THE race to become an East Lothian councillor is heating up, with another six candidates throwing their hat into the ring.

East Lothian Council leader Norman Hampshire is standing for re-election, while Conservative Group leader Lachlan Bruce and colleagues Gordon Mackett and Katie Mackie have also confirmed they are seeking second terms.

Also putting themselves forward are Morgwn Davies, who is hopeful of becoming the county’s first ALBA councillor, and Jimmy Haddow, looking to represent the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (STUSC).

Residents throughout East Lothian will go to the polls in May, with 22 councillors to be elected.

Mr Hampshire, who lives in Dunbar, has been a member of the local authority in East Lothian for more than 30 years and became leader last year following the death of colleague Willie Innes.

Mr Hampshire (Labour) said: “I am proud to have had the honour of representing Dunbar, the town where I was born and have always lived, for over 30 years.

“I have always sought to stand up for its interests and those of the whole ward, and serve my constituents to the very best of my ability.”

Mr Hampshire is the second candidate confirmed for the Dunbar and East Linton ward.

David Mumford retired as rector of the Scottish Episcopal Church in Brechin in 2015. Now living in Innerwick, he will represent the Scottish Greens during the election.

Meanwhile, Mr Davies, who is a member of Haddington and District Community Council, is seeking election in the Haddington and Lammermuir ward.

A resident of Haddington for 20 years, Mr Davies previously worked in the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service within NHS Scotland.

Mr Davies said he was “dedicated to pursuing more than sticking-plaster solutions to the despair that poverty brings”.

He told the Courier: “The rise in the number of foodbanks, and the vast numbers of those who in desperation rely on them, is a failure of our systems and it is essential that we create routes to lift people out of poverty.”

Mr Davies is joined by Provost John McMillan and Councillor Shamin Akhtar (both Labour), George McGuire (Scottish Conservatives), Stuart Crawford (Liberal Democrats) and Jackie Swailes (Scottish Greens) in seeking election for the ward.

Elsewhere, Mr Haddow is standing in the Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry ward.

Already, sitting councillors Colin McGinn and Fiona Dugdale (Labour) and Mr Mackett (Scottish Conservatives) have announced they are seeking re-election in the ward.

Mr Haddow said: “As a STUSC candidate, I will be standing on the socialist principle of not ‘sticking plaster’ solutions but fighting every cut the council, the Scottish Government and the national government carries out. If elected to East Lothian Council, I will refuse to implement austerity.”

Elsewhere, recently elected Colin Yorkston (Labour) and Lachlan Bruce have been confirmed as seeking re-election in the Preston Seton Gosford ward, alongside Tim Porteus (Scottish Greens).

In North Berwick Coastal, Councillor Jeremy Findlay is hoping to be joined by Conservative colleague Judy Lockhart-Hunter, while Jacq Cottrell (Scottish Greens) has also been announced as a candidate.

Shona McIntosh (Scottish Greens) and Ms Mackie (Conservatives) are the candidates to have been announced for the Musselburgh ward so far.

No SNP candidates have yet been announced in any of the wards.