Galashiels, England News

Christine Grahame, Jenny Miller, Jim Hume and Claudia Beamish. MSPs pledge support for Borders health and social care services.

A COUNCILLOR who is a member of the police board has hit out at the news that the traffic warden who patrols Peebles and Innerleithen has taken voluntary redundancy and will not be replaced.

ANY health risk from radiation which may be emitted from a lamp post-style telecommunications mast, due to be erected in a residential area of Galashiels, is not the responsibility of Scottish Borders Council.

A DAWN raid on dog fouling was launched in Selkirk on Thursday in the war against owners who fail to clean-up after their pets.

It's not common knowledge, but there's a corner of the Scottish Borders that keeps one foot firmly in the New York art scene.

Instead both towns will be served by a pair of wardens dispatched from Galashiels - a 40 mile round-trip away.

STUDENTS at the Northern Regional College, Ballymena Campus studying for a qualification in Art & Design were given the opportunity to hear at first hand the opportunities Heriot Watt University has to offer students interested in a career in textiles and the design industries.

MOBILE speed cameras are operating at the following locations: A1 Cockburnspath; A7 Crookston, Stow and Lindean; A68 Soutra and Lauderhaugh; A701 Broughton and Romanno Bridge; A702 Dolphinton; A703 Leadburn; A697 Inkbottle Lodge, Greenlaw, Birgham and Ladykirk; A6091 Melrose; A6105 Chirnside and B6374 Langlee in Galashiels.

Local housing developer Tweed Homes suggested the special tribute in recognition of the country's record points and caps holder ahead of the opening of its new 26 home development at Balnakiel this summer.

The 24-year-old, who was driving a Citroen Saxo, had to be cut free from his vehicle by firefighters after the crash on the A7, near Galashiels in the Borders, at around 5.20pm on Wednesday.

It followed a report that the multi-million pound Galashiels Inner Relief Road project has been delayed following a change to the design of a wall at High Buckholmside which, it was claimed, has still to be approved by Transport Scotland.

However, despite being forced to find 2.5million of savings, the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Independent-run authority, which has already agreed to keep council tax frozen, has promised more investment in roads, schools and children's services.

THE decision to axe Lothian & Borders Police's mounted section after more than 130 years, has cast doubts over whether officers on horseback will ever be seen again at local events in this region, such as the common ridings.

A RITUAL handed down since the Dark Ages that has protected local communities from inadvertently committing incest, was how the public displaying of marriage banns in the Borders was decribed at last week's full monthly meeting of the local authority.

That's what SNP Councillor Bill Herd - a councillor for a ward in Tweeddale, but born and raised in Galashiels - believes.

THE Tweed Valley Guides are off to Switzerland in July and hope a ceilidh will help raise much-needed funds for this exciting adventure of a lifetime.

THE public benches are expected to be full on Monday week when the planning authority will, for the second time in five months, decide whether Jedburgh can have a new 5million supermarket, writes Andrew Keddie .

A SELKIRK councillor's plea for the registration of births and deaths and the posting of marriage banns to be maintained in every Borders burgh fell on deaf ears at last week's meeting of Scottish Borders Council, writes Mark Entwistle.

ELIOTA Fuimaono-Sapolu is in line to play fly-half for Gloucester at London Irish after England Saxons selected Freddie Burns.

Leicester Tigers lock Ed Slater will make his England Saxons debut against Scotland A at Galashiels on Friday night .