computers and carrying out back-ups of the systems onto tape.

This was to be the next phase of Margaret’s career within the council. She has been involved in IT ever since, supporting its adoption and roll-out within the organisation and keeping systems up-to-date as the technology itself has advanced. 

“Around 1994 people started getting PCs on their desks and then mobile phones came into it. It’s supporting the council’s big picture. During Covid it was really, really busy with the amount of equipment we were giving out to people,” admits Margaret.

A changing organisation

Throughout her careers, Margaret has witnessed the creation and dissolution of East Lothian District Council, the formation of East Lothian Council through local government reorganisation in 1994, and the evolution of John Muir House campus. She is one of a group of current colleagues who will remember working from Portakabins in the car park area as the building was extended to its current size creating new space for an increased number of services.

Despite the many changes that she has witnessed over the years, Margaret also reflects on similarities in the role – namely her continued focus on customers whether they were businesses during her time with the motor taxation department, the general public whilst in finance or, now, colleagues across the council. She enjoys the variety this offers, saying: “I like the job because you’re dealing with everybody in the council. You can be dealing with someone from property maintenance one minute and councillors and the Chief Executive the next. It’s varied that way. There are always people coming into the office looking for support. I might not always be helping them technically but I’m there to meet and greet them.”

Enthusiastic for the future

Margaret recently enjoyed a small reception hosted by Depute Provost Andy Forrest and Chief Executive Monica Patterson where she was able to share her reflections on her career and interests outside the council. Away from work, Margaret is heavily involved in the Haddington Twinning Association which organises and promotes links between the town and Aubigny-sur-Nère in France. As a member of the committee, she is currently preparing to welcome visitors in April who will visit the town as part of their Scotland-wide trip. She is passionate about the project and the benefits it offers.

“Aubigny-sur-Nère is a lovely place with a real Scottish connection; they have big Scottish weekend celebrations with people coming from all over. Each year the Association sponsor a student from Knox Academy to go to Aubigny for a few weeks in the summer, working in the tourism office when the festival is on. It improves their language greatly and they make friends for life,” she explains.

With a council career spanning 50 years (and counting), Margaret remains enthusiastic about her work with the authority and her service is a testament to embracing new opportunities. The rate of technological advancement doesn’t show any signs of slowing but, thankfully, neither does Margaret. “I’ve always enjoyed working here as there are always different things on the go,” she says. “It’s very varied and I still find it really interesting.”

Thanks for your service Margaret!

Thank you! Celebrating staff compliments

Individuals, teams and departments across the council regularly receive compliments from residents, visitors and businesses. Here's a selection

Local resident: Landscape and Countryside. I'd just like to say that the 2 guys involved in rescuing the people and the dog from the car accident outside Loretto school on Wednesday (8 Jan) deserve a commendation for what they did. I think they were from your gardening/street cleaning team. Please let them know that they did an amazing job!

Local resident: Landscape and Countryside. Many thanks to your workers out this morning (3 Jan), from the boys emptying the litter bins to the ones driving the gritter buggies for salting the pavements. Your efforts are much appreciated, thank you.

Local resident: Road Services. Please pass my thanks to whoever it was that finally arranged the repair of the streetlights in Ware Road, North Berwick.

Local resident: Property Maintenance. Thanks to the out of hours builder (B Palmer) for doing temporary fix on our leaky roof. He went above and beyond.

Local resident: Adult Wellbeing. Thanks to the Emergency Care Service Team and the Community Alarm Team for all their support to me and my mum Isabel.

Please forward any compliments your service receives to Inform and we can include them in future issues.

A Ranger Writes

January, as I seem to write every year, can be an absolute pain of a month.  There’s still a metaphorical, or possibly literal, hangover from Christmas and Hogmanay and it tends to feel like Spring is a million miles away. If you do feel a bit like January has been dragging on, then what better way to cheer up than to head out and find some wildflowers? Admittedly, this month won’t be as spectacular as, say, June or July, but you can still find plants in bloom if you have a good look for them.

Some plants, like gorse, can flower in any month of the year. In fact, gorse is well worth looking out for, as not only does it have lovely yellow flowers, but these also give off a nice coconut smell. If you want something a bit more elusive, how about searching out winter heliotrope? This is an unusual little plant found along shady river banks and verges, forming patches of bright green, heart-shaped leaves. Between December and March the flowering heads appear, taking the form of loose clumps of pink and white flowers. Winter heliotrope is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers occur on separate plants - however, you’re only likely to see the male version. This is a non-native species, having been introduced in the nineteenth century, and female plants are virtually unknown in the UK. As a result, winter heliotrope can’t reproduce sexually and has to spread via underground stems known as rhizomes. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, it can cover large areas and is regarded as an invasive species in some places.

Another introduced species which you might see flowering this month is the winter aconite. This is a lovely little plant producing bright yellow flowers. These resemble buttercups, which is not too surprising, as the two are from the same family – the Ranunculacae. Below the flower is a collar of bright green deeply-divided bracts – a bract being a type of modified leaf. These are a good way of distinguishing the winter aconite from lesser celandine, another member of the buttercup family which appears a little later, often in March or April.

The scientific name of this plant is Eranthis hyemalis, which is a bit self-contradictory. The genus name (the first bit) is basically Greek for “spring flower”, whilst the second part, the species name, means “winter-flowering” in Latin. Despite this slight confusion, both reflect the early blooming of this plant.

Incidentally, while it may look pretty, winter aconite contains deeply unpleasant toxins which can cause all sorts of nasty stuff, including heart failure. It should never be eaten.

It’s no coincidence that these species, and other woodland plants (bluebells, wood anemones etc.) flower early in the season. At this time the lack of foliage on the trees allows plenty of sunlight to reach the woodland floor. Later, as the leaves develop, the opportunities for ground flora to photosynthesise are greatly reduced. So make the most of this chance to enjoy our beautiful woodland plants.

Volunteers / sessional drivers needed

Heavy Sound provides alternative learning, mentoring, national and bespoke qualifications, therapies, and training for young people and adults in communities and prisons.

They support young people and adults who experience life feeling disconnected to be included, find safety, and build relationships and skills whilst discovering their potential. We help people identify individual strengths and interests in preparation for navigating life.

Heavy Sound are currently looking for volunteers / sessional drivers.

Help make a difference in the lives of disengaged young people by driving The Crib bus to evening youth clubs and weekend events in East Lothian.

Requirements

• experience driving large vehicles
• willingness to PVG check
• No bus licence needed

Get in touch

Telephone: 07873 338071

Email: info@heavysound.org 

Last chance to feedback on equality outcomes .. have your say!

The Equality Act 2010 requires public bodies, such as local authorities and health and social care partnerships (HSCPs) to develop equality outcomes every four years.

Equality Outcomes help us to:

• progress equality objectives
• consider how we will meet the needs of everyone in the community to access our services and improve their health and life opportunities
• create a space to discuss and tackle discrimination and the causes of disadvantage

East Lothian has been working with partners across Midlothian and West Lothian to identify themes on which we can take action.

We would like to hear your views on the themes and your suggestions for actions to help us understand which things are most important to you.

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Take the survey

You can answer for yourself (as a private citizen), as a representative of a group, or as part of your professional role.

You can share your views on all equality theme areas, or just the ones most relevant to you or your work.

Equality Outcomes Survey 2025-2029

NB: This pan-Lothian survey is being hosted online by our partners at Midlothian Council.
You will be asked to select which part of the Lothians your answers relate to in the first question of the survey. Please avoid identifying yourself or others in your answers.

Closing date is 31st January 2025

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Any questions?

You can contact your equalities officers at East Lothian Council or East Lothian Health Social Care Partnership using the email addresses below:

ELC Equality Officer: equalities@eastlothian.gov.uk

ELHSCP Equality and Engagement Officer: engagement-hscp@eastlothian.gov.uk

Healthy Working Lives - Massage availability

Massage therapy

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Susan's diary is almost full for January, but several slots available for February and March. Send us an email if you’d like to take any of the appointments below.

Available appointments:

Fri 7 Feb:            9.00am, 10.30am, 12.00pm

Fri 21 March:     10.30am, 12.00pm, 3.00pm

Scott Bradbury skills challenges

Scott Bradbury provides interactive skills challenges which are designed to question, engage and inform.  

As we enter a new year some of us might be considering how we can adapt our approaches to work and things we want to do differently. The Scott Bradbury Skills Challenge- 'Learn From Mistakes' may help this process.  Mistakes are a crucial part of learning and can help us to carve out the best approaches for improvement.  We all make mistakes but it is how we react to them that really matters. If we remain calm we are able to think clearly about the consequences of our error. If we share what we learn, more people benefit from our experience, and a spiral of continuous improvement is formed.

Another one of these skills challenges is called ‘Managing Your To-Do-List'. Many of us are returning to work in the new year after a short break and may be thinking about the best approaches to organising our workloads. You are in control of what you decide to do and when you do it. How you prioritise your tasks and manage your time significantly impacts your ability to get work done in the most effective way.  The link to this resource is available on the intranet.

Reminder: Colleagues have access to a range of digital learning resources on a variety of workplace issues available from Scott Bradbury. You can find these on our council intranet.

learnPro- did you know?

Password Resets

LearnPro users can reset their own account passwords via the Forgotten Login button on the main learnPro Council login page.  learnPro Council - Login

Line managers can also reset their team member’s learnPro account passwords for them.   

Video guidance for East Lothian Council staff demonstrating how to do both is available on the intranet.

These features can help you to resolve login issues at a time that works for you.

First Aid at Work revalidation course 21 Jan

The Outdoor Learning team still have some spaces available for the next First Aid at Work revalidation course on 21 and 22 January.

Date: 21 and 22 Jan 2025

Time: 0900-1700

Venue: Outdoor Learning Base, Musselburgh Racecourse Complex

Cost: £135.00 pp

 Follow this link to booking form