MANY of you will remember my column about the proposed Scottish Government ban on wood-burning stoves and the detrimental impact it would have on rural Scotland.

I am pleased to report that, thanks to a campaign by the Scottish Conservatives, the Scottish Government has u-turned on their decision to implement a ban.

I think it’s important that Government at all levels, local and national, listens to local people – and that’s what I’d like to address in my column this week.

Many of you will have seen that East Lothian Council decided not to support my petition to reopen Macmerry Recycling Centre. In short, Labour and SNP councillors voted to ignore the views of 2,168 of you who signed this petition. This isn’t just a bad decision, it undermines basic democratic values.

A pattern is emerging here: too often, the Labour-run council do not consult with residents before making decisions – and when they do, they often then wilfully disregard what they’re told.

For example, along with residents, I have been campaigning against parking charges in North Berwick. This follows yet another consultation on traffic orders. That’s right, the council is, yet again, consulting on the self-same charges residents rejected time and again.

Locals have put pen to paper but the process involved in submitting objections was so complicated you might be forgiven for thinking it was designed to put people off objecting altogether.

For some reason, when it comes to parking charges, the council won’t take no for an answer – and officers are rehashing a fight they have already lost.

There’s also a sense that the tactics deployed to take these sorts of decisions are more than just a little bit cynical. For example, look at the decision by East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership and NHS Lothian to close the Edington and Belhaven hospitals. First, they mothballed the services and then – once residents had been worn down – announced permanent closure.

This smoke and mirrors approach is designed to distract local people from the mounting withdrawal of important local services. And despite claims from Labour councillors that my response is “political”, I make no apologies for standing up for the services our local community both wants and needs.