Your community councillors are all volunteers, who give their time without remuneration to help initiatives and good causes in Dunbar, and endeavour to influence good decision-making. They represent a cross section of the community, as you will see in the profiles below:
Pippa Swan (Chair) joined the Community Council in February 2014 and took over as Chair in 2018. An architect by training, she is now retired and volunteers in Dunbar as Chair of the Shore and Harbour Neighbourhood Group. She has a particular interest in seeing greater collaboration between volunteer groups to maximise return on effort and is an enthusiastic supporter of initiatives that will bring sustainable prosperity to Dunbar. Her focus from 2021 will be on supporting the delivery of projects under Dunbar Community Council’s VISION 2021, which includes plans to improve disabled access to public places, protect and enhance the town centre and to continue to build economic success for Dunbar. Her husband, Alasdair, is also a member of Dunbar Community Council.
Graham Adams. (Vice Chair) Graham runs the volunteer group who look after the very successful Dunbar Christmas Lights. He is also responsible for the project to have neglected tenement building in the High Street repainted. He is an engineer at Torness Power Station and Trustee and Chairman with Dunbar Sea Cadets.
Jacquie Bell (Secretary) A native of Sheffield, Jacquie has lived with her family in Belhaven since 1989. She is a qualified Social Worker and previously worked at Liberton Hospital. Jacquie was a member of Dunbar Community Council from 2000-07 and returned in May 2012. From 2007-2012 she was an elected member of East Lothian Council for Dunbar & East Linton Ward. She belongs to a number of Dunbar and wider East Lothian community groups. Jacquie is the Planning Link for Dunbar Community Council. She regularly represents DCC at the Planning Committee and other Community meetings. Jacquie is the Chair of Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership (DELAP) and of its Health and Wellbeing Sub Group. Jacquie is passionate about the Dunbar community and the beauty of the surrounding landscape of beach and hills. She feels it is important to maintain the community spirit, environment and quality of life for future generations.
Alasdair Swan (Treasurer) is a Chartered Accountant, now retired from the Logistics Industry. He is married with four children and nine grandchildren. He is Chairman of Dunbar Harbour Trust and has been a harbour trustee since 2011. Other voluntary roles include that of Treasurer for Dunbar Sea Cadets and management of the Dunbar East Beach Seaside Award for the Dunbar Shore & Harbour Neighbourhood Group. He is one of the founding trustees of Dunbar Dementia Network SCIO, and one of the first Directors of the Belhaven Surf Centre, another Dunbar charity. His interests on the Community Council include the organisation of Dunbar’s Civic Week, support for Dunbar Against Litter and the administration of the Community Council’s grant awards. Alasdair joined Dunbar Community Council in 2015.
Stephen Bunyan MBE was involved in the discussions that led to the setting up of community councils, under the Local Government Scotland Act in 1973. He has been involved with the Community Council (CC) since its inception in 1976, most of the time as chairman, and attends many meetings on the CC’s behalf. He spent most of his career as Principal Teacher of History at Dunbar Grammar School, and served one term as a Councillor on East Lothian District Council. He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for East Lothian in June 97, retiring in 2008.
Gill Wilson is a retired Registered General Nurse and Health Visitor, and a passionate defender of the National Health Service. She is vice chairman of East Lothian Health Network (a Public Partnership Forum) and Belhaven Hospital Sub Group. She is also involved in the Day Centre and the Carers of East Lothian committees. Jill has been on the CC since 2008.
Kevin Searle is a Clerk of Works, working in the building and construction industry. Originally from West Sussex but first moved to Dunbar in 1969 and resettled here in 2012. Kevin has two Jack Russell’s and loves nothing better than taking them in one of the many scenic walks around Dunbar.
Mark James is a board member of Sustaining Dunbar with particular interest in Active travel – cycling and walking. He attends the East Lothian Cycle Forum and is the cycling rep on the Local Access Forum. He stood for the Scottish Greens in the 2022 ELC elections. He sings with a community choir, is on the Belhaven Community Garden Steering group and West Barns Village Hall committee. He works in the community bakery and, until 2025, will be coordinating a bike workshop in a joint project with the Ridge.