EAST Lothian, like the rest of Scotland, moved to Level 0 Covid restrictions this week.

In the past few weeks, cases of Covid per 100,000 in East Lothian have reduced from around 700 to 350.

Scotland more generally has also seen a drop in cases.

Scotland, like Wales and Northern Ireland, has taken a more cautious approach to easing restrictions – our next formal review is on August 9.

The UK Government has lifted all restrictions in England and called it Freedom Day, despite the medical evidence suggesting this was not a sensible move.

I would urge all of us in East Lothian to remain careful, vigilant and follow all the guidance. The more we can follow guidance, the quicker cases will drop.

Last week, we saw all our towns and villages, beaches and hills busy with visitors enjoying what we have to offer in East Lothian.

As we recover from the pandemic, we have an opportunity here in East Lothian to leave visitors with a wonderful and lasting impression of what our county has to offer.

At the weekend, I took part in a beach clean with The Wave Project, who look to ensure our beaches and countryside are looked after environmentally and people respect their surroundings.

As I was walking around, I introduced myself and asked where people came from – many from Edinburgh, others from other parts of Scotland and many from the north of England.

The challenge this year and next is to ensure visitors return next year.

To do so, East Lothian Council needs to invest more in support of our town centres; in support of our attractions and festivals; in support of our golf sector.

Politically last year, all parties agreed on this and we made a start in supporting our town centres, our tourism and hospitality sectors.

As we look at recovery from Covid, we need more investment, more action and more joined-up thinking.

Having met many in these sectors in the past few months since the election, I will work hard to ensure I can do all I can for our town centres, tourism and hospitality sectors.