FIVE Aberlady residents will represent the village on a community council.

Gullane Area Community Council – which serves Gullane, Aberlady, Dirleton, Drem and West Fenton – already had hotelier Malcolm Duck and Frank Neate as members representing Aberlady. Now, the group has added Rebecca Simpson Hughes, Hayden Edwards and Jamie Tough to its ranks.

Tom Drysdale, chairman of the community council, welcomed the trio. He said: “This is the first time for many years that Aberlady has had its full complement of community council members.

“They will bring us renewed strength with their range of skills and they are already making a difference in encouraging greater community involvement and activity in the village.”

Rebecca is a semi-retired landscape architect and environmental planner, having worked throughout the UK.

In 1993, she moved to Scotland to head up the landscape team for Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot).

This was followed by assisting approval for a new UK national park and five years overseas in New Zealand for a coastal wetland trust.

She has lived in East Lothian for more than 20 years and most recently in Aberlady.

Her interests include gardening, tennis, skiing and yoga, and assisting the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland as its deputy chair.

Meanwhile, Hayden has lived in the village for more than 20 years, with his children attending Aberlady Primary School and North Berwick High School.

Working for a leading telecommunications company, he has a keen interest in digital inclusion and place-based adoption of technology.

He is also a member of Craigielaw Golf Club and a former rugby referee.

Jamie, meanwhile, is a relative newcomer to the village, having moved to Aberlady in 2018 to bring up his young family.

A native of the Scottish Borders, Jamie used to be a keen rugby player but now enjoys more leisurely pursuits such as golf and hiking..

Rebecca and Hayden will both represent Aberlady, while Jamie is a co-opted member who will carry out general duties.

The community council, which meets once a month, is still on the lookout for new members, though.

Mr Drysdale said: “Despite these strong additions to our membership, we are still two councillors short in Gullane itself, and with the rapid increase in population there over the last year or two, and the pressures which that places on the community, it would good if interested residents there could come forward and offer to join us.”