Ministerial visit to East Lothian

The purpose of the visit was to see how the authority is working to continually improve services for residents.

The Minister met Council Leader Paul McLennan, Provost Sheena Richardson and Chief Executive Angela Leitch to discuss services for residents provided by the council and with partner agencies, followed by a meeting with community planning partners including representatives from Lothian and Borders Police, the Fire & Rescue Service, further education institutions and voluntary organisations.

Mr Mackay then visited the new John Gray Cultural Centre in Haddington, which is nearing completion and will include a new library, archive, local history centre and meeting space.

This was be followed by a tour of the council Contact Centre at Penston House, Macmerry.

Finally, the Minister visited the largest development of new council houses to be built in East Lothian since the 1970s - at Muirpark Tranent (known as Steading View).

Mr Mackay met new tenant Eilidh Ross, 22, who was allocated a new house at Steading View for her and her son Adam, who has complex health problems.

Mr Mackay said:

"This was a great opportunity to learn more about how East Lothian Council is providing services for its citizens and how it is continually working with its partners towards the improvement of those services. Through focusing on community planning and building relationships, the council is delivering tangible results. I was delighted to meet one of the new tenants at the Muirpark Council housing development, and to see the new John Gray Cultural Centre and the Contact Centre and CCTV monitoring unit."

Council Leader Paul McLennan said:

"It was a pleasure to show our new Minister for Local Government and Planning around some of the key new community facilities and services in East Lothian. It was an opportunity to demonstrate what we're striving to achieve here, both as a local authority and with community partners."