Happy birthday Your Highness: East Lothian Council staff get day off for Queen's Platinum Jubile

Council workers in East Lothian will be given an extra day’s holiday next summer so they can celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – but if they want to join in a national four-day celebration they will have to take a day off from their own annual leave.

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East Lothian Council’s Labour administration cabinet this week agreed to make Friday, June 3, a public holiday for all its employees next year.

However while some local authorities are also making Thursday, June 2 an official holiday, East Lothian workers will not be automatically given the four-day weekend.

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The UK Government advised councils to move their official May Bank Holiday to Thursday, June 2, to create the extended holiday.

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At a meeting of East Lothian Council’s cabinet this week members were reminded their workers do not get a May Bank Holiday so it cannot be moved to June.

Instead the Labour administration was told staff would be “encouraged” to take a day’s annual leave to extend the celebrations.

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The cabinet agreed to make Friday, June 3, an extra public holiday for all staff, including teachers, next year.

Councillor Jim Goodfellow urged community councils and area partnerships to take the initiative in planning local parties and celebrations across the county.

He said: “This is an event of significant importance and I am sure there are individuals and groups within East Lothian who will wish to organise something to mark this day, perhaps with celebrations or street parties.”

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