Chief Executive, Laurence Rockey

Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone who came along to celebrate the achievements of staff across the council at the Inspire Awards on 5 November. I had the pleasure of co-presenting the ceremony with the Provost at Haddington Corn Exchange and it proved to be a truly inspiring evening. It was an honour to play a part in recognising colleagues who have made an exceptional contribution, and my warmest congratulations go to the winners and to all those who received a well-deserved nomination. It was a fantastic event and a welcome opportunity to mark some of the amazing work the council does all year round.

It's been another exciting and busy month for me. I visited Penston House to meet a group of web editors from across the council to learn more about the planned move to our new website next year (pictured right). With our current website Content Management System (Jadu) reaching the end of its contract in August 2026, we’ll be moving the website onto a new system called LocalGov Drupal. This will allow us to modernise the digital experience for our customers by offering an efficient and accessible website which meets their needs. We’re making wonderful progress thanks to the collaboration of different teams on this project, and we can look forward to providing a significantly improved online service.

Dedication in their work

Our usual Business Week activities were extended this year to become East Lothian Business Month. It was a great success, and we’ve received glowing feedback from the businesses involved. We highlighted a number of local businesses on our Invest East Lothian website and our social media accounts, and the Economic Development team hosted events across the county including Women in Business: Spark and Scale, Travel Trade Workshop, and Drop-in and Connect. I was pleased to be given the opportunity to deliver a welcome speech at the Drop-in and Connect event held at the Marine North Berwick on 30 October. This was the finale for the month and more than 100 people met and networked with 25 exhibiting council services and partner organisations. There was a great atmosphere in the room and lots of valuable connections were made. I’ve been fortunate to visit a range of businesses across the county since coming into my post and learn more about their vital role in further growing our economy.

I also visited Musselburgh Grammar with Head of Education Nicola McDowell (pictured right) followed by Dunbar Grammar and Dunbar Primary as part of my programme of visits to every school in East Lothian. As always, it was a privilege to meet the teachers and headteachers who show such dedication in their work every day and especially the pupils who impress me every time with their energy and commitment to learning. I’ve now been to 16 of our schools and look forward to visiting the rest in the months ahead.

Finally, I’d like to encourage any colleagues interested in working at a polling place or at the count for the Scottish Parliament Elections on Thursday, 7 May 2026 to register a note of interest. It’s an important moment for East Lothian and critical we deliver a robust and efficient election. For the first time, I will be responsible for two constituencies (Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh & Tranent and East Lothian Coast & Lammermuirs) and I am looking for experienced and new staff to work on both polling day and the count the following day. It is brilliant to be part of an election, and I hope as many people as possible come forward to get involved.

You can look out for more updates in my next weekly vlog!

First look at new website as project moves forward

A group of Web Editors from across the council met in Penston House on 21 October for a project update and to learn more about the planned move to our new website next year.

Our current website Content Management System (Jadu), reaches the end of its contract in August 2026, and so we will therefore be moving the website onto a new system, called LocalGov Drupal.

This change will improve the digital customer journey, reduce long-term costs and ensure continuous development. LocalGov Drupal is built and maintained by a community of developers, content designers and digital leaders from over 60 local councils across the UK and Ireland. Membership to the LocalGov Drupal Community gives us a number of benefits, such as lower development costs, free upgrades and features, and access to a cross-council development community. ​

Laurence Rockey – our Chief Executive – attended the event at Penston House and spoke to the Web Editors. He said: “This initiative marks a significant step forward in modernising our digital presence and improving the online services for our customers, who are increasingly digitally savvy, mobile-first, and who expect a seamless, intuitive experience. Thanks to the collaborative efforts across teams the project has already achieved several key milestones.”

​​Design preview​

The project team is delighted with the new design for the website – it's clean, accessible, calm, and user friendly. Take a first look at these screenshots:

Migration Plan

Web Editors across the council have been preparing the webpages for the migration. The project's next steps for the project are:

 

Queries

If you have any queries, contact the Web Team: webteam@eastlothian.gov.uk. You can also check who your departmental web editors are on the intranet.

Election 2026: could you work at a Polling Place or the East Lothian count?

Scottish Parliament Elections will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026. The elections team is currently looking for notes of interest from any staff aged 18 or over who would like to work at either a poling place or the election count.

Employees will need their manager’s authorisation to release them for the day(s) - you do not need to take annual leave or flexi to work at the election. 

Polling day – Thursday 7 May 

The role of the polling place team is to ensure voters can cast their vote in secret, free from influence and in a calm atmosphere. 

Training is mandatory for all poll staff; online training to be completed at a time convenient to you and a briefing session via Teams. New poll staff will be given additional in-person training

 Read more about the poll staff roles.

Count - Friday 8 May

The count will take place, during the day, on Friday 8 May, therefore, with manager’s approval, it will be possible to work on both polling day and the count

Contact elections team

Please contact elections team to register your interest: elections@eastlothian.gov.uk. The team will be in touch with you in early January with a form to complete with approval from your manager

External staff will also have the opportunity to apply to work on polling day, further details are available from our website.

 

Festive pay dates 2025

Pay dates have been confirmed for December 2025 and January 2026 salary and wages. 

While every effort will be made to ensure payment, employees and managers should ensure that all claim forms are submitted by the dates below. Claims which arrive after these dates cannot be guaranteed for payment given the reduced working days.

Please email payrollforms@eastlothian.gov.uk if you have any queries about these deadlines.

---

Weekly pay

Pay date 18 December 2025 - three weeks normal pay

To ensure this is an accurate payment all relevant information must be with Payroll Section on or before Tuesday 9 December 2025. Detailed below are the dates by which weekly timesheets must be submitted.

Date of submission	Timesheets required	Payment date
9 December 2025	Actual hours for week ending 7/12/2025 (+ 2 weeks basic hours no timesheets required)	18 December 2025
16 December 2025	Actual hours for week ending 14/12/2025	08 January 2026
6 January 2026	Actual hours for week ending 21/12/2025 plus amendments only for w/e 28/12/2025 and 04/01/2026	15 January 2026

Note – any overtime worked over New Year will be included in your pay on 15/01/2026

---

Four-weekly pay

Pay date Thursday 27 November 2025 - normal payment, no amendment required.

Next pay date due Thursday 25 December 2025 will be paid early on Tuesday 23 December 2025.

To ensure an accurate payment all relevant information must be with Payroll section on or before Wednesday 3rd December 2025.

Next pay date: Thursday 22 January 2026.

---

Monthly Salary (including Permanent Teachers/Casual and supply claims)

Pay dates Monday 22 December 2025 and Wednesday 28 January 2026.

To ensure accurate payment all relevant information must be with Payroll Section on or before Wednesday 3 December 2025 and Tuesday 6 January 2026 respectively.

Christmas 2025 - last posting dates for UK and international services

Royal Mail Customer Services has confirmed the last posting dates for Christmas

Last posting dates for inland services

Date	Service
Wednesday, 17 December	2nd Class 2nd Class Signed For
Friday, 19 December	Royal Mail Tracked 48®*
Saturday, 20 December	1st Class 1st Class Signed For
Sunday, 21 December	Royal Mail Tracked 24®
Tuesday, 23 December	Special Delivery Guaranteed®

*Friday, 19 December is the latest posting date for Royal Mail Tracked Returns® 48 to arrive back with the sender before Christmas.

International delivery

• you can find a list of our published delivery aims in Royal Mail's Country Guides. If you are sending gifts or goods to the USA, please note, that recent changes to customs procedures may affect delivery times. For more details about these changes and
• how they may affect items you send to the USA, visit the dedicated web page.

To see all the last posting dates please visit Royal Mail's Get ready for Christmas page.

First steps towards a data centre at Cockenzie

We have selected a preferred supplier via a tender process and will now begin the first steps to look at siting a hyperscale data centre on the former coal store site at Cockenzie. 

There are several steps to be completed to determine the feasibility of the project, with the overall aim being a Joint Venture between the council and Sustainable Development Capital LLP (SDCL) to deliver a data centre with associated local training and job opportunities plus a long-term investment and financial benefit for the council. 

The potential centre would be located on part of the former coal store site, leaving the wider site, including the footprint of the power station, available for other future developments. 

Before any development can take place, the plans would need to be assessed fully through the normal planning application process and members of the public would have the opportunity to comment on the proposal. 

It is estimated that it will take up to a year to finalise legal agreements before getting to the statutory public consultation stage, however we are keen to engage with the community on this project as early as possible, with next steps to be confirmed in the coming months. 

SDCL was selected as preferred supplier following a competitive tender process, agreed via a private report to Council in February 2025. We had received a large number of enquiries from operators interested in siting a data centre at Cockenzie so Council agreed to embark on the tender process to identify the preferred supplier.   

Council actions improve Musselburgh’s air quality

Environmental measures taken by our council have helped bring about a significant improvement in Musselburgh’s air quality.

An Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) order was introduced in the town centre in 2013 due to the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exceeding national targets.

This led to the creation of an Air Quality Action Plan which has contributed to a reduction in air pollution. The 13 measures outlined in our plan included decreasing the impact of road traffic pollution from buses on the High Street, encouraging active travel, and adopting the ECO Stars scheme which supports HGV, van, bus and coach operators to run their fleets more efficiently.

Air quality targets met

No readings above air quality targets for NO₂ – commonly emitted by vehicle exhausts – have been recorded in Musselburgh since 2016.

As a result, we’re seeking to revoke the AQMA and a public consultation was launched on 20 October asking for feedback on the move.

The order covers Musselburgh’s High Street from its junction with Newbigging and extending westwards to the junction with Bridge Street and Mall Avenue.

Revocation of the AQMA will not impact the frequency of air quality monitoring and reporting for the area.

Statutory obligation

Our council has a statutory obligation to monitor air quality and take corrective action where pollutant concentrations are above permitted objective levels.

In 2022 a detailed assessment of air quality in Musselburgh was carried out by independent consultants. They concluded we may wish to consider revocation of the AQMA.

The proposed Musselburgh Revocation Report can be viewed on our website. 

The consultation will run until Friday, 14 November.

Get married in East Lothian!

The communications team has been working with our Registrars and Customer Services colleagues to produce an attractive and informative brochure advertising our marriage and civil partnership services and our historic venues at Haddington’s John Muir House and Dunbar Town House & Museum.

You can find the brochure on our website and on Visit East Lothian’s site via the Dunbar Town House and Adam Room listings.

We’ll be putting out some social media posts over the next few weeks to promote this. If you know someone who’s planning a wedding, do share this with them! Printed versions will also be available in council offices and at some main wedding venues across East Lothian as our Registrars regularly travel and officiate elsewhere. 

We’ll be doing some more promotional work in January to highlight our services to happy couples who get engaged over the festive season. Here’s hoping our Registrars can play a big part in many more celebrations next year!

Annual Landlord Report to tenants out now

Our annual report showing how East Lothian Council has performed as a landlord in the financial year to March 2025, in relation to the Scottish Social Housing Charter standards, is out now.

Highlights include that we are better than the Scottish average in terms of emergency repair times and we have a greater than 85% tenant satisfaction score for non-emergency repairs.

We have also carried out 140 kitchen and 417 bathroom replacements, replaced 276 heating systems and carried out 389 window and door replacements. You can read the full report on our website.

Views sought on proposed active travel measures in Musselburgh

Colleagues can take part in a public consultation seeking views on proposed active travel improvements on Musselburgh’s Station Road.

The proposals form part of the Musselburgh Active Toun (MAT) project which aims to deliver safer and more attractive routes for walking, wheeling, and cycling.

Supporting sustainable travel

Station Road lies on Route 5 of the MAT scheme which would link Old Craighall, Queen Margaret University and Musselburgh Station to the town centre, supporting sustainable travel for residents, students, and visitors.

Under the concept designs being considered in the consultation launched earlier this month, a new shared use footpath would be created and various traffic calming measures introduced.

While this section of Route 5 sits within the general footprint of the Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme, it is being progressed as part of MAT. The MAT project team, which includes design consultants Jacobs and AECOM along with ourselves, are working closely with the Musselburgh Flood Protection team to ensure coordination of their work.

Improve connectivity in Musselburgh

We’re proposing to introduce six active travel routes between key destinations in Musselburgh to improve connectivity and reduce reliance on cars. Following previous public engagement, proposals for three routes have advanced to the detailed design stage.

Transport Scotland has provided approximately £250,000 in funding to progress design work on multiple proposed projects on the MAT network during 2025/26.

The public consultation will run until Monday, 15 December.

Anyone wishing to take part in the consultation can visit the project website to explore the proposals and submit comments at https://bit.ly/MusselburghActiveToun

Procurement update: working with local suppliers and Heads of Service report feedback

The importance of including local suppliers and new supplier in a procurement exercise is being highlighted by our procurement team. 

Working with local suppliers whenever there is an option can bring value to the contract by:

• boosting the local economy
• creating jobs
• fostering community wealth building and stronger relationships
• cutting transportation costs

Local sourcing supports the community and aligns with sustainability goals by lowering our carbon footprint. Scotland's Community Wealth Building (CWB) framework also highlights local procurement as a key strategy for increasing local wealth and empowering communities.

At Procurement events such as ‘Meet the Buyer’, our procurement team engages with a wide range of suppliers who express interest in working with our organisation. They ensure to collect all relevant details from suppliers and share with the appropriate service areas. 

If you're involved in buying goods or services and need support, please contact the Procurement team for advice.

---

In August procurement issued a pilot of its new Head of Service reports.

Feedback received highlighted the reports have been helpful, especially for providing a high-level overview of expiring procurements. Suggestions for improvement were also made, which include adding a section to contracts that are due to expire in the 18–24-month period.

The service will now prepare a council-wide report for Corporate Management Team and seeking to further improve these reports for the next issue in January 2026. The reports will cover:

• procurement performance overview
• market supplier insights
• strategic themes and impacts
• innovation
• governance and compliance

 The reports will aim to identify where procurement can deliver better value for money, highlight opportunities for cost savings, efficiency and innovation as well as support planning for future procurement activity and contract renewals.

 Please contact procurement team if you would like to share any further feedback.

Planning Committee agrees to object to plans for a solar farm near Dunbar

At a meeting of East Lothian Planning Committee on Tuesday 4 November, committee members agreed to object to plans for a solar farm and battery energy storage facility on land near Oldhamstocks, Dunbar. 

The application had been called off the Scheme of Delegation by Councillor Collins due to extreme local concerns about the project and its potential impact on the local area. The application, by Voltalia UK Ltd, will be decided by the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit (ECU). The council is a statutory consultee. 

The plans involved an area of 20 agricultural fields, primarily used for rotational arable and livestock farming, interspersed with areas of woodland. The proposed solar farm and associated infrastructure would span 15 of these fields, including a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at the northern end of the site. Some residential properties lie within the site boundary and others close by. Developers proposed to operate the site, which includes fencing, lighting and CCTV, for 40 years. 

We received 51 objections to the plans for reasons including loss of agricultural land, environmental and biodiversity impact, landscape and visual impact, the effect on the character and amenity of the local community and road safety concerns. Local community councils also objected to the proposals. 

Following a debate, committee members voted unanimously to uphold planners’ recommendation that the council strongly object to the proposal due to significant concerns regarding the adequacy of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the scale and nature of the potential impacts on the East Lammermuir area and beyond. Following a point made by Councillor McIntosh, a specific objection on access and recreation grounds will be amended to refer to not complying with Scottish access legislation. 

As the council has objected to the plans, raising significant concerns, it is now likely that Scottish Ministers will need to hold a Public Enquiry on the application. 

Read more including decisions made on other applications that were considered by the committee on our website.

Book Week Scotland events in our libraries - 17 to 23 November

Book Week Scotland is a national celebration of books and reading, and this year’s theme is friendship.

During Book Week Scotland, people of all ages and walks of life come together to share the joy of reading. Together with Scottish Book Trust's curated programme, partners deliver hundreds of unique, exciting events and activities that celebrate the transformative power of reading. They are joined in this celebration by Scotland’s authors, poets, playwrights, storytellers and illustrators to bring a packed programme of events and projects to life. 

East Lothian Libraries are delighted to be hosting a variety of events to appeal to a range of age groups and that celebrate and embrace the theme of friendship.

• events are free to attend
• booking is required - please read the event information below for booking information

 

Monday 17 November

Author event: Friendship in Dark Academia: in conversation with Heather Darwent and Elspeth Wilson - 7pm at Haddington Library

Rebecca from Night Owl Books will be in conversation with Heather Darwent, author of The Things We Do To Our Friends and A Sharp Scratch and Elspeth Wilson, author of These Mortal Bodies, about all things friendship and Dark Academia. The event will include a Q&A followed by a book signing.

To book your place email haddington.library@eastlothian.gov.uk 

Tuesday 18 November

Readings of Friendship - 2pm at Dunbar and North Berwick Libraries

Tyne and Esk writers will take you on a discovery of friendship through readings of poetry and short stories. Come and join us for a wonderful afternoon in the spirit of friendship, stories, poems and discover more about Tyne and Esk Writers.

To book your place email dunbar.library@eastlothian.gov.uk 

 

Unlikely Friendships - 2pm at North Berwick Library

Join Tyne and Esk Writers to explore how to incorporate unlikely friendships into and build character development in your writing. Unlikely friendships are found across the whole of literature and Tyne and Esk writers will help you to explore how to incorporate them into your work.

To book your place email northberwick.library@eastlothian.gov.uk 

 

Wednesday 19 November

Author event: East Lothian Poem of Friendship with Philippa Ramsden - 2:30pm at Haddington Library

Join local Tyne & Esk poet Philippa Ramsden to look at friendship. Friendship comes in many guises and during this workshop you will explore what friendship means and create an East Lothian poem of Friendship together.

To book your place email haddington.library@eastlothian.gov.uk 

 

Saturday 22 November

Author event: How to Kill a Witch by Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell - 2:30pm at Musselburgh Library

Visit Musselburgh Library for an afternoon with the authors of How to Kill a Witch: A Guide for the Patriarchy. Join long-time friends Claire Mitchell and Zoe Venditozzi as they discuss how they began their Witches of Scotland campaign, seeking justice for the nearly 4,000 individuals, predominantly women, accused of witchcraft in Scotland between 1563 and 1736. So far, the success of this campaign has led to a formal apology from the Scottish government and an official tartan in honour of the people executed. We’ll be asking Claire and Zoe what inspired them to start their campaign and their experience writing their book together.

To book your place email musselburgh.library@eastlothian.gov.uk 

 

Friendship Storytime Bookbug - 10:30am at North Berwick Library

Come along to help us celebrate Book Week Scotland with stories and make your very own friendship bracelets, because life is more fun when shared with friends!

Suitable for all ages, under eights must be accompanied by an adult.

To book your place email northberwick.library@eastlothian.gov.uk 

 

You can also book a place at any of the events by phoning our contact centre on 01620 827827 and asking for the relevant library. 

 

What's on at the Brunton

This November, join The Brunton in Musselburgh and Haddington for the start of their winter programme. From heart-warming films to fascinating true stories and radiant music, there is something for everyone!

---

At the Corn Exchange in November, join The Brunton for a fascinating and humorous evening with one of the most accomplished mountaineers of all time. Following his experience in Peru, Simon Yates has been increasingly drawn to places where few others have trod. Share with him the drama, excitement and beauty of modern, lightweight alpinism on Friday 14 November.

Simon Yates of Touching The Void – My Mountain Life: Friday 14 November at 7:30pm, Corn Exchange, Haddington

---

In Musselburgh firm favourite Ryan Corbett returns to Northesk Parish Church for The Brunton’s Bite-Sized Concerts at Lunchtime. Corbett’s arrangements of classical masterpieces combine with wonderful pure accordion compositions to make his recitals not to be missed!

Ryan Corbett, Accordion: Bite-Sized Concerts at Lunchtime, Tuesday 11 November at midday for lunch, 1pm concert | Northesk Parish Church, Musselburgh

---

The iconic Northesk Parish Church will also be welcoming the Royal Northern Sinfonia late November. Directed by Artistic partner Maria Wloszczowska, the string players of Royal Northern Sinfonia perform a selection of beautiful, atmospheric pieces carefully chosen to make you feel warm from the inside out on this cold November night.

Royal Northern Sinfonia, Christmas by Candlelight: Friday 28 November at 7:30pm, Northesk Parish Church, Musselburgh

---

The overwhelmingly well-received I Swear (15), based on the true story of John Davidson who struggled with his Tourette’s syndrome diagnosis and subsequent alienation, will be playing at Loretto Theatre this November.

I Swear (15): Wednesday 19 November at 7pm. Loretto Theatre, Musselburgh

---

Lastly, Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden is joined by Emmy and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman in the critically acclaimed and subversively funny new play by David Ireland. Streamed live to Loretto Theatre on Thursday 27 November at 7PM.

NT Live: The Fifth Step (15) | Thu 27 November at 7PM | Loretto Theatre, Musselburgh

What's on in Museums this November?

Winter season museum opportunities

Explore historic records and online exhibitions at www.johngraycentre.org or pop in for a visit to discover the history of East Lothian in 1000 objects in this innovative, interactive museum at John Gray Centre in Haddington. Uncover how ordinary and extraordinary people earned their living and spent their time from the Stone Age to the present day. Temporary exhibition about local D Day veteran, fisherman, husband, father and great dancer Charlie Horn!

Visit John Muir’s Birthplace and discover how a boy born in Dunbar became one of the driving forces behind the global conservation movement. His life and work continue to inspire people all over the world. Today his legacy helps connect with wellbeing, sustainability and communities. New temporary exhibition explores and celebrates the remaining woodlands found in East Lothian with their pockets of old oak trees. www.jmbt.org.uk

Explore the woods and grounds of Prestongrange Museum using the mobile phone tour as a guide through 400 years of local industry. The harbour, glass works, pottery, colliery and brickworks have all left their marks on the landscape including winding gear, a vast brick kiln and a Cornish beam engine. www.eastlothian.gov.uk/prestongrange

Take a tour of Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery with Dunbar and District History Society. The Town House has been the focus of town life since the 16th century and is home to a local history display and the temporary exhibition about shopfronts. www.eastlothian.gov.uk/dunbar-town-house

Discover land, sea and peoples stories at the Coastal Communities Museum in North Berwick during October. Travel through time and discover more about the history and pre-history of this captivating coastline and associated hinterland. www.coastalmuseum.org

---

Museums are a warm place with a friendly faces

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 to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm

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

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

---

Exhibitions

'Duir' oak : door

This exhibition explores and celebrates the remaining woodlands found in East Lothian with their pockets of old oak trees. As artists we are working to highlight our dependence and necessary engagement with our environment and woodland through foraging, creating, learning and being amongst woodland for its healing aspects, mindfulness and creative work.

The title of our exhibition is Duir which is an old Celtic word for oak and where the word for door derives. Oak supports more wildlife than any other tree species. This highlights the biodiversity value associated with them. They are also long-lived making them significant carbon stores. Woodlands are an essential part of our community and our exhibition highlights the necessity of preservation and regeneration.

The three artists contributing to this are Karin Chipulina, Stella Robertson and Anna Davis. Karin Chipulina’s work includes eco printed cloth, dyed with local leaves from the woods using oak gall mordants, natural fibres, prints using local woodland, foraged materials and cloth sewn, dyed and worked on with plant fibre.

A quote by John Muir
‘Between every two pine trees there is a door, leading to a new way of life’

Saturday 4 October to Sunday 30 November.
Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. Free admission
John Muir’s Birthplace, High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1JJ.

Scottish shopfronts and Dunbar shops exhibition

Dunbar Town House and Museum and Gallery (Wednesday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm every week)

Come and view the fantastic exhibition on the development of Scottish shopfronts by Lindsay Lennie. There will also be a history of Dunbar High Street shops theme, and we will be encouraging you to bring in stories and information about some of the old High Street shops.

We will also run a series of walks and talks, and activities every Wednesday afternoon during the exhibition. Check out the noticeboard in the Town House window for updates about what’s on.

Saturday 2-4pm courtesy of Dunbar and District History Society. Free admission. 
Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery, High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1ER.

Golden Days: The life of Charlie Horne

Charlie Horne is a local D-Day veteran, fisherman, husband, father and a great dancer!

Using images and material from Charlies own extensive collection, Golden Days looks back over his life. Featuring audio recordings from Charlie, a diary he kept during D-Day, film footage, family letters and images, Golden Days tells the story of a fascinating life well-lived.

30 August through until December. Free admission.
John Gray Centre (Museum) 15 Lodge Street, Haddington, EH41 3DX. 
johngraycentre.org

---

Events

Dunbar Art Route

Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October

Explore incredible art in Dunbar, Belhaven and West Barns.

• meet the artists
• see behind the scenes
• discover hidden gems
• take part in workshops

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery will be hosting nine of the artists 10am to 4pm both days.
www.dunbarartroute.co.uk
@dunbarartroute

Hope, healing and creativity in wild times.

For anyone feeling overwhelmed, a free talk/ discussion.

Stella shares the creative process behind her work (DUIR, oak:door) on loss as a portal to transformation. This interactive talk/ Q & A, explores the importance of creativity and imagination in difficult times. personal and environmental, discusses why slowing down enough to listen to the land can be a radical act of healing and a slow burning activism, and reveals how both can help build the capacity to help us through these wild times.

This session includes some short grounding exercises (visualisation/ breathing)

Saturday 25 October, 2pm to 3pm
Saturday 22 November, 2pm to 3pm

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

Book with QR code at eventbrite or message via instagram @dunbarartroute

---

Workshop Printing with Karin Chipulina

Part of the Duir exhibition

My work includes eco printed cloth, dyed with local leaves from the woods using oak gall mordants, natural fibres, prints using local woodland foraged materials and cloth sewn, dyed and worked on with plant fibre. Within a woodland we can access free materials to use in art forms, we can learn from working in that space of inspiration and use materials consciously to give a voice through our art.

Drop in workshop Saturday 18 October Time TBC

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

---

East Lothian Council Museums

John Gray Centre (Museum)

15 Lodge Street, Haddington, EH41 3DX.
Thursday and Friday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm

John Muir's Birthplace

126 High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1JJ.
Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 1pm to 5pm

Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery

High Street, Dunbar, EH42 1ER.
Wednesday to Sunday 1pm to 5pm
(from Wednesday 2 April to Sunday 28 September)

Prestongrange Museum

Morrison’s Haven, Prestonpans, EH32 9RX.
Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 4.30pm
(from Wednesday 2 April to Sunday 28 September)

Coastal Communities Museum

School Road, North Berwick, EH39 4JU.
Wednesday to Saturday 11am to 4pm
(from Wednesday 9 April to Saturday 25 October)

Musselburgh Museum

65 High St, Musselburgh, EH21 7BZ.
Thursday to Saturday 10.30am to 4pm
(from Thursday 3 April to Saturday 27 September)

Call for artists to exhibit at Dunbar Town House in 2026

Our Arts service is looking for two practising visual artists or craft makers to present a public facing exhibition at Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery from April to June 2026.

Each year, an array of artists and makers are supported to present their work to the public at the council-run Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery, providing a platform on which to showcase their work, engage with the public and further their reputation within the community. 

There are two slots available:

Wednesday 1 April - Sunday 10 May 
Friday 15 May - Sunday 21 June

In addition to the space, each artist will also receive:

• a point of contact from the Museums Team who can offer a tour of the gallery and provide advice on the hanging system, technical arrangements and answer any queries prior to installation
• front of house staffing to manage the exhibition space during opening hours
• support from the Arts Service team to create and print signage materials and promotional marketing materials with a budget of £300 available for print and design (if required)
• inclusion in a digital marketing campaign for both exhibitions produced by our Arts Service and shared through the Museums Service. This would include web listings, social media posts and a press release
• support to take sales during the exhibition with a 25% commission provided to the Dunbar Town House Museum and Gallery/East Lothian Council Museums Service. This is used to support the staffing and running costs of the exhibition space and will be managed by the Museums team
• access to the exhibition space for an opening event during opening hours
• access to an additional space within Dunbar Town House Museum & Gallery during opening hours to provide workshops/talks related to the exhibition

Who is this opportunity for?

The exhibition space is available for artists who:

• work in visual arts or craft including but not limited to painting, pottery, sculpture, photography, textile design, etc.
• are based in East Lothian or have created work directly in response to East Lothian as a location
• are able to manage the installation of their work into the exhibition space with support from one member of staff
• are able to take a lead in managing the promotion of the exhibition with support from the Arts Service team
• are happy with the technical specifications of the gallery space and the facilities that can be provided

The team is committed to increasing the diversity of artists working in the arts and especially welcome applications from those who identify as having characteristics currently under-represented in visual art and crafts in Scotland.

Timeline

• deadline: Sunday 16 November
• panel meeting: Wednesday 3 December
• artists informed: Wednesday 10 December
• marketing goes live: Monday 2 March
• exhibition 1: Wednesday 1 April - Sunday 10 May
• exhibition 2: Friday 15 May - Sunday 21 June

How to apply

Find out more information, including selection criteria, online from our website.

Our Community Kitchen zumba fundraiser

Our Community Kitchen brings people together in the Haddington and Lammermuir area who are socially isolated, to share good, hearty home-cooked food in a relaxed and friendly environment, allowing for friendships to form. There are no barriers to age or ability. All are welcome. As well as bringing people together for a meal at Haddington Bowling Club, the project also delivers hot meals to local people. They welcome referrals from health care professionals, self-referrals and from people locally who see or know someone who would benefit from being involved.

If you'd like to take part in a fun fitness challenge to help raise funds towards the cost of food for the project, why not gather a few colleagues, dig out your dancing shoes and take part in their Zumba fundraiser on Saturday 15 November at Knox Academy, Haddington, from 1-3pm. Entry is £10 per person. You can join in or just donate at their Just Giving page. 

 

Employee excellence in the spotlight as first Inspire Awards event held

Our first ever Inspire Awards - which celebrate the hard work, commitment and achievements of employees across the council - were held in Haddington Corn Exchange on Wednesday afternoon.

With more than 200 nominations received, the judging panel - comprising the Provost, representatives of the Executive Team, and a trade union representative - faced some very difficult decisions. Thanks to everyone who nominated a colleague, whether on a team or individual basis.

Hosted by Chief Executive Laurence Rockey and Provost John McMillan, almost 200 people attended the awards event, with excellent musical entertainment provided by 30 student musicians from local secondary schools.

'Amazing experience'

Laurence said: “Our inaugural Inspire Awards will live long in the memory. We received a significant number of thoughtful, high-quality nominations, which demonstrated the breadth of talent, professionalism and expertise which exists in our workforce.

“Everybody who lives, works or visits East Lothian relies on at least some of the varied and essential services provided by our organisation. Our people have a relentless focus on providing the highest standard of service to the communities we serve.

“It was an amazing experience to recognise the achievements of employees and teams through the Inspire Awards. They really were a fantastic way to celebrate the impressive work which takes place day in and day out and highlight the difference made by our council values – Enabling, Leading and Caring – in action.

“I enjoyed chatting to many of the finalists before and after the event. Whether you were nominated, made it through as a finalist or were a category winner, you can be very proud. Huge congratulations from me. Thanks also to our music performers, who showcased some of the talent which exists in East Lothian school.

“Like so many others, I can’t wait until the next Inspire Awards!”

The Provost added:

“The Inspire Awards are a fresh way to shine a light on the work you do — often quietly, often behind the scenes, but always with a shared commitment to our communities.

“These awards build on the tradition of the former STAR Awards, and they reflect how our organisation has grown and changed in recent years. At their heart, they are about recognising the people who inspire others: through their innovation, their kindness, their professionalism, and their ability to make things happen.”

All finalists received a certificate, with the winner in each of the eight categories receiving a trophy and certificate.

The winners and finalists were:

Customer Excellence Award

Winner: Katie Jenkins, IT

“A colleague praised for her professionalism, positivity and approachable nature.”

Finalists: Brunton Hall Customer Services; Education Outreach Service; Licensing Team

Award presented by Eamon John, Head of Communities.

Community Focus Award

Winner: Amenity Services

“A team widely respected for their work in keeping East Lothian and its open spaces clean, attractive and well maintained.”

Finalists: Annette Allan and Nel Murray, Adult Learning Disabilities Social Work; the Brunton Arts team; Scott Kennedy, Emergency Planning and Risk

Award presented by Shamin Akhtar, Depute Council Leader.

Unsung Hero Award

Winner: Bruce Colgan, Road Services

“A colleague who has worked tirelessly with unwavering dedication to ensure East Lothian’s roads are safe and accessible.”

Finalists: Allan Bourhill, Libraries; Gerry Chapman, Throughcare and Aftercare Team; Judith Hodson, Financial Inclusion Team; Helen Johnstone, Facilities Management

Award presented by Fiona Wilson, Director of the East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership.

One Council Award

Winner: Garden Waste Permits cross-department collaboration

“A team of colleagues represented by different parts of the council who worked to successfully deliver a new scheme for local households.”

Finalists: Louise Stewart, Communications; Business Rates and Sundry Accounts; Active Travel Team

Award presented by Andy Forrest, Depute Provost.

Sustainability Award

Winner: Community Payback Work Team

“A team whose approach to sustainability gives service users new skills and opportunities, such as through recycling bikes and rescuing items from landfill.”

Finalists: Waste Recycling Advisers; Road Structures Team – North Berwick Harbour Wall Reconstruction; Mikel Vallejo, Procurement; Transport Services

Award presented by Sarah Fortune, Depute Chief Executive (Resources and Economy).

Innovation Award

Winner: Families Together East Lothian

“A team with a focus on building kind and compassionate relationships while working with partners.”

Finalists: Jo Allen, Communications; Rebecca Grangeret, Organisational Development; Dan Smith and Craig McMillan, IT

Award presented by Lyn Jardine, Leader of the Opposition.

Team of the Year Award

Winner: Housing Options

“A team that has worked hard to transform how it operates, meet demand and support vulnerable clients.”

Finalists: Adult Social Work Team; Burial Team; Countryside Team; Democratic Services

Award presented by Lesley Brown, Depute Chief Executive (Children and Communities).

Employee of the Year Award

Winner: Jo Allen, Communications

“An employee who has been instrumental in elevating the quality and professionalism of the council’s media and communications work, offering wise counsel and creative solutions.”

Finalists: Doreen Chalmers, Finance; Caroline McCorkindale, Fostering and Adoption Team; Katie Jenkins, IT; Ed Offer, Dunbar Grammar School; Rebecca Grangeret, Organisational Development; Hazel Boak, Democratic Services

Award presented by Norman Hampshire, Council Leader.

--

We look forward to sharing more photographs and a video in the coming days.

 

Coffee morning raises funds for Macmillan

The organiser of a coffee morning organised to raise funds for Macmillan Coffee Morning has thanked all those who contributed.

Committees officer Fiona Currie organised the event at John Muir House on 29 September with support from her Committees team colleagues. She was moved to support the charity following her own experiences with cancer. Attendees were able to choose from a wide range of home baking and pre-loved books. 

Fiona said: "A huge thank you to everyone who came along to the Macmillan Coffee Morning. Thanks to all of the generous donations we raised a wonderful £361.05, all of which will go towards supporting people living with cancer.

"I'd also like to give a special thank you to my colleagues who donated baking, books and jigsaws, and who helped out on the day."

A Ranger Writes: Heroic hedgerows

Our Countryside Rangers have a wealth of knowledge on the places, plants and species that call East Lothian home. Ranger Richard English celebrates hedges: the unsung hero of the countryside

As we move into November, Autumn is in full swing and winter is just around the corner (sorry). What better time to celebrate one of the countryside’s unsung heroes; a tree, or shrub if you prefer, that’s so common and ubiquitous that it often gets taken for granted?

Common hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is a member of the rose family found throughout the UK, Europe, western Asia and North Africa. It can reach up to about 10 metres in height, although many individuals are considerably shorter than this. The tree produces white or pink flowers in late spring – usually in May, hence its alternative name of the May tree. At this time of year, the dark green leaves will be fading to yellow-brown, or will have fallen, but the hawthorn will still carry many of its distinctive red berry-like fruits – the haws that give it its name.

Important food source

The haws are not the juiciest of fruits but are still an important food source for birds and small mammals. They are particularly prized by winter visitors such as fieldfare, redwing and waxwing. In addition, hawthorn provides food and shelter for hundreds of invertebrate species; the leaves are eaten by the caterpillars of several moth species and the flowers supply nectar to bees, flies and other pollinators. Unsurprisingly, given its name, the hawthorn shieldbug is very closely associated with the tree. This insect is a striking green and red beastie, the shape of which resembles a medieval shield. As if that wasn’t enough wildlife, the hawthorn’s dense foliage also offers excellent shelter for nesting birds.

The hawthorn has long been valued in the countryside for its value as a hedge species. Not only does it adapt well to traditional hedge-laying techniques, but its dense branches and sharp thorns make it ideal for stock-proof barriers. Hedges are an incredibly valuable feature of the landscape. Not only do they provide food and shelter for wildlife, but they also form “green corridors” between habitats which might otherwise be completely isolated from each other.

Protection against vampires!

Away from hedges, hawthorn can be found in woodland and scrub habitats. Scrub is that messy, shrubby habitat type that gradually takes over from unmanaged grassland; and is, in turn, usually succeeded by woodland. Hawthorn is a vital component of such habitats and is often one of the first tree species to colonise these areas.

Perhaps not surprisingly for a species often found, or indeed planted, close to human settlements hawthorn has plenty of associated folklore. It was long used by herbalists to treat heart conditions, but was conversely often linked to death and specifically the Plague. This latter may be connected to a smelly chemical, trimethylamine, found in hawthorn blossom but also as a product of decay in corpses. In central Europe hawthorn was valued as a protection against vampires – always a good thing, you’d imagine.

Keep up to date

Keep up to date with all things Countryside Ranger on the service’s facebook or Instagram pages. You’ll find news and information to help you make the most of your time in our coast and countryside spaces as well as beautiful photography of the species that live here.

Facebook: @ELCrangers

Instagram: @elcrangers

What is Community Wealth Building?

East Lothian Community Wealth Building is launching a digital campaign, aimed at explaining Community Wealth Building (CWB) in bite-sized chunks.

The campaign will run from 10 November for two weeks. Look out for posts on Facebook and Instagram. 

CWB will be explained with a deeper delve into the pillars – Progressive Procurement, Fair Work, Land and Assets, Financial Power and, in East Lothian, Climate Change. 

The campaign is the culmination of the East Lothian CWB anchor organisations working together – the council, NHS Lothian, Queen Margaret University and Volunteer Centre East Lothian (VCEL).

Engaging with residents

The social media campaign follows on from various activities to engage residents since the East Lothian Partnership launch of Community Wealth Building. 

It will culminate in a short video, which will be worked into a project with local young people, through the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, on what Community Wealth Building means for them. 

The campaign materials will be posted by VCEL and shared on partner channels so you can see them on any of the partners’ Facebook & Instagram news feeds as well as the council’s, of course.

More information on CWB is on our website.

You can also contact our Community Wealth Building Officer Angela Lamont at cwb@eastlothian.gov.uk

 

East Lothian Partnership working to make a difference

The East Lothian Partnership has been working over the last year to co-produce a new Local Outcome Improvement Plan with communities, partners and using available data. This seeks to address the areas where our communities identify they are facing issues, and work across the Partnership, and with communities, to identify themes, priorities and actions that can improve outcomes for the people who need it the most.

The Plan aims to address poverty and inequality, working in a preventative approach.

Community Planning Partnerships (CPP) are a statutory requirement under the Community Empowerment Act and involve a range of key partners including, but not limited to, our council, ELHSCP, NHS Lothian, Scottish Fire and Rescue, Edinburgh College, Police Scotland, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland and VCEL.

Our CPP in East Lothian is the East Lothian Partnership and it is required to produce a Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) every 10 years. You can find out more about community planning here.

Engagement Report

The East Lothian Partnership Engagement Report was produced in August 2025 and identified three key areas for communities; Health, Safety and Poverty. The report represented voices from over 25,000 local people. Read the report.

Key Themes and Priorities for Local Outcome Improvement Plan 2026-2036

Officers across the Partnership have been working to reframe the language and reflect this back to communities and partners, firstly for the three themes:

 

 

Secondly, it has also reframed the key priority areas under each of these themes:

 

 

The Partnership will continue the work on the Local Outcome Improvement Plan with a draft of the final plan being presented in December to the Governance Group. 

You can keep up to date on the work of the East Lothian Partnership online and follow the Plan's progress through monthly updates. 

Previous updates and further information are on the Community Planning pages.

 

Review of current Local Outcome Improvement Plan 2017-2027

Our current Local Outcome Improvement Plan 2017-2027 will conclude shortly, and an Annual Review 2024-2025 and End of Plan Indicator report have been produced. Both documents are available online.

Further information

Please contact Emma Brown or Lucy Higginson, Connected Communities, if you would like any further information.

 

First Aid training in December and January

There are a limited number of spaces on the following First Aid courses running in December and January:

• Emergency First Aid: 1 December 2025, 12 January 2026
• First Aid at Work:  8 to 10 December 2025
• First Aid at Work Revalidation (must have an FAW certificate which has NOT expired by more than one month):  2 to 3 December 2025
• Blended Paediatric First Aid 14 November 2025, 14 January 2026

All courses are held at the Outdoor Learning Service's base in Musselburgh Racecourse complex.

Book

To book a place please visit the course calendar and complete the first aid booking form.

 

Have your say on our employee survey

As part of our commitment to making our council a great place to work, Organisational Development is reviewing our employee survey to ensure that it reflects the issues and opportunities most relevant to our teams. Your voice is important so the team is inviting colleagues to join drop-in sessions where they will gather ideas for questions to shape the survey.  

This is an opportunity for you to:  

• identify the topics that matter most to employees

• ensure questions are clear, meaningful, and actionable

• build a survey that provides valuable insights for improving our workplace  

 

Come along to a drop-in session  

Date	Time	Location
25 November	9am to 4pm	Penston House - First floor breakout area near Facilities
26 November	9am to 4pm	John Muir House - Ground floor seating area near reception with the blue chairs
27 November	9am to 12pm	Bleachingfield - Meeting room 1
3 December	9am- 4pm	John Muir House - Ground floor seating area near reception with the blue chairs
5 December	9am - 12pm	Musselburgh Library

  

No booking required - simply turn up! It will only take 10-15 mins of your time and tea/ coffee, and cake will be provided.    

 

Online form 

If you are unable to attend one of these sessions, you can share your thoughts by completing a short anonymous form online:

• Form for corporate colleagues
• Form for education/school colleagues

Please complete this by 13 December.