THE very high rates of infection in East Lothian remain a great worry for me. While vaccination is progressing well, I fear that too many of us have let our guard down and we are now allowing this disease to increase its spread. It is vital for our mental health and for businesses, and our jobs, that we stick to the guidelines and keep ourselves and those who are vulnerable safe.

Riverside Medical Practice continues to be an ongoing worry, with patients still encountering barriers against accessing the medical care they need. I hear the frustration patients feel at the fact that no significant improvement is evident. Additional resources, including three extra doctors, have been provided by East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, plus a new telephone system. Yet demand for services easily outstrips resources.

I simply don’t believe that we have yet got to grips with what the problem is. The surgery receives significantly more resources than others yet this seems not to help. We need access to better data and information from the surgery in order to provide the appropriate support. Hopefully this will be forthcoming soon and we can get on with fixing this.

Sheriffhall Roundabout affects us all. Some opposition politicians are saying that the work planned for it won’t happen. Absolute rubbish. We are somewhat delayed due to the high volume of objections received in respect to the project. Democracy means that all such objections must be heard and responded. When that process is complete we can get on with this development, which is so important to relieve the traffic delays and provide safe cycle and pedestrian access.

We are looking for a piece of land suitable for use as a course for off-road bikes. This will enable bikers to safely access an area to enjoy their bikes while relieving residents of the noise and intrusion. There is no public land available. If any private individual or company has a piece of land which they would lend for this purpose, please do contact my office.