Our Contract with the People
Our contract with local people’s based on four key principles.
Vision-driven Strategy
We’ll express a clear vision for East Lothian and its residents which will inform all key decisions.
Democratic Accountability
We’ll endeavour to discuss and decide all key matters in public, after consulting with the people most affected.
Community Orientation
We’ll devolve decision-making as far as it makes economic and managerial sense.
Resource Maximisation
We’ll seek out and engage financial and human resources — internally and externally — to help deliver and maintain the superior quality of life East Lothian residents enjoy.
We’re committed to a clear vision for East Lothian. We neighbour Edinburgh. So our residents and businesses have easy access to the most dynamic city in Scotland — and one of Europe’s success stories. But, unlike
West Lothian or Midlothian, we’re not looking at a future based on factories or heavy commuting into Edinburgh from ‘dormitory’ development.
Our amazing coast and countryside is too precious to waste. Our vision for East Lothian is of a rural retreat — contrasting with the dynamic city of Edinburgh — attracting foreign visitors and local day-trippers alike. And we’ll
develop a low-impact dynamic that’ll allow small business to thrive in each of our towns, while the pleasant rolling country between remains attractive and secure. An economy powered this way will allow residents a superb quality of life but
at the same time finance ever better standards of education, services and facilities.
We are the pivotal organisation when it comes to our quality of life and a stronger local business environment — and we want to reduce the need for so many of our residents to commute elsewhere. This will strengthen each local
community’s retail and service economy and reduce environmental impact. We’ll also maintain current high levels of service in key areas like Education and Landscape & Countryside, but prioritise
- Substantial increases in the provision of affordable housing for rent
- Devolving decisions and budgets to our six main communities
- Revising at root-and-branch level public scrutiny of council business
- Greatly improving customer service and communication with residents