Monday June 15th 2026
Musselburgh town centre
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
East Lothian Council has taken on a second mediation officer to help solve neighbour disputes as antisocial behaviour complaints rise to their highest in five years.
Nearly 2000 complaints were recorded by council staff over the last year – up almost five per cent on the previous year.
A report to the local authority’s police and fire rescue board reveals it is the highest number in five years with the vast majority relating to noise.
And it says the council employed a second mediation officers to help deal with conflict between residents in a bid to sort out some of the problems face to face.
The report says: “In January 2026 the council employed a second full-time mediation officer affording the opportunity for the service to be more widely promoted.
“Mediation is widely recognised as an effective way of diffusing tensions that have arisen between parties in dispute whilst diverting them awayfrom traditional enforcement interventions.”
More than 945 complaints were reported over the last six months of the last financial year with 46 per cent relating to noise and 34 per cent to ‘other’ issues including drug complaints.
The report said only seven per cent of the complaints made involved neighbour disputes with 13 per cent relating to youths.
More than a third of the complaints came from Musselburgh and its surrounding area with 17 per cent from Tranent, nine per cent from Dunbar, 19 per cent from Prestonpans. 13 per cent from Haddington and 5 per cent from North Berwick.
The report says community officers were working full time across the county tackling antisocial behaviour problems alongside police and other partners.
It adds: “The community protection officers continue to investigate complaints of low-level antisocial behaviour, fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles,
unauthorised traveller encampments, littering, graffiti, dog fouling and
out of control and stray dogs.
“At the date of the report, there are three full time community protection officers covering the east side of the county with three full-time and one part-time officer in the west.
“There is also one part-time dedicated dog control officer who deals exclusively with out- of-control and aggressive dogs.”
The report, which goes to the board next week for noting adds that in 2021 the number antisocial behaviour reports over the year were 1706 and they have steadily risen over the years to date.
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