Scotland's 'voice of local government' has announced its annual convention will be held this Friday, 29 March, hosted by East Lothian Council at Brunton Hall.

A busy agenda awaits debate, discussion and decision by leading elected members from the length and breadth of Scotland.

Commenting ahead of Friday's meeting, COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said: "COSLA very much prides itself on being a membership organisation. In the same way that local government is the services it provides and the workforce that provides them, COSLA is its member councils. We are the absolute sum of our parts.

"That is why, in our efforts to better understand the needs of our membership we decided to take some of our major meetings out and about.

"This allows all of us the chance to learn from one another and see and hear real examples of best practise that is taking place throughout Scotland as Councils put their communities first.


"Our March Convention, hosted by East Lothian Council, will take place at The Brunton Hall, which is a vibrant theatre and community space in Musselburgh, the gateway to East Lothian."

East Lothian Council Leader Willie Innes said: "It will be my great pleasure to welcome colleagues from all corners of Scotland to beautiful East Lothian for the COSLA Convention. There is a strength in local authorities getting together to debate issues which all of us are facing and consider our preferred approaches.

"It's particularly appropriate at this time to be meeting in East Lothian, Scotland's fastest growing council area. As recognised by the Accounts Commission, East Lothian Council has delivered and planned for further local population growth, with a well-supported vision and improvement framework.

"The majority of our residents are happy with council services and, with strong financial management, we're performing well. Strong links with local communities are in place and our funded Area Partnerships are empowering local people to make decisions on their priorities geared towards reducing inequalities.

"We're investing significantly in local infrastructure – including new schools and council housing – and have a clear Economic Development Strategy for the county, aligned with the regional City Deal, focused on creating new jobs and attracting investment for our growing communities.

"Our priorities, challenges and opportunities will undoubtedly resonate with colleagues from other councils. By sharing knowledge and learning from each other, we can continue to focus on increasingly efficient and high-quality services for our communities."