Chief Executive, Angela Leitch

Welcome to the latest edition of Inform.

 You might have seen in our last issue that planning policy for the next 10 years in East Lothian looks set to take a step forward as we have received Scottish Government Ministers’ comments on our proposed Local Development Plan (LDP). We expect to have a debate on Ministers’ recommendations at a council meeting this month, at which point councillors will be able to express their views on those recommendations and we will then very likely move forward to the next phase of the process, working with the Scottish Government to agree a final LDP. It will set out a blueprint for development and infrastructure across East Lothian for the next 10 years.

The growth of the county over the last five years has meant ongoing changes to the shape of our workforce. The planned increase in our population, together with our transformation programmes, a focus on continuous improvement and moving to more digitally enabled services, has led to a new Workforce Plan being drafted. We are keen to hear what you think of the proposals and you can find the Draft Plan on the Council’s Consultation Hub, together with a summary and a short questionnaire. Please take five minutes to have a look at it and send in your comments.

Last month, our refreshed website went live, offering easier access to Council information and to online services. We will continue to build on this platform to make it easier for local people to do business with the Council at a time that suits them. If you have suggestions on how we can enhance the site you can contact the web team or submit your thoughts to the Ideas Bank.

Finally, May is a busy month in our secondary schools, with senior pupils sitting their exams. I would like to wish them all the best and also add my appreciation to the teachers, parents and many other individuals and groups in our communities who continue to support our young people to achieve their goals.