Your Community Council is funded almost entirely by East Lothian Council. All expenditure has to be audited by an external auditor and the auditor’s report has to be submitted to East Lothian Council.

We receive an annual sum for running expenses. This covers matters such as our Secretary’s honorarium, photocopying, and postage and telephone expenses. For 2008-2009 that sum will be £723.00.

In addition ELC in recent years has voted an additional sum to each Community Council that can be spent on local priorities. For the year 2008-2009 our allocation is £6800.00.
Last year, our Local Priorities Fund has been used to help projects in each of our areas. Examples are:

  • Equipment for Dirleton and Gullane Pre-School Playgroups.
  • Support for Gullane and Aberlady After-School Clubs, Gullane Mini-kickers and Gullane Youth Group.
  • Funds towards Xmas tree and lights in Drem and Aberlady.
  • Funds for the CC Newsletter and Local Walks Leaflet.

We welcome suggestions for spending local priority funds from residents and groups. The key time to bid or put forward ideas is between April and November annually. You can discuss ideas by writing to us, by contacting individual councillors or through Gaddabout’s Contact. You have to complete a simple application form for bids. You can access this from the Local Diary page (under Minutes) and complete it online or get one from any community councillor.

When we decide amongst suggestions we have to bear in mind:

  • projects that will improve the local environment.
  • projects that will benefit a wide section of our communities.
  • projects that would be difficult to fund from other sources.
  • even-handedness across Aberlady, Dirleton, Drem and Gullane.
  • projects which have been costed.
  • evidence that a group has made efforts to raise some of its own funds.

Last year and this year ELC set up a Capital Development Fund of £100,000 to support local groups. This fund has to be bid for and to have the support of the Community Council. Examples of substantial successful bids supported by your Community Council last year were from Aberlady for Heritage and Archaeological projects and from Riding for the Disabled for building improvements. Application Forms can be downloaded from this website’s Local Diary page under Minutes.