Since I last wrote a blog post we have achieved a significant milestone in East Lammermuir, with the recruitment of our Local Place Plan Delivery Officer, Sue Guy, in August.

From the start the vision of the Energy Projects Partnership has been for East Lammermuir to be a better place as a result of the energy developments, with the Local Place Plan as the blueprint for this.

Sue Guy and Beth Landon

Sue’s role is about coordination of 4 ambitions from the Local Place Plan and is jointly funded by the NnG Community Fund and the EGL1 Strategic Fund. Her role is hosted by East Lothian Climate Action Network (ELCAN), reporting to East Lammermuir Community Council and working as part of our team here.

While I’m on the subject of our local team, we are also fortunate to have the fabulous Jo Demer, administrator for ELCC, supporting Sue and I in our work as well. Having a growing staff team will take the burden off local volunteers, while creating opportunities for community members to guide delivery and make key decisions.

Jo Demer

Although the process of developing roadmaps for each ambition has been a long one, it has built a strong foundation to guide Sue’s work and the allocation of community benefits to bring these ambitions into reality. 

Some of the delivery itself is happening already. In very locally-led ways such as the work by Stenton Community Association in liaison with East Lothian Council to reduce traffic speeds, making it safer for walking, wheeling and cycling. Also by community-led organisations from the wider area such as Sustaining Dunbar with the rivers catchment work, East Lothian Climate Action Network with the hedgerow project and Lothian Heat, with their East Lammermuir project to deliver on the warm homes ambition.

Work is underway to build relationships with key delivery partners for the more ambitious elements of the active travel (such as a safe A1 crossing!) and community transport ambitions.

Sue and I are working closely together, with my role being about enabling community agency and collaboration through the whole lifecycle of the energy developments, and Sue’s being largely focussed on what can be achieved as a legacy through community benefits. Both are interlinked, as my previous blog highlighted “About a path”.

Sue has hit the ground running and has pulled together a brilliant resource on the ELCC website, for keeping us all up to date on progress on the 4 ambitions.

She is also looking for anyone in the community who wants to get involved in one of 4 steering groups guiding delivery of each ambition – reach out to her to find out more by emailing sue.guy@elcc.scot

Exciting times!