Your council
East Lothian: what’s happening where you live
What the council itself has published on the five things it most shapes for a household: homes, getting about, the bill, the local environment and schools. Each line is quoted from the council’s own document, with the link. This page says what was decided or proposed; it never says whether it was right.
East Lothian Council: Scottish unitary authority (unitary), Scotland. GOV.UK lists it as a unitary council.
Do it online
- Household waste collection: Providing information
- Household waste collection: Reporting
- Flytipping: Reporting
- Road maintenance: Reporting
- Noise pollution: Reporting
- Council tax annual notification: Providing information
- Council tax discount: Applications for service
- Council tax benefit new claim: Applications for service
- Housing benefit new claim: Providing information
- Electoral register: Providing information
- Electoral register: Applications for service
- Primary school places: Applications for service
- Secondary school places: Applications for service
- Library facilities: Providing information
- Parking permits: Providing information
- Planning decision notices: Providing information
- Councillors directory: Providing information
- Complaints procedure: Providing information
Housing
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Transport
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Council tax
Band D council tax set by East Lothian for 2026–27: £1,697.62 a year. Excludes water and sewerage charges.
Every band
| Band | A year |
|---|---|
| A | £1,131.75 |
| B | £1,320.37 |
| C | £1,509.00 |
| D | £1,697.62 |
| E | £2,230.48 |
| F | £2,758.63 |
| G | £3,324.51 |
| H | £4,159.17 |
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Environment
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Education
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
What the council plans to spend, 2026–27
| Service | Budget |
|---|---|
| Education | £164.3 million |
| Culture and related services | £18.4 million |
| Social work | £109.6 million |
| Roads and transport | £7.8 million |
| Road bridges | none budgeted |
| Environmental services | £14.8 million |
| Building, planning and development | £3.4 million |
| Central services | £8.6 million |
| Housing (outside the housing revenue account) | £6.4 million |
| Trading services | none budgeted |
| Total net revenue expenditure | £333.4 million |
Life in East Lothian: the official facts
- People living here
- 116,460 people
- Typical age
- 45 years
- Money to live on, per person, per year
- £28,120
- Typical weekly pay, before tax
- £654
- Children growing up in poverty
- 12.2%
- People claiming unemployment-related benefits
- 2.2%
- Average price of a home
- £286,314
- Years in good health: women
- 60.4 years
- Years in good health: men
- 60.2 years
- Greenhouse gases, per person
- 11.6 tonnes per person
- Homes and businesses that can get the fastest broadband
- 87.8%
- Public chargers for electric cars
- 599.9 per 100,000 people
- Businesses trading here
- 3,195 businesses
Who runs the council
22 seats in 2026. Run by: Labour, as a minority administration.
Councillors by party: Labour Party 10, Scottish National Party (SNP) 6, Conservative and Unionist 4, Scottish Green Party 1, Independent / Other 1.
Next scheduled council election: 6 May 2027.
All 22 councillors, by ward
- Donna Collins (Conservative and Unionist) — Dunbar and East Linton
- Lyn Jardine (Scottish National Party (SNP)) — Dunbar and East Linton
- Norman Hampshire (Labour Party) — Dunbar and East Linton
- George McGuire (Conservative and Unionist) — Haddington and Lammermuir
- John McMillan (Labour Party) — Haddington and Lammermuir
- Shamin Akhtar (Labour Party) — Haddington and Lammermuir
- Tom Trotter (Scottish National Party (SNP)) — Haddington and Lammermuir
- Andrew Forrest (Labour Party) — Musselburgh
- Cher Cassini (Scottish National Party (SNP)) — Musselburgh
- Ruaridh Bennett (Labour Party) — Musselburgh
- Shona McIntosh (Scottish Green Party) — Musselburgh
- Carol McFarlane (Labour Party) — North Berwick Coastal
- Jeremy Findlay (Conservative and Unionist) — North Berwick Coastal
- Liz Allan (Scottish National Party (SNP)) — North Berwick Coastal
- Brooke Ritchie (Labour Party) — Preston, Seton and Gosford
- Colin Yorkston (Labour Party) — Preston, Seton and Gosford
- Lachlan Bruce (Conservative and Unionist) — Preston, Seton and Gosford
- Neil Gilbert (Scottish National Party (SNP)) — Preston, Seton and Gosford
- Colin McGinn (Labour Party) — Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry
- Fiona Dugdale (Labour Party) — Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry
- Kenny McLeod (Independent / Other) — Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry
- Lee-Anne Menzies (Scottish National Party (SNP)) — Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry