THE future of one of East Lothian’s largest community councils will be discussed at a special meeting next week.

Concerns have been raised that no one is willing to take on the role of chairperson at Haddington and District Community Council.

The group’s annual general meeting takes place next month but current chairman Chris McEwan has already announced that he will be stepping away from the group due to work commitments as a cloud solution architect.

The announcement earlier this summer came at the same time as vice-chairwoman Pat Lemmon, who is involved with the town’s Lammermuir Larder, stepped down.

Ahead of the AGM, when a new chairperson is due to be elected, questions were asked as to whether anyone had shown an interest in taking on the role.

At the group’s meeting last week, Mr McEwan confirmed it would be his last meeting and his intention to “stand down at 6.59pm next month”.

Mr McEwan confirmed no potential candidates had come forward.

He said: “If nobody comes forward, it could have to fold and then public elections to put everybody back into those positions and it will need to be voted on again.”

Community councils are involved in discussions surrounding a wealth of issues, ranging from planning to civic celebrations.

At the same time, the groups receives a sum of money each year from East Lothian Council, with the money then allocated as grants to a variety of groups and good causes within the town.

Mr McEwan said: “I have enjoyed the past couple of years but there is far too much for me to do with my day job. It is better suited for somebody with more time than I can give.”

Tom Trotter, now a Haddington and Lammermuir ward councillor on East Lothian Council, was previously vice-chairman to the long-standing chairwoman Jan Wilson.

He was among those paying tribute to the outgoing chairman, who was also at the heart of the committee set up to help people during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The councillor highlighted the importance of community councils and hoped a solution could be found when members met again next week in a bid to identify a new chairperson.

He said the town “needs an active community council” and added: “They are a link between the public and East Lothian Council.

“It is vitally important that these positions are filled and the community council continues.”

A spokeswoman for East Lothian Council stressed they were keen to help ensure the group had a future.

She said: “Each community council has its own constitution, approved by its members, which outlines how it will undertake its duties.

“These all meet the requirements as set in the Scheme for Community Councils ‘Green Book’, which states that the first act following an AGM will be to appoint a chairman and other office bearers.

“In the absence of a chair, the vice-chair or other office bearer can undertake the chair’s role as a temporary measure.

“If this situation continues, we would discuss with the committee whether they are able to undertake their duties as a democratically elected and representative body, and provide guidance as necessary.”