LIKE many in and about Innerwick, I visited the ScottishPower presentation in the village hall.

The Eastern Link development is one of the biggest infrastructure developments in the UK and there will be an impact on the village as construction commences. I hope some reassurance was provided.

I’ve raised the lack of revenue to the county from the energy coming ashore and which will be cabled south through this transmission station before. But besides the income that should be flowing, there’s the jobs that should follow it.

The tenders for construction will see the contracts go to large firms who will bring in workers mostly from the west of Scotland or the north of England.

But where is the work for locals and apprenticeships for local youngsters? There’s a danger that, other than a few security guards and guests for local hospitality businesses, the benefits will pass East Lothian by.

Even when operating, the likely workforce at the transmission station will be about four, rising to 30 or so for maintenance.

The jobs from Cockenzie Power Station have gone and Torness has only a few years left in operation. Yet East Lothian is now a major hub for the renewables revolution. I welcome that, but we must have the jobs that should follow it. It would be criminal if the county is simply the place where energy lands and then heads south.

Businesses must be encouraged to locate here and new technologies such as hydrogen are suited given the proximity of energy and water, as well as available land. But work must also be sought and a skills base created, especially for young people.

To be fair to ScottishPower, they made arrangements in south-west Scotland, where major onshore renewable projects were promoted by them to provide for skills courses at local colleges. They provide both a future skilled workforce and allow youngsters to gain skills and employment. That needs replicated here and I’ll be working with the council to try and ensure that.