Full control over the Fisherrow Centre in Musselburgh has been taken over by the Fisherrow Trust.

This follows the signing of a new agreement between East Lothian Council and the trust relating to the operation and management of the centre in South Street.

The trust was established as a registered charity in 2004 and has been based at the Fisherrow Community Centre since 2006.

It is community-based and run organisation which has "steadily built up a thriving centre which has gone from strength to strength and is much-valued by its local community," the council said.

The terms of the original agreement with the trust saw the council provide a number of services within the building.

However, as the trust has "grown in capacity and confidence" with a desire to become more independent, it has worked with East Lothian Council to reconsider these arrangements.

The new agreement sees the trust assume full control over the centre and all aspects of its operation allowing it to make decisions on how to "run an efficient service that is responsive to community needs," the council added.

Councillor Colin McGinn, East Lothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, said: "The trust has been at the heart of its community and Fisherrow Centre for nearly 20 years and has delivered huge benefits to the community in that time. It is a natural next step in their evolution to want further control over operations of the centre which is a real community asset. It also means they are better placed to develop their future provision and drive forward an agenda that is community-led. We have every confidence in the trust’s commitment, abilities and vision and the benefits they will continue to deliver to the local area."

Fisherrow Trust continues to hold a lease on the premises to 2105.

Chair of the Fisherrow Trust, Gavin Douglas, said: "This agreement is the latest step in the development of the Fisherrow Centre since it was created out of the old school buildings back in 2006.

"This change enables us to broaden the offering that we provide at the centre and to better serve the Musselburgh community.

"It’s a sign of the financial health the trust now finds itself in that we are able to take this step, and we hope that the template we have created here can be used in other centres around East Lothian."

A newletter update from the trustees of the Fisherrow Centre, posted on its Facebook page last month, said: "We are aware of the feedback regarding lack of both janitorial and office presence at front of house for the centre. We are also aware of disinformation regarding the removal of in-person assistance in the future.

"You can be assured that we will have friendly, supportive staff employed by the centre all under one roof, to greet users and their clients alike as we recognise a vital part of the appeal of the centre is its open and friendly atmosphere.

"In addition to the recruitment of a building co-ordinator and manager who will both be on hand to assist with daily tasks, in response to feedback, we will be creating a welcoming waiting area at the front entrance.

"Building on the work of those who have managed the centre in its formative years, the trust is continuing to invest in the future of the building through the installation of new boilers last December.

"Additionally, work is being undertaken over the Easter break to upgrade and refurbish the electrical infrastructure, bringing it up to the very latest building standards. This investment in the centre's fabric, and the rooms we rent, will continue. All of this work and investment is dedicated to ensuring that Fisherrow remains at the heart of our community."