A scheme to stop parking on a stretch of the A72 through Walkerburn has been agreed, despite concerns that it could increase the speed of traffic.

The restriction on parking on a section of Peebles Road on the hill at the western end of the village was agreed by Tweeddale Area Forum last week.

Three options had been put before the forum, all seeking to stop parking to help create a safer entrance and exit for residents using a shared driveway opposite the homes on Peebles Road.

However, the council’s assistant road engineer Robbie Yates warned in his report that the implementation of any of the schemes could result in the increased speed of through traffic and that parking could be ‘displaced to more inappropriate locations’.

These concerns were echoed by residents who responded to the council’s consultation on the proposals.

One stated: “There is concern about the speed of traffic approaching the corner, and progressing through Walkerburn. I would suggest that the absence of parked cars will only aggravate the problem.

“At present the parked cars act as a brake to traffic travelling in both directions.”

They also added: “I understand that two residents have complained that egress from their property is hampered by cars parking between 25 and 26 Peebles Road.

“This does not occur often and can be remedied by considerate neighbours as opposed to the imposition of yellow lines.”

Another resident responded: “It appears that in the absence of any other suggested arrangements for residents’ parking, that the council appears unconcerned about the outcome of this proposal.

“One solution to this question would be for residents to park on the north side of the road, an arrangement which, not only exacerbating the problem, would be quite unsightly.”

However, Mr Yates also pointed out in his report: “A risk of not proceeding with the proposal is that on-street parking will continue to obstruct the free flow of traffic round this narrow section of the A72, causing delays and conflict.”

The forum agreed that an option to create a ‘no waiting and loading/unloading’ restriction between the edges of house numbers 21 and 31 was appropriate.

The length of the restriction was initially suggested by the community council, who, when asked about the idea in principle by Scottish Borders Council, stated: “If we are going to have a restriction then it should be used to improve all-round road safety at this dangerous corner, not just allow three households safer exits onto the A72.”

The controversial subject of the colour of Kelso’s new Christmas lights is to go to a public vote now that the £20,000 cost has been raised.

Kelso Christmas lights committee announced this week it had finally raised all the cash needed to purchase new LED lights for around the town centre and replace the old system that was not compliant with the new power supply.

The Heritage Lottery gave £10,000, with the rest from Awards for All, Charity Begins at Home and the common good fund.

“The colour of the Christmas lights has caused a bit of controversy over the last few years, so as the lights were purchased by public donations as opposed to being owned by shopkeepers, the committee has agreed to arrange a vote,” said local Scottish Borders councillor, Tom Weatherston (Con). “There will be voting papers in Kelso Life magazine at the end of the month, or anyone can write their details on a piece of paper with their preference, and it’s one vote per household.”

Blair’s jewellers shop in The Square has agreed to accept voting papers from October 1-12 and the community council will count the votes at an open public session.

The choice of colour of the new lights are diamond white; electric blue and white; electric blue and multi-coloured.

Mr Weatherston added: “Anyone in the Kelso TD5 area can vote and I’d urge as many as possible to do so. There’s no fancy voting system, simply the choice with the most votes being selected.”

Deadly 60 fans or budding David Attenboroughs can face their fears or meet a new friend at Oxnam Kirk this Sunday (September 22), when snakes, tarantulas, iguanas, and fluffy animals will all make an appearance at a hands-on, fun, educational afternoon.

The show starts at 2.30pm and t ickets are available at the door.

At least the Ettrick and Yarrow Show on Saturday was blessed with a decent day, before things went rapidly downhill on Sunday, and autumn arrived with a vengeance.

With gales and rain in the morning, I decided the conditions were ideal for a trip to the seaside!

I love the coast when the weather is angry, the sea is rough and the people are few, so I headed in the direction of Eyemouth.

However, by the time I got there, the sun was out and so was the tide, so things were a bit less dramatic than expected. But the wind was still gusting to gale force, coming off the land.

As an example of its strength, I was sitting in the car at the harbour when a sudden gust flipped the lid open on a wheelie bin just in front of the car, sucked out the contents, which was mainly fish and chip boxes and wrappers, and blew them right across the harbour. No doubt the poor seagulls would get the blame for the mess.

Out in the bay, gulls were circling above the Hurkur Rocks, obviously having spotted some fish, and a lone gannet was wheeling above the white-capped surf.

Closer in, a red-breasted merganser was taking advantage of the calmer waters near the shore to dive for fish.

The beach was deserted as the sand was being whipped up like a yellow blizzard.

With few people around, the harbour’s resident pair of grey seals were cruising around with little in the way of food coming their way. The van selling fish to throw to them at £2 for four bits was closed.

Eyemouth has definitely seen better days and is now looking a bit sad compared to its heyday when you couldn’t move on a Sunday for visitors. With peeling paint, hotels up for sale and a general scruffiness, the recession hit the place hard.

Fishing boats in the harbour were much fewer than years ago, which is also a sign of the times. At its peak, most residents were connected to the fishing industry and with that in decline and the tourists going elsewhere, it is hardly surprising that times are hard.

One thing which hasn’t declined is the standard of fish supper.

No trip to Eyemouth is complete without one and although a bit pricey, 
considering the fish are virtually swimming around the back door, there is nothing to beat that fresh flavour.

The trip may not have been as dramatic as expected, but it was good to get a breath of sea air, have the cobwebs blown away and get yoked into a decent fish supper.

A “searing psycho-sexual drama” is being staged at Peebles’ Eastgate Theatre on September 26 at 7.30pm.

The Baroness, nominated play of the year in the 2012 Danish Theatre Awards, charts the love affair of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa, and rising Danish poet Thorkild Bjornvig. £14 (£5).

Peebles’ Cairns Gallery is exhibiting paintings by the town’s late artist, Janet Christie, this month as part of Peebles Arts Festival.

Janet, a graduate of Edinburgh Art School, lived a remarkable life.

She was born in 1939 in Uganda, where her Scottish father Nicol Macleod was a doctor, but her family moved to Hong Kong, where they were caught up in the 1941 Japanese invasion, and interned in island’s Stanley PoW camp on the island for the next three and a half years.

The family finally returned to Scotland, and travelled to Berneray, off North Uist, where Janet formed an abiding love of the island and its people.

Her paintings reflect her loves: her garden, her dogs, and her children and grandchildren who all live nearby.

It also features paintings by her daughter, Susie, and her granddaughter, Katie, 15. The exhibition supports Janet’s favourite charity, Compassion in World Farming.

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Greg Trooper returns to the Borders next month with a gig at the Heart of Hawick.

The Super Trooper, whose material has been covered by Steve Earle, Billy Bragg and Country star Vince Gill, is touring Scotland for a short run of live performances to promote his 11th album, Incident on Willow Street.

As a teenager, he became enthralled by the greater New York area’s rich music scene, discovering a holy musical trinity in the work of Otis Redding, Bob Dylan, and Hank Williams, and their guiding lights of passion, literary dexterity and plainspoken honesty led his music to feel equally informed by Memphis soul, Greenwich Village folk and Nashville twang.

Trooper said he longed to see the lush green hills of the Scottish Borders once again, after Hurricane Sandy wrecked his home last year.

“Our apartment got drowned in the hurricane that hit Rockaway Beach so hard last year. We lost a lot of stuff, were forced to move and found a new property in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn,” he said, “and there’s not a lot of greenery there.

He went on: “The beautiful Scottish countryside always leaves a big impression … along with the friendliness of the welcome from the people we meet.

“I really enjoyed playing at Heart of Hawick last time I was over, and when I got a chance to return, that was great news.

“One of your better-known Borders folks, Bob Fish, who has his own rockabilly band – Johnny & The Roccos – has offered to drive me around again this time. I couldn’t be happier.

“He showed me Hermitage Castle last time. No hurricane will ever blow that thing down.”

The latest UK tour kicks off at Leith Folk Club on October 1 and there are dates at Kilbarchan Old Library, the Acoustic Music Club in Kirkcaldy, and Heart of Hawick auditorium on October 4. After that, Trooper has a string of English dates, including The Barbican Theatre in Plymouth and The Green Note in London, before heading for Holland and Germany.

Steve Earle nailed his colours to the mast and declared himself a fan, stating in a recent interview: “Greg writes great songs, including one of my very favourite compositions in the world, Little Sister. On top of all that, there’s his voice – an instrument I have coveted for 15 years.”

Folk musician, punk rocker and protest singer Billy Bragg has also stepped up to praise Trooper, whom he considers to have a rightful place on “the list of our finest contemporary songwriters”.

US critic Dave Marsh added: “Greg Trooper is a songwriter and performer who deserves about 12 times the attention he’s received. He knows how to play rock against country and folk, and position the pressures of adulthood against the longing for adolescent freedom.”

On this side of the Atlantic, Whispering Bob Harris has featured many tracks on his BBC Radio 2 shows, and described Trooper as one of the great, great American singer-songwriters, while Maverick magazine stated simply: “This is a must-see gig.” Rock ‘n’ Reel magazine added: “Trooper’s ear for a tune, way with a chorus, grooves, lyrical insight and just plain old humanity, shine through”.

Greg Trooper will play Heart of Hawick on Friday, October 4, with tickets costing £12 (£10). Contact Heart of Hawick Box Office on 01450 360688 to book or for more information.

The first venture into story writing for children by former council convener Alasdair Hutton, has proved a best seller at a major book festival.

The ex-South of Scotland MEP now better known as ‘the voice’ of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo saw his debut novel for youngsters, The Tattoo Fox, launched at last month’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.

The book tells the tale of a fox which lives on Edinburgh Castle rock and loves the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which Alasdair has written and narrated for the last 22 years.

The book recounts how the young fox is intrigued by everything she hears about the Tattoo and she endeavours to find out more.

Her quest takes her to some of Edinburgh’s most famous landmarks as she befriends the local animals and sees the local sights.

At the Edinburgh International Book Festival, among children’s books, The Tattoo Fox was only outsold by the highly popular and well-established 2011-2013 Children’s Laureate and Gruffalo author, Julia Donaldson.

Overall, The Tattoo Fox turned out to be the seventh best-selling book of the year in the festival bookshop, where it was competing with new launches by Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Andrew Marr and Rupert Everett, not to mention Ruby Wax, Sandi Toksvig, Carol Ann Duffy, Kate Mosse and AC Grayling.

“I am amazed and slightly embarrassed to find my little effort is in such exalted company,” Alasdair confessed to The Southern this week.

“It was not written as a serious literary work but just a collection of little stories which I hoped that children might enjoy and which I trust are well enough written to let them see and hear good English.”

The book came about after the Tattoo producer, Brigadier David Allfrey, bumped into a fox in the Tattoo stands late one night after a rehearsal and thought it would make a good story for children.

Asked if he is considering a sequel, Alasdair says he will be happy to pen something else if publishers, Edinburgh-based Luath Press, thinks it would be successful.

“I am astonished that The Tattoo Fox has done so well – I can’t believe it to be honest. They usually work out the total sales in October or November and I will be talking to the publishers then.

“I’ve been so busy recently, in fact I’m just back from doing a show in Germany.

“But if the publishers felt I should do another book, that would be great. I’d happily rattle something off.

“However, perhaps not the collected speeches of a former convener of Scottish Borders Council – I’m not sure that would sell so well!”

ROXBURGH resident Ashley Hogg has just a short drive or even horse ride to work in her new job as Kelso Races’ marketing and public relations manager.

Ashley said: “Racing is big business and is Britain’s second largest sport in terms of crowd numbers, after football, so my main aim is to put Kelso racecourse on the map by attracting more race-goers.

“This will have a positive impact for both the racecourse and the local area’s economy.”

She added: “Kelso racecourse is a fabulous facility, so I want people who have never come to the races before to realise what a warm and friendly welcome they will get at Kelso, and to utilise it also as a venue for weddings, banquets, dinners and conferences.”

After graduating from Edinburgh University, Ashley spent over three years raising the profile of Scottish agricultural charity, the RSABI.

She runs her own small livery yard in her spare time, as well as helping husband Simon run the family farm at Kersmains.

Kelso Races managing director Richard Landale said: “We’re delighted to appoint someone with Ashley’s experience and vision to our team.

“Last year, British racecourses welcomed 5.6million visitors and Ashley, I know, has ambitious plans to ensure that Kelso racecourse increases its share of this number.”

Ashley wants to develop the racecourse as a destination for visitors to the Borders.

She said: “I aim to make a day at Kelso Races one of the must-do activities when people visit. I’ll be working to build new relationships with local businesses which can offer our race-goers some added value to their day out, whether that’s top-class accommodation, a fabulous meal or discounts on other attractions around the Borders.”

SCOTTISH small businesses have reported the highest levels of confidence in three years, but mounting costs have hit the profits of more than a third.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) revealed on Monday that its Voice of Small Business Index research showed that, after rising for four successive quarters, Scottish small business confidence is at its highest since the start of 2010.

However, the Scottish figure still lags behind the UK average.

The small business lobby group’s research also showed a rising proportion of Scottish small firms benefiting from increased revenues, with four in 10 businesses registering rising turnover.

However, with one in four Scottish enterprises highlighting mounting business costs, only 31 per cent of FSB members reported increased profits in the last quarter, with 34 per cent reporting a fall.

Scottish firms also cite falling levels of spare business capacity, although the research suggests that this is not yet resulting in increased recruitment plans.

The FSB in Scotland argues that this underlines the need to deliver the right support to help the smallest businesses get hiring where conditions allow – moving away from government schemes designed to put particular client groups into jobs and instead focusing on giving those businesses with most recruitment potential the advice and support they need.

Encouragingly, firms predict increased profits in the next quarter, with three in 10 businesses also planning to increase their level of capital investment spending – a key driver of sustainable growth.

Welcoming the results, the FSB’s Scottish policy convener, Andy Willox, said: “The figures suggest a fledgling Scottish small business recovery is under way. Increased revenues and reduced levels of spare capacity suggest that firms are busier than they have been for a long time, but their profits and growth prospects continue to be put under threat by rising overheads.”

However, he added: “If we’re to turn busy small businesses into growing small businesses, we need to ensure that we have a package of business support that’s easy to access and understands small firms’ needs.”

THE council has been forced into moving cash from one budget to another to avoid the closure of Halliwell’s House Museum and visitor information centre in 
Selkirk.

The revelation emerged in budget papers for the executive committee meeting on Tuesday.

The documents state that £5,200 has been transferred from the Central Community Services budget to the museums service to allow Halliwell’s House Museum to remain open in 13/14.

The council confirmed that this was to provide essential services to the required level.

A spokesman added: “The visitor information centre is now staffed by SBC staff in partnership with VisitScotland, who provide an ongoing commitment to training the Halliwell’s House staff and provision of VisitScotland information, however there are still budget pressures to ensure that service is delivered, which falls to SBC.”

The Southern was told by the council’s cultural services manager Ian Brown that the £5,200 is the first of several transfers which will be required.

The museum has various exhibits on the history of Selkirk, including its links with William Wallace and also Flodden.

Almost 50 pupils from Hawick High School have enjoyed a trip to the Scottish Parliament and the chance to question John Lamont MSP about his work.

The group got to tour the building and watch First Minister’s Questions.

Improving access for the elderly and disabled are among reasons for changes to swimming club times and lane space at the pool in Hawick.

So said Borders Sports and Leisure Trust chairman David Ferguson, responding after swimming clubs in the town went public with complaints about new timetables at Teviotdale Leisure Centre.

But Hawick Swimming Club chairman James Whiteford, acting on behalf of his own club and Teviotdale Turbos, has appealed to councillors, national swimming bodies and politicians, urging support their plea for better pool access.

“The reason we feel that we have been treated unfairly is due to the current offering of lane space and the time slots being made available to clubs,” Mr Whiteford said.

He added: “The current offering is the same as our present 50 ½ lane hours. These new time slots however, are being predominantly moved to early, pre-school, morning sessions and slots around and over tea time on Saturdays and Sundays.

“These are hardly suitable for young children or families, never mind the difficulty we have in being able to coach the times due to work commitments, etc.

“Hawick clubs have been very successful in competitive events and it is unlikely this will continue if these proposed times are forced on us.”

Mr Ferguson says the trust is anxious the clubs and young swimmers remain part of the pool set-up, from recreational swimmers to those wanting higher levels of competition.

But he said the trust had to do its best to accommodate everyone, and the new timetable is designed to address various issues. He added:“These include complaints from local people around a lack of access to the pool in early evenings, our failure to ensure good access particularly to older people and people with disabilities in the town and surrounding areas.”

A fighter pilot from Peebles has spoken of his pride at being selected for one of the world’s leading display teams, the RAF’s Red Arrows.

Flight Lieutenant Stewart Campbell, who has served in Afghanistan, will be with the aerobatic display team for three years from 2014.

Flt Lt Campbell was picked after impressing during a tough selection process that involved flight tests, interviews and other exercises.

The 33-year-old joined the RAF in 2003 and has been posted to 617 Squadron and flew two operational tours in Afghanistan in Tornado aircraft.

He said: “The Red Arrows represent the pinnacle of fast jet flying and I’m honoured to be joining this famous team.

“They way the team operates and how it represents the air force and UK as a whole, is something I very much wanted to be part of.

“Although, the selection hasn’t sunk in yet, I don’t think I will feel like I’m now a member of the Red Arrows until I taxi out with the team leader and go through the first loops and rolls.”

Flt Lt Campbell, who attended Peebles High School and studied at Edinburgh University, said he had wanted to be a pilot since childhood.

“I’ve had a desire to fly fast jets ever since watching military aircraft conduct low flying training from my classroom window at school”, he said.

The team, which performs worldwide, consists of nine display pilots and 110 support staff. They are based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

THE clearance of significant sections of rock on the Borders Railway route started this week at Falahill, as engineers blast their way through it using explosives.

The rock blasting work, which is scheduled to last 14 weeks, involves two explosions a week and requires the temporary closure of a section of the A7.

Motorists have been warned that delays of up to 10 minutes are possible due to the explosive operations, which will each be carried out at around 1.45pm.

While no rock is expected to be blown onto the road from the site, the project team are taking no chances and will inspect the road prior to re-opening it.

Hugh Wark, project director, said: “During the blasting period, we will have to close the A7 briefly but will keep closures to an absolute minimum.

“We apologise in advance for any disruption caused during this time.”

Twenty-four hours ahead of each blast local properties will be sent a warning letter outlining the work to be undertaken. A siren will also be sounded five minutes and one minute before the blasts.

The rock removed will be will be used to build road embankments at Heriot and Fountainhall.

The mother of a Hawick soldier who died from heatstroke in Iraq 10 years ago has welcomed the opening of a new inquest into his death.

The fresh coroner’s inquest into the tragic death of Private Jason Smith was opened on Tuesday in Oxford and is expected to last five days.

Speaking ahead of it, his mother Catherine said: “Jason knew he could die on active service and I accept this.

“But I found out at the original inquest that simple steps could have been taken, like providing air conditioning units which were available 12km away but weren’t taken and this put his life at risk unnecessarily.

“Every day the soldiers were asking for air conditioning but they were ignored.

“I hope this new inquest will finally be an opportunity to get the answers I was denied in the original inquest, and will ensure the failings which led to my son’s death will be remedied so that similar tragedies can be avoided in future.”

The new inquest follows the previous coroner agreeing that he had been wrong to proceed with the first inquest in 2006 when it was discovered the Ministry of Defence had not disclosed vital information regarding the 32-year-old’s death.

Private Smith, based with the Terrptorial Army in Galashiels, died while serving with the KOSB in Iraq at a time when temperatures were rising above 50 degrees centigrade.

The first inquest found that Private Smith’s death was caused by a “serious failure” on the part of the British Army in not recognising the difficulty he was having adjusting to the climate.

It became apparent that insufficient attention was given to the fitness of recruits from the TA prior to deployment, the information card carried by soldiers in Iraq advising them of the amount of fluid they should be drinking was designed for use in temperatures in the UK, and insufficient medical treatment was given to soldiers with suspected heat-related illness.

Clair Hilder, a civil liberties solicitor at Hodge Jones & Allen, is representing Catherine Smith. She said: “It is vital that the inquest looks at not just what happened to Jason but also whether in the 10 years since Jason’s death procedures have been put in place to properly protect soldiers from the effects of the heat. This is particularly important given further recent fatalities.”

A NEW £367,000 occupational health contract will look to improve attendance at Scottish Borders Council, says leader David Parker.

Cheshire-based People Asset Management (PAM) has taken on the four-year contract to help SBC implement policies to maintain the health of its 5,500 employees.

Last month, The Southern reported that teachers had been off for 500 more days due to stress in 2012/13 than the previous year.

But Mr Parker said: “The council is committed to supporting employees in managing and improving attendance and the provision of efficient occupational health support is critical to that process.”

PAM beat two other firms for the contract, which was previously held by Capita.

Despite NHS Borders offering an occupational health service, Mr Parker said they did not bid for the work and he believed did not offer everything the council was looking for.

Mr Parker added: “The annual cost for providing a comprehensive occupational health service to SBC employees will be £91,869.

“This is our estimate of what we anticipate to spend, but it could be that the actual costs are less, depending on the volume of work that is referred.”

The council’s social work department is battling to make savings of £800,000 this year, while facing £1.8million of service costs due to a rise in demand.

According to the council’s chief financial officer, David Robertson, the department still has to make £420,000 of savings by the end of March next year.

Councillors were told on Tuesday that the department had been hit with £1.8million of ‘additional pressures’ this year – ­attributed to the costs of increased demand, including transporting and accommodating children and home care.

Mr Robertson said a ‘recovery plan’ had been developed with actions set out to tackle the various issues and make the necessary savings.

Mr Robertson added: “These include a freeze on all non-critical recruitment, setting efficiency targets for all managers to reduce spend through review of care packages and operational costs, and to agree a more equitable and transparent protocol for the joint funding of complex cases with NHS Borders.”

However, he added that delivery of the savings would be a ‘major challenge’.

The council’s executive agreed to keep a close eye on the department’s performance, but were sympathetic to the challenges faced.

Councillor Tom Weatherson said the pressures on the department were outwith the council’s control, and leader David Parker added: “A lot of good work has gone on in the social work department, and a lot of the pressures of last year have been dealt with.”

A wind farm firm removed all the boxes containing its planning paperwork just three days after lodging them with Scottish Borders Council.

A council spokesman confirmed that energy firm Infinis deposited its application for seven turbines at Cummings Hill, south of Jedburgh, with SBC on Friday, September 6.

However, officials got a call on the following Monday, after which the boxes, believed to number eight, were uplifted and carted away.

Infinis confirmed the documents were removed when it became aware of a “minor legal point still needing clarification”. An Infinis spokesperson added: “It was therefore decided to delay final submission, which is now expected in the near future.”

SBC told us: “A processing agreement, indicating how and when the application – and consultation processes – will be handled, will form part of the application package,” said the spokesman.

“This agreement will be finalised prior to submission, and signed up to by both SBC and the developers.

However, Philip Kerr, of Chesters Wind Farm Action Group, was surprised.

“Given the application has undergone major changes and already been significantly delayed beyond the projected filing date of spring 2013, we’re surprised further issues have been found after redrafting and printing.

A plan for the major redevelopment of a park in Walkerburn has been lodged with the council.

The scheme, for the existing play-park area and surrounding land at Tweedholm Avenue East, includes proposals for the installation of new play facilities, a sensory garden and bicycle skills area.