2022 East Lothian Council election: Preston Seton Gosford ward candidates

Four of them will be elected.

Preston Seton Gosford, which includes Prestonpans, Cockenzie and Port Seton, and Longniddry, currently has 2 Labour councillors, 1 Conservative councillor and 1 SNP councillor.

Candidates are listed below in alphabetical order.

Paul Brown (ALBA)

THE planned new wind farm south of Gifford is projected to have a capacity of 152 megawatts and, over the planned 40-year lifetime of the farm, will deliver £52.8 million in community benefits. Meanwhile, Inch Cape have planning permission to bring energy onshore at the old Cockenzie Power Station site from its offshore wind farm, with a capacity of one gigawatt – six and a half times more energy than the onshore wind farm above, yet it will pay no money in community benefits. Similarly, Berwick Bank offshore wind farm will have a capacity of 4.1 gigawatts, almost 30 times that of the onshore windfarm, and it too will pay no money for bringing power ashore near Torness. ALBA candidates will press for the council to follow Shetland Islands Council’s lead, which, for 30 years, was paid a fee for every barrel of oil landed at Sullom Voe.

Lachlan Bruce (Conservative)

I HAVE served as the Scottish Conservative and Unionist councillor for the Preston Seton Gosford ward for the past five years. I have also been the leader of the Conservative council group and leader of the opposition for the past two years. Additionally, I was the convenor of the policy, performance and review committee. I am standing for re-election to East Lothian Council because I believe that Cockenzie, Port Seton, Prestonpans and Longniddry deserve a fair share from the council. I want to continue the work I have put in over the past five years. That's why I am campaigning to get more police on the streets to fight rampant anti-social behaviour in parts of the ward, calling for more investment in our schools, including the extension of Preston Lodge, pushing for a half-hourly train service to Edinburgh, and fighting to ensure that development at Cockenzie delivers good-quality jobs for local people.

Neil Gilbert (SNP)

SINCE being elected in 2017 for the Preston Seton Gosford ward, I’ve found my work as a local councillor interesting and rewarding. In 2017, my priority was social housing as so many people were waiting for a home of their own. Although there has been some progress, unfortunately thousands are still on the council waiting list for a home and that figure must be reduced and quickly. With rising energy bills, food prices and tax rises, an SNP administration will do all it can to help with the cost of living crisis at a local level. As a member of the planning committee, I have seen the ward change and develop but it disappoints me that the former Cockenzie Power Station site remains almost exactly as it was in 2018 when East Lothian Council purchased it. Bringing well-paid employment opportunities to the site is a priority for me.

Ben Morse (Liberal Democrats)

I AM A COCKENZIE and Port Seton resident and community councillor. I am originally from South Wales, though my fiancée was raised in Longniddry and remains active in Girlguiding there. I work in student support and administration at Edinburgh University. In this election, the key issues for me are: 1. Combatting cost of living crisis in local communities and providing resources to support local families; 2. Local employment opportunities and development such as leveraging the former Cockenzie Power Station site to create opportunities; 3. Restoring pre-pandemic services and access across both the council and public transport – e.g. community group access to schools, community centre opening times; 4. Empowering local communities through their community councils; 5. Properly connecting and supporting new communities such as Blindwells with adequate services; 6. Ensuring that council staff at the heart of our communities are paid and have working conditions to reflect their essential role.

Tim Porteus (Greens)

THIS is a council election with a focus on local issues and policies, and the first reason I’m standing is this is my home and I want to serve my community. I lived in the ward during my childhood and returned 14 years ago. My children go to school here. But I also think that this election is about values; about how we act and treat each other as human beings, and also how we treat the environment on which we depend. I believe passionately that social justice must be at the heart of environmental policies if they are to succeed. My priorities would be supporting policies on bringing in sustainable jobs that benefit the local community, increasing educational opportunities and challenging poverty, while working with local people, groups and organisations to address issues important to members of the community. Above all, I will be approachable and a listener.

Brooke Ritchie (Labour)

I AM A YOUNG person from Prestonpans who cares deeply about giving back to the area that I grew up in. When I was head girl at Preston Lodge High School, I became very passionate about helping young people have access to good education and employment opportunities, and have remained committed to this work, working with widening access projects while at university and then in East Lothian through my work for Martin Whitfield MSP. I am excited by East Lothian Labour’s commitments to investing in education and local jobs, and will strongly defend funding and resourcing in these areas if elected. Another issue I have passionately campaigned for is affordable and accessible housing for all, and I am glad we are pledging to invest in building new council houses across East Lothian and to work with housing associations to deliver more affordable homes for social rent for local people.

Janis Wilson (SNP)

MY FAMILY has been in Prestonpans for generations and I’ve seen it change a lot over the years, but I’ve also seen first-hand some of the challenges that we face as a community. We lack opportunities for our young people and our high street is crying out for regeneration. Our community assets are too often left to degrade without the support of volunteers; and some of the poorest parts of Scotland are in our ward. For a number of years, I’ve been active on the community council and was elected as the secretary last year. In my experience, East Lothian Council is far too reactive, with not enough focus on long-term planning. That needs to change and it only changes with an SNP vote on May 5.

Colin Yorkston (Labour)

I HAVE been a secondary school teacher for 26 years and I am passionate about ensuring that all youngsters have the best opportunities available to them as they move into adulthood. I am committed to continuing protecting education spending in East Lothian and was delighted to support the recent Labour administration’s budget, which allocated in excess of £11 million to be spent on Preston Lodge High School over the next five years. I am a strong advocate of creating new quality local jobs for our communities. Cockenzie, Blindwells and QMU’s Innovation Hub will ensure significant employment and training opportunities on our doorstep for many years to come. More residents working in their own community will also benefit local small businesses and encourage more to start up. With less travel being required, these local jobs will also help East Lothian meet its ambitious net-zero targets as we tackle climate change.