THE chair of Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council was advised by a ward councillor to wear an “I heart North Berwick badge” if he wanted to be heard at meetings of the Association of East Lothian Community Councils (AELCC).

At the group’s October meeting, Mike Falconer, chair of the group, raised concerns about the complexity and volume of public consultations being released to the community council and to the public.

The community council chair said that there were a “frightening number” of consultations being released by the council, and that many of them were long and complicated.

He said: “We are very keen to be involved with consultations and to provide our input. There is an eagerness here to do that, but we wonder if there is something that can be done to make some of these consultations more accessible to all.”

Councillor Colin McGinn, ward member for Tranent, said that he would raise the concerns with the relevant parties and suggested Mr Falconer should also take the concerns to the the Association of East Lothian Community Councils.

AELCC is a representative forum which provides the office bearers of community councils with an opportunity to network, discuss common issues, learn and share their experience and knowledge with other community councillors in East Lothian.

The current chair of the association is Ralph Averbuch, chair of Pencaitland Community Council.

However, Mr Falconer said that he found networking with the group was difficult.

He said: “Myself and Neil [Ellis, vice-chair of the group] usually take it in turns to communicate with the group. I unfortunately find it very hard to get my voice heard in the group.”

Mr Falconer suggested that communication from the group was often scarce and with only some members regularly contributing.

Councillor Lee-Anne Menzies, ward member for the area, told Mr Falconer that “if you wear an 'I heart North Berwick badge', you might get your voice heard”.

Frustrations had been expressed earlier in the meeting by member Robert McNeill about the North Berwick community council’s opposition to the parking proposals in the town.

North Berwick Community Council has opposed parking charges in the town which would see vehicles charged to park in controlled parking zones (CPZs). The plans were approved by councillors earlier this year.

READ MORE: North Berwick community march on council HQ to protest parking scheme

Members of the Tranent group, as well as Councillor Menzies, have expressed a desire to have a consultation brought to Tranent amid ongoing concerns about speeding and lack of parking availability in the town.

Mr Falconer said that he would attempt to raise the group’s concerns regarding consultations with AELCC.