We Asked, You Said, We Did

The budget the Council needed to set for 2024/25 was one of the biggest challenges East Lothian Council has ever faced.  This is because of the rising cost pressures and increasing demand on our services which is not being matched by increases in national funding.

Forecasts suggested that the Council could face a gap of over £27 million between its projected funding and what it spends on providing local services in the next financial year, 2024/25.

The Council carried out the budget consultation to get peoples’ views on the Council’s priorities, the commitments set out in its Financial Strategy to reduce the cost of services, potential savings and the level of Council tax increase.

A full copy of the results of the survey is available at: 1124_Bdgt_Consltn___Analysis (1).pdf

472 people responded to the online survey (c. 0.5% of population over 16).

Of those who responded:

• 88.5% said that the Growing our People objective is Very Important and 9% said it is Somewhat Important
• 66% said Growing our Capacity is Very Important and 28% said it is Somewhat Important
• 60.5% said Growing our Communities is Very Important and 31.5% said it is Somewhat Important
• 41% said Growing our Economy is Very Important and 47% said it is Somewhat Important

The most favoured options for reducing spending were Early Intervention & Prevention and Asset Rationalisation, and the least favoured option was Service Reduction.

The five options for which there was least support for service reduction as opposed to increasing Council Tax to protect the service were:

• Investing in services for vulnerable children
• Maintaining existing staffing levels within schools
• Tackling anti-social behaviour and working to improve community safety
• Supporting older people, e.g. care at home and care homes
• Investing in the road network and street lighting

The five options for which there was most support to reduce the service were:

• Providing discounts for empty business premises
• Supporting tourism and the visitor economy
• Investing in staff training and development
• Supporting cultural activities like the arts and museums
• Maintaining home to school transport

Respondents were asked to provide views on different levels of Councill Tax increase to protect council services. Almost as many respondents said they would support an increase of over £5 a week (20%) as said they did not support any increase in Council Tax (23%); 72% would support an increase of up to £3 per week; and 40% would support an increase of up to £5 a week.

A full set of the results of the survey was reported to elected members before they deliberated on the 2024/25 Budget - 1124_Bdgt_Consltn___Analysis (1).pdf.

The budget was approved at a meeting of the Council on 20th February where Councillors agreed to accept Scottish Government funding to freeze the Council tax for a year.  The projection is that Council Tax will increase by 10% in the following year (2025/26) and by 5% in the following year.

In setting the budget the Council has tried to protect the Children’s Services and Education Services budgets as well as the budget supporting older people.  However, in order to do this, and balance the budget taking into account increases in Council Tax from new homes, the level of support grant from the Scottish Government and use of reserves and financial management measures, the Council had to make a total of just over £8m in efficiencies and budget savings. Almost £4m of these efficiencies and savings were put forward in the budget approved in February 2023; including, three weekly residual bin collections, a new charge for Garden Waste collection, and £1m from a review of council assets.

A further £4.5m efficiencies and savings were also approved including:

• 100% Council Tax premium for 2^nd homes (£900,000)
• Charges from empty Non Domestic Rates Relief (£430,000)
• Restructuring of management (£435,000)
• Reduction in revenue budget for roads (£330,000)
• Use of Under 22yr old bus pass for home to school transport, instead of council provided buses (£220,000)
• Reduction in funding for Brunton Theatre Trust (£200,000) and Enjoy Leisure (£100,000)
• Reduction in Library Service (£180,000)

We asked tenants, tenants and residents groups and ELTRP for their view on our proposals to increase rents.

The Council know that decisions they make about tenant's rent and how we spend the money we collect is extremely important during these challenging financial times.  Striking a balance between keeping rents affordable and being able to maintain services for our tenants is important for the Council and more vital than ever before.

With this in mind the Council consulted on three options for a rent increase, 5%, 6% or 7%.  Explaining the effect each of these options would have on our housing service.

Of those who responded:

89% were happy with the level of consultation and information they get about the annual rent increase.

82% said they thought the rent they pay is good value for money.

86% opted for a 5% increase

11% for a 6% increase

3% for a 7% increase.

All the feedback received was added to a report to inform the Elected Members of the outcome of the consultation.   Taking all of this into account, the rent level for 2024/25 was agreed at a meeting of the Council on 20th February where Councillors agreed to a 7% rent increase from 1st April 2024.   This is the only feasible option if we want to continue to improve our existing stock and meet our statutory requirements.

We will write out to all our tenants informing them of the outcome and the planned increase to their rent charge for 2024/25.

We asked tenants, tenants and residents groups and ELTRP for their views on our proposals to increase rents. 

The council is aware that for many tenants this year is possibly even more difficult with high inflation and a cost of living that is placing huge stresses on household finances notably around energy costs and the price of food. We explained that without a rent increase in April 2023, it will be impossible for the Council to continue to deliver the current level of service including its ambitious capital programme.

With these factors in mind we set out a range of options 0%, 3% and 5% and explained the effect that each of these options would have on our housing service.

Of those who responded to our consultation:

• 92% were happy with the level of consultation and information they received about the annual rent increase
• 85% thought that the rent they pay is good value for money

All the feedback received was added to a report to inform the Elected members of the outcome of the consultation. The report will be heard at the Council’s Special Budget Meeting in February 2023.  At that meeting, a decision will be taken regarding the rent increase.  We will write out to all tenants after this meeting to inform them of the outcome and any planned incrrease to their rent charge for 2023/2024.

We asked

We asked your views on the Draft Poverty Plan for 2021 – 2023 that had been prepared by the Council setting out the objectives and actions that should be prioritised over the next two years to tackle poverty in East.

You Said

Twentynine individuals and six organisations responded to the survey. Organisations also took the opportunity to comment on the draft Plan at various meetings. In addition, the views of people with lived experience were recorded and presented as evidence to the consultation. A full report on the results of the consultation, including the comments made by respondents to the online consultation and people with lived experience has been lodged in the Council’s Members Library Service.

The consultation showed overwhelming support for the outcomes and proposed actions detailed in the Draft Poverty Plan.

The common theme of responses to the consultation is that there is a growing urgency that concerted action is needed to tackle the impact of the rise in poverty as a result of the pandemic and other factors such as price inflation and withdrawal of the £20 Universal Credit boost.

We Did

The final version of the Plan – Our policies, plans and strategies - Poverty Plan 2021-2023 | East Lothian Council – was amended to take account of the responses to the consultation.  The amendments included: slightly amended wording for two of the outcomes; clarification that the Plan includes the Child Poverty Plan; clarification that the Plan takes an early intervention and prevention approach to tackling the causes and impact of poverty; and the addition of quotes from people with lived experience to show the impact of poverty on people’s lives and reflect the need for concerted action.

A new East Lothian Poverty Partnership is to be formed with representatives from the Council, NHS, and voluntary and community sectors to review progress with delivering the Poverty Plan and ensuring that concerted action is being taken to reduce poverty in East Lothian.  The Partnership will also be charged with ensuring that the views of people with lived experience are heard and taken into account by the Council and East Lothian Partnership.

Whether to make a permanent 20mph speed limit covering Dunbar streets north of the railway line, following a trial in 2018-19.

Our aim was to reduce the dominance of motorised traffic, resulting in streets feeling safer for cycling and walking while still allowing the free movement of vehicles. Most streets south of the railway are already covered by a permanent 20mph speed limit.

Around 1500 responses were received, roughly half of which were online and half were responses to the paper consultation which was delivered to every household.

• 66% of respondents are in favour of retaining the 20mph speed limit, with 28% against and 6% not recording an opinion
• 56% of those in favour of the speed limit, preferred retaining the 30mph limit on the arterial route (Queens Road/High Street/Belhaven Road)

An additional question was asked about whether the new speed limit should also apply to Kellie Road, but as only 45% of responses were in favour of this.

Your comments have been summarised in a report which will be submitted to Cabinet on 21^st January. This includes additional data from speed surveys which show significant reductions in speed, particularly on Belhaven Road and Summerfield Road.

The recommendation of the report is that 20mph limits will be made permanent on all the streets north of the railway in Dunbar, with the exception of the arterial route (Queens Road/High Street/Belhaven Road) which will retain a speed limit of 30mph. The recommendation is that Kellie Road remains at 30mph. There will be a further opportunity to comment as this progresses through the statutory Traffic Regulation Order process.

For your comments on the Countryside and Coast Supplementary Planning Guidance. 

You made a variety of comments on the document, including the need to protect the countryside and coast from unnecessary or unsympathetic development. Your comments are summarised in a report which can be downloaded as Item 128/19 from the Members Library Service. This Report was available to Councillors before they made the decision on whether or not to approve the Countryside and Coast Supplementary Planning Guidance. 

We considered your comments and made several changes to the Countryside and Coast Supplementary Planning Guidance in response. The changes are shown in Item 128/19 from the Members Library Service.

The Council approved the amended Countryside and Coast Supplementary Planning Guidance at a meeting on 29 October 2019. This guidance will be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications while the East Lothian Local Development Plan 2018 remains in force. The guidance can be downloaded here: Countryside and Coast Supplementary Planning Guidance

We asked our tenants, applicants and stakeholders for their views on the review of the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy. There were eight proposals for change up for discussion and we asked for your feedback.

Over 2,300 surveys were returned that contained over 10,000 comments on the policy review. Analysis showed that there was majority support for all eight of the proposals for change.

Having the collective support of our tenants, applicants and stakeholders provided the Council with a mandate to proceed with the Housing Allocations Policy review. All of the comments collected during the consultation process formed part of the Consultation Register and were responded to by the Housing Allocations Working Group. A  Consultation Report was produced and submitted to Council and Elected Members detailing the consultation outcomes – this is also publically available. The revised Housing Allocations Policy will ‘go live’ on the 1^st May 2019.

We asked for your views on the draft Town Centre Strategies for Musselburgh, Tranent, Prestonpans, Haddington, North Berwick and Dunbar. These will become Supplementary Guidance to the East Lothian Local Plan.

The majority of respondents agreed with the proposed actions and aims of the strategies. A number of proposed changes were put forward to make the strategies better. Over 65% of people said they wanted a Vision for each town centre.

Based on the feedback received, a Vision was introduced for each Town Centre and a number of changes were made to the Town Centre Strategies.  These can be viewed in the report submitted to East Lothian Council on 26^th February 2019. 

We asked tenants, tenants and residents groups and ELTRP for their views on our proposed rent increase of 5%.

Of those who responded to our consultation:

• 95% were happy with the level of consultation and information they received about the annual rent increase
• 92% thought that the rent they pay is good value for money
• 78% said that they thought the proposal to increase rents by 5% was fair.

All the feedback received was put in to a report for the Council’s Special Budget Meeting on Tuesday 12^th February 2019 to inform the Council and Elected Members of the outcome of the consultation.   At that meeting, a decision was taken to increase rents by 5%.  We have now written out to all our tenants to advise them what their rent and service charges will be for 2019-20.

We asked for your views on the draft Special Landscape Areas Supplementary Planning Guidance. 

No comments were received on the document.

We adopted the Special Landscape Area Supplementary Planning Guidance on 30 October 2018. This can be viewed in full here: https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/210547/planning_and_building_standards/12284/natural_environment_and_planning/2

Members of the public, partner organisations and other stakeholders were asked for their views on a draft Local Transport Strategy.

Over 100 people attended workshops in locations across East Lothian. A further 500 responses were received online.

A number of amendments were made to the Strategy based on feedback received via the consultation process - these can be viewed in the report submitted to East Lothian Council on 30th October 2018.  

We asked tenants and registered tenants organisations for their views on our rent consultation and a proposed rent increase of 5%.

95% of respondents said they were happy with the level of consultation and information they get about the annual rent increase

91% think the rent they pay is good value for money

79% said that they think the proposal to increase rents by 5% is fair

All the feedback from the consultation was put in a report for the Council's budget meeting on Tuesday 13^th February 2018 to inform the Council and Elected Members of the outcome of the consultation. At that meeting a decision was made to increase rents by 5%. We will write out to all our tenants now to tell them what their rent and services changes will be for 2018/19.

We asked for your views on budget proposals and on the level of Council Tax for 2018/19.  

Local people shared their views by taking part in focus groups and by responding to our online survey – you can view an analysis of feedback received here.

The results of the budget consultation were shared with elected members in the report that accompanied the draft Budget that was considered by Cabinet on 16 January 2018. The Council went on to approve a three year budget at its meeting on the 13^th February 2018. You can view this here.

We asked tenants and registered tenants organisations for their views on our rent consultation and a proposed rent increase of 5%.

93% of respondents said they were happy with the level of consultation and information they get about the annual rent increase

91% think the rent they pay is good value for money

77% said that they think the proposal to increase rents by 5% is fair

All the feedback from the consultation was put in a report for the Council's budget meeting on Tuesday 21st February 2017 to inform the Council and Elected Members of the outcome of the consultation. At that meeting a decision was made to increase rents by 5%. We will write out to all our tenants now to tell them what their rent and services changes will be for 2017/18.

We asked stakeholders for their views on the proposal to alter the catchment area for Letham Mains Primary School.

The Council received twenty six responses to its questionnaire. Of those who expressed a opinion, 46.2% were in favour. 

East Lothian Council has made the decision to go ahead with the proposal to alter the catchment area for Letham Mains Primary School. The new catchment and admission arrangements for Letham Mains Primary School, Haddington Infant School and King’s Meadow Primary School would become operational with immediate effect.

We asked stakeholders for their views on the proposal to establish a new primary school for Blindwells and alter the catchment area of Preston Lodge High School to include the Blindwells new settlement

Of the responses which provided an overall view about the council’s proposal, almost all expressed support. In terms of the three individual elements of the proposal, respondents were overwhelmingly supportive of the proposal to establish a new primary school for Blindwells (89%). A majority of stakeholders (50%) supported the proposal to initially host at Cockenzie Primary School until the new permanent facility is built (25.9% oppose). A greater proportion of respondents opposed the proposal to extend the Preston Lodge High School (47%) and St Gabriel’s RC Primary School (51%) catchment areas to include Blindwells.       

East Lothian Council has made the decision to go ahead with the proposal to establish a new primary school at Blindwells and extend the catchment area of Preston Lodge High School. The Council will continue to consult and engage with affected stakeholders as the hosting and planned transition arrangements are developed and subsequently implemented. The Preston Lodge High School and St Gabriel’s RC Primary School catchment areas will be extended to include the Blindwells site with immediate effect.

We asked stakeholders for their views on the proposal to alter the catchment areas of Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School and Wallyford Primary Schools to include the Land at Levenhall within the Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School catchment area. 

The Council received five responses to its questionnaire. A clear majority of respondents to the questionnaire (80%) support the proposal.

East Lothian Council has made the decision to go ahead with the proposal to alter the catchment areas of Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School and Wallyford Primary Schools to include the Land at Levenhall within the Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School catchment area. The new catchment and admission arrangements for Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School and Wallyford Primary School will become operational with immediate effect.

We asked stakeholders for their views on the proposal to establish a new primary school and its associated catchment area within the land at Craighall, Musselburgh.

Of the responses which provided an overall view about the council’s proposal, almost all expressed support. In terms of the three individual elements of the proposal, a clear majority of respondents to the questionnaire (88%) support the proposal to establish a new school and its associated catchment area. A greater proportion of respondents overall oppose the element to host initially at Stoneyhill Primary School before relocating until the new permanent facility is built (72%).

East Lothian Council has made the decision to go ahead with the proposal to establish a new primary school and its associated catchment area within the land at Craighall, Musselburgh, subject to the adoption of the emerging LDP in a format that would require these new education catchment arrangements and facilities to be delivered. In taking its proposal forward, the Council will continue to engage with stakeholders over its planned transition arrangements for children who will attend the new school and those children who attend Stoneyhill Primary School.

We asked parents for their views on a range of lunchtime drink options for primary schools.

1,043 responses were received from parents:

• 97% said they would like plain water to be available
• 94% said they would like semi-skimmed milk to be available
• 48% said they would like naturally flavoured milk drinks to be available
• 58% said they would like fruit juice mixed with water to be available

Comments received included:

* Some parents were concerned about tooth decay if drinks other than milk and water were on offer

* Other parents were worried that there would not be enough choice for children if drinks were limited to milk and water.

We have listened to the feedback received and also considered advice from the British Dental Health Foundation. Based on this, we have decided to make the following changes:

1. We have introduced a second water and milk only day onto the weekly menu - Mondays and Wednesdays will now be water and milk only days - this should help encourage children to drink more water / milk
2. We have introduced a sugar free naturally flavoured milk drink for Thursday lunchtimes. This will add more variety to the menu, particularly for children who would not usually choose milk. If such drinks are consumed along with a meal any risk of tooth decay is significantly reduced.

We asked for your views on proposals to move customer services from Aldhammer House to Prestonpans Library.

The majority of respondents said that they wanted the two services to remain in separate buildings and did not want to see any changes to the Library building. A small majority (54%) said they would like increased Library opening hours.

• We decided not to relocate customer services to Prestonpans Library
• We decided that more use could, however, be made of the Library building
• We decided to increase the opening hours to allow more school classes to visit - the Library will be open for an additional 6 hours a week, opening from 9am each morning (10am on a Wednesday and Saturday) - this will be reviewed in a year to see whether it has resulted in increased usage
• We will make changes to layout to allow more private space for people using computers (this will not involve creating interview rooms)
• Vacant space in Aldhammer House is now being used by the Capital Credit Union
• No further changes to Aldhammer House are likely to occur until a fuller review takes place of public sector accomodation in Prestonpans