LETTERS TO EAST LOTHIAN COUNCILLORS — WHY WE ASK THE QUESTIONS

 

Public Accountability & Transparency — JAOC Investigations

 

 OUR PURPOSE — SIMPLE, CLEAR, PUBLIC

We do not start from accusation. We start from DUTY — to the public, to transparency, and to the standards we all deserve from our elected representatives.

Every councillor in East Lothian has been elected to serve the public. With that office comes a clear responsibility: to act with openness, honesty, and full accountability. The public has a right to know how decisions are made, how public money is spent, and how declarations of interest are upheld.

That is why we have written to each councillor individually. Not to accuse — but to ask. Not to assume wrongdoing — but to seek clarity. And not to create conflict — but to fulfil the basic principle that those who make decisions must be answerable to the people they serve.

 WHY THE QUESTIONS ARE DIRECT

Direct questions deserve direct answers. The public should not have to guess.

The questions we have put to each councillor are public-facing questions — matters that fall within the public sphere, within the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, and within the legitimate right of the electorate to understand. They cover areas such as:

• Declarations of interest and the Register of Members' Interests
• Planning decisions and related connections
• Voting patterns and potential conflicts
• Conduct and workplace culture within the council
• Transparency around land, asset, and financial transactions

These are not unreasonable questions. They are the BASIC questions that any member of the public should be able to ask — and receive a clear answer to.

 TRUTH, ACCURACY & RESPONSIBILITY

We have a duty to be accurate. Those who respond have a duty to be truthful.

Every question we have asked is framed to seek facts. We make no pre-judgment, no assumption of guilt, and no final conclusion until we have all the information. However, it is important to be clear:

• If  information provided in response is found to be false, misleading, or deliberately inaccurate — that may constitute a breach of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, and potentially statutory requirements.
• If information is deliberately withheld or untruthfully stated, that may be referred to the Ethical Standards Commissioner, the Standards Commission for Scotland, and relevant regulatory bodies.
• We do not claim anything to be true — we ask for it to be verified. The questions themselves are not allegations. They are requests for confirmation or clarification of matters that are already in the public domain or reasonably within the public interest.

 THE RIGHT TO REPLY — AND THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SEE

Every councillor has been given the opportunity to reply. That is only fair. That is only right.

We have made it clear that each letter and every question is being placed in the public domain — not to cause difficulty, but because public business should be public.

 If they reply — their full response will be published alongside the questions, so the public can see both sides clearly and fairly.

 If they choose not to reply — the questions will still be published. Silence is also a position the public has a right to see and consider.

 A reasonable period has been allowed for response. Once that period has passed — questions, replies, and any absence of reply will be made public together.

 THE COUNCIL’S RESPONSE

We have received correspondence from the Chief Executive of East Lothian Council, which states that challenge and accountability are appropriate — but also warns against intimidation and unsubstantiated claims.

We acknowledge and welcome that statement. We fully agree. Accountability must be balanced with fairness, and scrutiny must be based on evidence. That is exactly why we have asked direct, specific questions — so that facts can be established, corrections can be made, and clarity can be achieved.

We have not made unsubstantiated claims. We have asked for information so that claims do not need to be made at all — the truth can simply be stated. If any question is based on misunderstanding or incorrect information, we welcome the correction — and will publish it. That is how transparency works.

FINAL NOTE — FOR THE PUBLIC

This is not about conflict. It is about CLARITY. It is about TRUST. It is about ensuring that when decisions are made on your behalf — you have the full picture.

We do not ask these questions to undermine. We ask them to UNDERPIN — to strengthen the foundation of trust between the council and the people it serves. If everything is as it should be — there is nothing to fear from a question. If there are areas that need to be addressed — they should be addressed openly.

The letters will be published. The replies will be published. And the public will decide.

Published by JAOC Investigations

We ask questions so the people can decide. All responses will be published unedited and in full.