Scottish Borders Health and Social Care Partnership and SB Cares have officially unveiled the new base for their community equipment service in Tweedbank.

A recent revamp of the Waverley Care Home in Galashiels have also been unveiled.

The Elm Row care home now offers 10 long-stay beds.

It is also home to a 16-bed transitional care facility providing short-term rehabilitation for up to six weeks for people no longer needing to be in hospital but requiring additional support to regain their independence before returning home.

Patients are referred to the transitional care facility by hospital staff and social workers if it is felt they would benefit from rehabilitation following illness or injury.

The community equipment service, formerly known as the Borders Ability Equipment Service, now operates from a purpose-built facility designed to ensure its apparatus can be quickly cleaned and recycled to the highest possible standard.

The building also contains an industrial washer and disinfector, improved welfare facilities for staff, a larger warehouse and a public space for demonstrating equipment.

Tracey Logan, chief executive of Scottish Borders Council, said: “I am delighted that the investment made by the partnership has resulted in such significant benefits, not only for the clients who use these two important facilities but also for the staff who work in them.

“The upgrade to Waverley now means that residents are living in modernised, comfortable rooms that are of the high standard that we would expect them to be enjoying.

“We would like to thank residents and families alike for their patience while the refurbishment was taking place but trust they are now feeling settled into the new space.

“The feedback that has been received so far has certainly been positive, and I hope they will continue to experience the benefits of their new and improved accommodation.

“The new transitional care facility is significant step in the partnership’s commitment to providing more effective ways of supporting people to return to their own homes.

“The relaxed and welcoming atmosphere of Waverley is a far more appropriate setting for them to be able to regain their independence and confidence, and again initial feedback from clients and their family carers has been very encouraging.

“The relocation of the community equipment service has been another important project that will benefit anyone needing to be supplied with suitable mobility equipment.

“As well as having increased storage space for new equipment, any items that are returned as part of the ability equipment amnesty the partnership is currently running can now be recycled quickly and efficiently before being reissued to the people who need them.”

Philip Barr, managing director of council-owned social care provider SB Cares, added: “The refurbishment and upgrade to these two facilities is most welcome, and we are grateful to the partnership for the priority they have given to both projects.

“Our staff work hard to deliver the highest standard of service they can, but to be able to do so in these new and improved environments will certainly help them achieve this.”

For further details, go to www.sbcares.co.uk

Borders police have confirmed the identity of the woman who died in a road collision near West Linton last Wednesday (October 11) as 86-year-old Joan Mellors from Peebles.

Mrs Mellors suffered fatal injuries after her silver-coloured Honda Jazz left the road as she was travelling on the A701 and overturned before coming to a stop in a field.

Road Policing Officers are continuing with their inquiries and anyone with information is asked to come forward.

Those with information can contact the Road Policing Unit in Galashiels via 101, quoting incident number 1276 of 11 October.

A worrying list of bizarre 999 calls from timewasters includes reports of a ‘confused’ horse and a complaint about too much sweetcorn on a pizza.

One caller dialled the emergency line after forgetting where their car was parked, while another asked police to kick a stray cat out of their house.

Thames Valley Police revealed the list after suggesting artificial intelligence could soon be used to handle some emergency calls - because operators are having their vital time wasted by daft calls.

They also hope sharing the details will warn the public against bogus calls and timewasting.

There was a report about a ‘confused’ looking horse in a field by the side of the road and while there was nothing to indicate horse was ill or in pain, it had a confused expression on its face.

One caller rang 999 to complain there was too much sweetcorn on his pizza, while another male caller lost his keys in a car park and wanted police to help in the search.

Late bus

A lady phoned to complain her National Express coach was 20 minutes late - and wanted police to tell her why.

In a separate call a coach driver rang because roads crew were laying tarmac and had set a diversion. He told the handler he paid his road tax and felt that the diversions should not apply to him.

Others include a diner dialling 999 over concerns about the quality of food which was being served to him, and a complaint about a cat which kept coming into a Sainsbury’s store and appeared lost.

Another caller saw a ‘rather forlorn’ looking lady in the street and decided to give her £10 - but had a change of heart and wanted the money back.

There was a call from an man who lives in London who said he fell asleep on the last train and ended up in Slough - and wanted police to take him home.

One complaint was about a cat meandering in the vicinity of the Winnersh Triangle. It was a friendly cat who approaches people but it might be lost, the caller said.

‘Wife left him’

Other bizarre calls which made the list included a sad man who said his wife left him the day before, he needed to leave college early to pick up his kids and wanted police to write a letter explaining why he needed to leave early.

A lady called in to complain that her housing association sent her two letters asking her if she would consider relocation to a smaller property. She said she had a three-bedroom house and lives alone, but did not want to move and did not appreciate being asked.

One caller purchased a curry from a local restaurant for home delivery, but he opened it and it spilt onto him causing a burn to his arm.

He called the restaurant and all they were doing was offering him a replacement which he did not think was good enough.

Another wanted police to fix the lifts in her block of flats because she did not want to wait until the next day for the lift engineers to attend.

Lost car

A dozy member of the public forgot where in the car-park they parked their car, another was being kept awake by the noise from a thunderstorm and wished to complain about it and a third had a headache and wasn’t happy with a decorator because it had been caused by the paint fumes.

One caller complained next door’s cat came into their house and didn’t want to leave - before asking if police officers come and put the cat out.

Another wished to complain about the content provided by the BBC, specifically continual re-runs of ‘Homes under the Hammer’.

There was a caller unhappy her pizza hadn’t been delivered on time and was 10 minutes late, while another got on the wrong train and now has a 90 minute wait for the right train so asked police for a lift to Aldershot.

One man rang 999 on a Sunday afternoon because he did not like the sounds of the bagpipes being played by a busker.

And after one caller’s shower was playing up, making a beeping noise, they asked police for advice because they were unsure whether to call a plumber or electrician.

Thames Valley Police has recently suggested a robocop-style call-handling system as the government looks at how artificial intelligence will change society.

In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into the ‘Implications of Artificial Intelligence’, the force said the tech ‘could perform many of the process-driven tasks that take place in the police’.

It said a 999 caller might even be able to describe an incident and be understood by artificial intelligence.

The submission added: “Speech analysis categorises the type of incident and detects indicators of stress from the caller. The date, time, location and offence details are recorded automatically.

“Solvability factors are calculated on the quality of the available data. The risk assessment provides a recommendation for officers on the next steps for the offender and also an appropriate support package for the victim.”

The force said there would be need to be a ‘high level of human oversight and clear justification’.

The Boundary Commission for Scotland this week published its revised proposals for the UK Parliamentary constituencies – which could significantly change the political map of the Borders.

It marks the beginning of an eight-week public consultation process, which ends on Monday, December 12.

While the main constituency in the Borders – the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk constituency held by Scottish Conservative MP John Lamont – has been largely unchanged, it has grown slightly to take in part of Tweeddale, including Innerleithen, the new boundary being Cardrona.

This makes the constituency 3,992km2, with an electorate of 73,812 people.

Mr Lamont – whose constituency grows by 4,000 voters, said the public consultation must take its course, but has welcomed the fact that most of the Scottish Borders has been retained in one Parliamentary seat.

He said: “It is perfectly reasonable for the independent Boundary Commission to look at refreshing the Westminster constituencies, which have remained largely unchanged for nearly 20 years.

“It is now for the public to have their say on these proposals and I’d encourage Borderers to take a look at them.

“I am pleased, however, that the Borders remains largely in the same Parliamentary constituency.

“While parts of Tweeddale will be in a new seat, the majority of the Borders will be represented by one MP. Our area is linked by common traditions and it makes sense to have one MP representing this community in Westminster.”

However, Scottish Secretary David Mundell’s constituency of Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, changes greatly.

Tory MP Mr Mundell loses the Tweeddale section of his constituency, which would, under the proposals, be in with Midlothian.

While this new constituency of Midlothian and Upper Tweeddale is much smaller than Mr Lamont’s – at 1,106km2, it holds more people, with an electorate of 76,824.

Mr Mundell said: “It remains a great privilege to serve as the MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, so naturally it is a disappointment that the proposals would mean losing the Tweeddale section of my constituency.

“I do support the reduction in the number of MPs as we need to make parliament cost-effective, but of course these changes will only happen if parliament votes for them.

“The revised proposals from the boundary commission have taken into account the views of local people and that looks to be the case across Scotland in terms of the revised proposals, which shows that the consultation system is working.

“There is further consultation to be carried out and I would encourage local people to get in touch with further comments on the proposed new constituencies to the Commission by December 11.”

However, the proposed new Dumfriesshire and Lanarkshire South East constituency which stretches as far north as Carluke, will see voters in Gretna share an MP with those living on outskirts of Glasgow in a new constituency of over 78,000, compared to the current constituency of just over 67,000.

Commenting on the revised proposals, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth, said: “I welcome the fact the boundary commission have accepted my suggestion to keep Annandale and Eskdale together and the town of Dumfries together by changing their original proposals.

“But to have a constituency with the name Dumfriesshire, which historically is the county of Dumfries, that doesn’t actually contain any part of the town of Dumfries, is just typical of the type of ill-thought out nonsense you come to expect from the Boundary Commission.

“Having voters in Gretna share an MP with those on the outskirts of Glasgow is pretty much the death nail of MPs representing a particular local area with clear links. The failure of the commission to even consider linking parts of Galloway with Ayrshire, which have far closer links than Annandale has with Lanarkshire, was also a missed opportunity.

“However, the real issue is the fact these proposals to cut the number of MPs in Scotland under new rules brought in by the current Government to favour the Tories, is no more than a desperate bid to save a floundering Conservative government. It is blatant gerrymandering that will create constituencies where our Westminster MPs are even more remote from their constituents and it will weaken Scotland’s voice, showing once again that the Tories are prepared to put trying risk the UK with their anti-Scottish polices, just to try to save their own skin.

“Boundary reviews should be about updating Parliamentary constituencies to take account of population changes, not fiddle the size of constituencies to suit the party in government.

“The last time the Tories tried this with the review before the 2010 election, it was booted out by parliament and that means the current constituencies are out of date.

“The government should do the decent thing and drop these plans before parliament boots them out as well and carry out a proper, independent review to update current constituencies.”

The commission has prepared these revised proposals after considering the responses to its consultations on the initial proposals, which were published in October 2016.

The UK Parliament has decided to reduce the number of constituencies from 650 to 600. In Scotland, this means that the 59 constituencies will be reduced to 53.

Lord Matthews, deputy chair of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, said: “After careful consideration of all of the comments received during the consultations on the initial proposals, the commission has designed this revised set of constituencies.

“Where the legislation has allowed it, we have tried to respond to the views expressed to us. However, in some areas, we have been unable to make changes because of the constraints on constituency design within which we work.”

“This is the final opportunity we have to obtain views on our proposals so we can further improve them where the legislation allows us to do so.

“I hope people will take the opportunity to contribute, whether for or against what we have proposed.”

After considering the responses to this consultation on the revised proposals, the commission will develop its final recommendations and submit its report to the Secretary of State in September 2018.

Members of the public and interested parties can get further information and submit views on the commission’s interactive portal at www.bcs2018.org.uk

Further information can be found on the commission’s website: www.bcomm-scotland.independent.gov.uk/2018_westminster/

Almost a quarter (23%) of UK workers – around seven million people – say they would only take time off work if they were hospitalised and had no other choice.

And nine in ten (89%) UK workers say they’ve gone into work when feeling ill, according to a Canada Life survey.

The issue has implications beyond the health of the employee struggling into work. 47% of respondents said they would go into the office with a stomach bug and more than half (55%) would go into work if they had the flu – despite the high chance of this illness spreading to their co-workers.

Indeed, half (48%) of workers say they have become unwell due to a colleague’s illness on more than one occasion.

The main reason cited for going into work when unwell was the feeling that the illness didn’t warrant a day off - according to 69% of those questioned.

Meanwhile, over a third (34%) blamed high workloads, and 22% say they were motivated by financial concerns.

Top reasons why employees have come into work when ill:

Even though I felt unwell, I didn’t think it was serious enough to warrant a day off - 69%

My workload is too great for me to have time off, even if I feel unwell - 34%

I worry about the financial implications of taking time off - 22%

Other colleagues/senior members of staff make me feel guilty for taking time off even if I’m ill - 12%

I don’t feel secure enough in my job/I feel too threatened by the risk of redundancy to take time off for illness - 11%

I didn’t think I would be able to secure a doctor’s note - 3%

Paul Avis, Marketing Director at Canada Life Group Insurance, said: “It is incredibly worrying it would take something as serious as being hospitalised to dissuade a quarter of British employees from going into work, showing that a “stiff upper lip” culture of presenteeism still pervades the British workforce.

“People suffering from illnesses like flu and stomach bugs are unlikely to be productive and risk making their colleagues unwell as well by struggling into work.

“We need to be clearer with employees - they should only come into work when fully fit and able to do so, be it physically or mentally.”

Only one in ten women in Scotland exceed the recommended amount of exercise per week.

A survey conducted by Damart and Heart Research UK has found that only 10 per cent of 4,139 women over the age of 18 exceed the recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week.

This is despite 31 per cent of women being able to identify the correct time period recommended by health experts.

While seven per cent of women said they exercised between 121-150 minutes a week, it was found that 22 per cent said that they exercised less than 30 minutes during a seven-day period.

The survey was created as part of the Loving Hearts campaign, which aims to raise awareness of heart disease among women.

Currently, eight out of 10 coronary heart disease cases are preventable and risks can be reduced by the avoidance of smoking, unhealthy eating, and a lack of daily exercise.

Interestingly, the survey found that there were variations in exercise attitudes and habits between geographical locations.

When asked what the recommended weekly amount of moderate physical activity was in minutes, only 25 per cent of women in Wales could offer the correct answer.

However, 35 per cent of women in the South East gave the correct answer of 150 minutes.

They were followed by women the East Midlands (33 per cent), the South West (33 per cent), Scotland (32 per cent), Yorkshire and the Humber (31 per cent).

Three war memorials in the Borders have been voted the best in their categories in a Scotland-wide competition, run by the Royal British Legion.

In the Best Kept War Memorial Campaign 2017, Jedburgh’s monument won the small community with gardens section, with Galashiels’ iconic peel tower coming first in the memorial without gardens category.

And Peebles branch won the prize for the memorial at Traquair, in the satellite memorial without gardens class.

Shaun Carroll, chairman of Jedburgh RBLS said: “We would like to thank all the gardeners, the horticultural society, Jed Shed and all the others that made our war memorial best in the category.

“Everybody has been doing their own bit and it’s been absolutely brilliant.

“It was an honour to accept the award for the town at the Poppy Factory in Edinburgh.”

The chairman of the Galashiels Branch, John Clowry, said this was the first time he had been asked to go up for the award ceremony.

He said: “It was really nice, and we were given a tour of the poppy factory, which was very interesting indeed.

“When I was given the trophy it was nice to see that Galashiels has been given this award twice before. It’s a really iconic building.”

The champion of champions was the Uddingston Memorial, looked after by the Hamilton branch.

A total of 108 memorials were submitted by branches across the country, and they were judged between the months of May and August.

The winners were welcomed at Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory at the end of September by national vice-chairman Martyn Hawthorn for the presentation.

Martyn said “The commitment of all involved must be commended, not just the winners, but all who gave their time, effort and skill to ensure that all memorials entered are a fitting place to honour those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

A serious road collision near Clovenfords on Monday saw a woman pedestrian seriously injured and the A72 temporarily closed.

A 50-year-old female pedestrian sustained serious injuries after being n a collision with a dark blue Mercedes A150 car and was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Witnessesto the incident, which happened at around 11am on Monday, October 16, on the stretch between Walkerburn and the Nest roundabout, are being sought by police.

Inspector Calum Welsh said: “We are still trying to establish the full circumstances surrounding this collision and would urge anyone with information to contact us immediately.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland via 101 and quote incident number 1087 of October 16.

Parents have slammed retailers for selling a sickening ‘Burnt Zombie Child’ Hallowe’en costume for young children in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

At least 18 children died in the horrifying inferno with experts warning tens of thousands of youngsters across the UK have been left traumatised by the disaster.

The £34.99 costume, sold by online retailer Escapade, is aimed at children aged just eight to ten years old.

Furious parents have slammed the firm for its insensitivity, with 99 per cent saying they would ban their child from wearing it.

And an outfit marketed as an ‘Anne Frank costume for girls’ has been withdrawn from sale following an online outcry.

The costume, sold on sites including Halloweencostumes.eu, consisted of a blue overcoat, green beret, brown satchel and brown paper name tag, and was also listed on Amazon as ‘World War II Evacuee Girl Costume”.

As retailers unveil their Halloween costumes this week, the annual study from parenting site ChannelMum.com showed two thirds of parents now claim some Halloween costumes are ‘too frightening’ for young children, up from just 48 per cent last year.

One in five fear Hallowe’en is becoming more sinister every year and two in five (41 per cent) claim costumes no longer have a traditional Halloween theme but are selected simply to terrify.

The study of 1,006 parents found 84 per cent of UK families celebrate Hallowe’en and of these, 94 per cent allow their kids to dress up.

But there is widespread worry about the direction the celebration is taking.

Other costumes highlighted by concerned parents include a Headless Horseman with a bloodied stump for a neck and no face, aimed at children aged just eight, alongside a ‘Killer Clown’ costume for eight to ten year olds which is marketed holding a bloodied meat cleaver - despite rising levels of knife crime.

Disturbingly, there has been an increase in the number of sexualised costumes for young girls, with 55 per cent of parents agreeing many are ‘too sexual’ for children, up from 43 per cent who felt this way last year.

Among the inappropriate costumes on offer is the provocatively-named ‘Midnight Mischief’. The costume, for four to six year olds, is a ‘sexy witch’ with a corset and short mini skirt.

Retailer halloweencostumes.co.uk was also slammed by shocked parents for selling a XXS version of the skin-tight Sexy Feline Catsuit Costume, with a chest measurement of just 24 inches - the same as a typical six year old.

And even the traditional ghost outfit has been given a horror makeover, with ‘Scream’ style masks added to costumes for three-year-old toddlers.

As a result, nine in ten (89%) of parents now back age-appropriate ratings on costumes, up from just 68 per cent last year.

A further 92 per cent want retailers to take more responsibility for the outfits they sell, with 67 per cent claiming stores only care about profit.

One in five parents even admitted their child had had a negative experience wearing a Hallowe’en costume - with 16 per cent of children being so terrified by another child’s costume that they have left Hallowe’en celebrations.

ChannelMum.com founder Siobhan Freegard said: “Have retailers fallen under an evil Halloween spell? Looking spooky and scary is great fun and what Hallowe’en is all about - but some of these costumes have gone far too far.

“Stores have to be sensitive to the world around them. It’s time to realise it’s unacceptable to sell some of these outfits. Sexualising toddlers or pushing costumes which could traumatise simply for profit is the nastiest thing about Hallowe’en.”

Here are the Nasty Nine most evil costumes on sale for children this year:

1) Burnt Dead Zombie Child

Age: 8 to 10

Retailer: escapade.co.uk

Cost: £34.99

99% of parents would not let their child wear it

2) Witch

Costume Name: Midnight Mischief

Age: Ages 4 to 6 (corset and mini skirt)

Retailer: Party Pieces

Cost: £20.99

98% of parents would not let their child wear it

3) Killer Clown (shown holding meat cleaver)

Costume Name: Killer Klown Child Costume

Age: 8 to 10

Retailer: escapade.co.uk

Cost: £22.99

95% of parents would not let their child wear it

4) Black Cat

Costume Name: Sexy Feline Catsuit Costume

Age: XXS to fit 24 inch chest - typically a 6 to 8 year old

Retailer: halloweencostumes.co.uk

Cost: £42.99

98% of parents would not let their child wear it

5) Little Devil

Costume Name: Hot Stuff Devil Costume

Age: 10 to 12

Retailer: Party Priceless on eBay

Cost: £16.98

97% of parents would not let their child wear it

6) Bat

Costume Name: Kids Spooky Bat

Age: 10 to 12

Retailer: wonderlandparty.co.uk/

Cost: £14.99

97% of parents would not let their child wear it

7) Headless Horseman

Costume Name: Headless Horseman

Age: 8 to 10

Retailer: Party Pieces

Cost: £23.99

95% of parents would not let their child wear it

8) Bloody Face Off (Jason from Friday the 13th Horror Movie)

Costume Name: Bloody Face Off

Age: 8 to 10

Cost: £12.99

94% of parents would not let their child wear it

9) Ghost

Costume Name: Child Howling Ghost

Age: 3 to 4

Retailer: joke.co.uk

Cost: £8.99

79% of parents would not let their child wear it

A five-year plan to have almost 1,200 affordable homes built in the region was approved by Scottish Borders Council on Tuesday.

Members of the authority’s executive committee gave their backing to a strategic housing investment plan intended to see 1,177 affordable homes constructed across the Borders by 2023.

More than £160m will be invested in affordable housing, and this week councillors heard that 803 of the proposed homes could be delivered within the next three years.

Cathy Fancy, group manager of the council’s housing strategy and services team, told the executive committee that she anticipated the majority of the new homes would be delivered by local social landlords and assured members that there should be no conerns about land availability.

She said: “I am confident that the land will be available. That is less of an issue than the challenges around infrastructure, resources and construction which I am more concerned about.

“Within the plan, we mention the work that Eildon Housing and Scottish Borders Housing Association are doing to attract builders to the Borders.”

She added: “There are still some areas of high, un-met demand, especially in the central Borders like Galashiels and Peebles, and there is still a need for extra in Hawick, but historically in the Borders, people don’t want to live outwith their small communities, so this creates demand all the time.”

Further questions followed over other developments and potential sites that failed to get a mention in the plan.

Hawick and Hermitage councillor Watson McAteer said: “In the last couple of weeks, we have seen large-scale announcements made, particularly for housing for the elderly.

“We are talking about fairly sizeable developments that are going to make a difference. Are we going to see this acknowledged in the plan?

“I think that as we badge this as a strategic improvement plan we can’t ignore them. They add a lot and they are part of the solution.”

Fellow ward councillor George Turnbull added that he would like to see more redundant ground included in the plan.

He and Galashiels councillor Sandy Aitchison both went on to highlight potential gap sites, including Hawick’s former Turnbull Dyers site and Galashiels’ Roxburgh Street, they would like to see considered for future housing developments.

The plan is underpinned by funding of almost £44m from the Scottish Government and £4.6m from charitable bonds, borrowing and grants.

Over the next three years, just over 800 affordable homes are earmarked for constructions at locations including Galashiels and Newtown.

Comparing the 1,177 new homes planned by 2022, to the 814 delivered by the council in the last 10 years, council leader Shona Haslam added: “This makes me very happy.

“It’s fantastic and a real story of success.”

Mid Berwickshire councillor Mark Rowley, the authority’s executive member for business and economic development, said: “This is an ambitious plan and is based on a number of assumptions, but it would go a long way to meeting the housing needs of local people.

First-time followers of the Jed Forest Hunt were given a taste of its activities and traditions at the weekend at its annual newcomers’ day.

Riders completely new to fox-hunting were invited along to its kennels near Bonchester Bridge to try out the sport under the guidance of master huntsman Johnny Riley.

He said: “Our aim in hosting this event is to encourage people who may have long fancied a day with us to saddle up and join in.

“This year’s newcomers day was attended by a host of young people from the local towns of Hawick and Selkirk, as well as the surrounding areas of our kennels.

“Hunting with hounds and the operations in which we as an organisation are employed are irrelevant to those partaking in riding to hounds.

“On the one side, you have a pest control service, combining traditional and modern tactics, and on the other you have a recreational activity which enables riders to enjoy a true cross-country experience like no other.”

The morning concluded with a talk and guided tour around the kennels at Abbotrule.

Hoping the day has attracted a few new members, Johnny added: “You do not simply go hunting for a couple of days a season – you become a hunting household. Your life revolves around it. Once you are fortunate enough to discover hunting, that is it.”

Drivers’ lives are being put in danger by a crumbling roadside wall near Innerleithen, according to a woman involved in an accident there.

Elizabeth Birse was involved in a crash at the site, on the A72 near Thornyhill, last year, and she is calling for action to stop the same thing happening to others.

The 88-year-old, of Innerleithen, wrote off her car after running into a boulder which had rolled from the wall onto the road east of Walkerburn in April 2016.

While Mrs Birse was left shaken but not physically hurt by the accident, she fears others might not be so lucky, and now she is calling on Scottish Borders Council to put pressure on the landowner responsible to arrange repairs to stop rocks continuing to tumble onto the road.

“Both the wall and the drystone dyke on the opposite side of the road are very perilous,” she said.

“It just needs vibrations from heavy timber lorries passing and the whole thing will come down.

“I don’t want anyone to suffer death because of it.

“Immediately, I reported it, and I have been calling the council and the police off and on since then, yet here we are in October 2017 and still nothing has been done.”

“It’s disgraceful to think that the wall remains in this condition so close to the road.”

Mrs Birse now plans to give up driving next spring after her insurance costs rocketed from £125 to £890 a year following the crash.

However she added: “My main concern is the safety aspect. I hope by highlighting this that it spurs the council on to slap an order on the owners of the place and see that they fix the wall.”

A council spokesman said: “The walls do not belong to Scottish Borders Council but a local landowner.

“The road at this location has been subject to accident investigation and prevention works previously, and warning signs were added.”

“It is proposed to replace the damaged verge marker post this financial year.”

Residents concerned about plans announced last month to put up Scotland’s highest ever wind turbines near Hawick met the developers behind them this week.

More than 30 members of the public attended an emergency meeting of Upper Liddesdale and Hermitage Community Council in Hermitage Hall on Monday night to hear about the wind farm proposed for a remote location near Newcastleton.

They were joined by Charley Rattan and Hannah Dyer, representatives of applicant Community Windpower and visitors including Hawick and Hermitage councillors Davie Paterson and Watson McAteer and Southdean Community Council chairman Philip Kerr.

The Cheshire-based firm has submitted scoping plans for 46 wind turbines, some up to a maximum height of 200m, to be located on land at Cliffhope, north of Saughtree Station House in Newcastleton and a few hundred yards from the hamlet of Singdean.

Mr Rattan gave a short presentation on the proposed Cliffhope wind farm development before taking questions from the floor.

Community councillor Geoffrey Kolbe, of Riccarton Farm, near Newcastleton, said: “The purpose of the meeting was so that the community council could formulate a response on behalf of the community.

“This meeting was fishing to get more details from Community Windpower to see what it is they are proposing and then have a discussion as to what our response was going to be.

“So far, all that has been published is the scoping report. That report goes to the energy consents department at the Scottish Government, and it will then consult with the relevant bodies, such as Scottish Borders Council, to get their response.

“Because it is so large and its implications are so wide-ranging, they are opening up to responses from the public too, not for objections, but for suggestions for what Community Windpower need to do to get a proper overview of what the implications of this wind farm would be.”

Over the course of the two-and-a-half-hour meeting, residents came up with questions about noise, traffic, lighting, timescales, the life expectancy of the turbines and the effect on broadband connectivity.

They also sought reassurances over any implications for the private water supply that serves 11 properties there after the company was recently criticised for its handling of a private water supply elsewhere.

Mr Kolbe added: “We are concerned about our water supply, particularly as they rode roughshod over the residents near the Sneddon Law wind farm development in East Ayrshire.

“We saw them ride roughshod over the law in order to get the job done, and if they are prepared to do that when it comes to water supplies, what else are they prepared to do on other matters?”

He noted that almost the entire community was against the proposals, adding: “This is a quiet, rural backwater.

“We are so remote here that there is no mobile phone reception. Kielder Forest is just a few miles away, and it’s a dark sky park, and we like it the way it is. That is why we live here.

“We don’t want it disturbed by what is a huge industrial development that is the same height as the new road bridge over the Forth.

“These structures are three times the height of the Angel of the North, and there could be 46 of them.”

Unveiling the plans last month, a spokesperson for Community Windpower said the project would yield £20m for the community over the course of its lifespan.

The firm is proposing a £2,000 per megawatt community contribution rather than the recommended £5,000 per megawatt benefit suggested by the Scottish Government.

Kelso shoppers are being urged to support its traders after an unsafe building resulted in the closure of one of the town’s busiest shopping street.

Roxburgh Street, just off the main square, was closed to both traffic and pedestrians earlier this month after the discovery of a dangerous chimney on its corner with Horsemarket.

While pedestrian access was regained quickly after scaffolding was erected and the chimney removed, the road has been closed since the start of the month, causing concern to the traders based on the street.

With further work expected to the gable end and a time frame yet to be set for the road’s reopening, shopkeepers and council officials are calling on townsfolk not to be put off by the closure and to continue to support the Roxburgh Street shops in the run up to Christmas.

Tanya Mitchell from Snipz n Clipz barbers, one of the outlets affected, said: “It’s looking like it’s going to be weeks rather than days. It’s not looking very good for some of the businesses in Roxburgh Street.

“Many have reported a huge drop in footfall and profits since the road was close and we don’t know how long it’s going to go on for.”

Kelso and district councillor Tom Weatherston added: “The council are trying their best to support businesses during this difficult time for them with Christmas fast approaching.

“The three Kelso councillors will do their best to support the shops and a meeting is arranged to see if we can help with advertising and making people aware the street is open for business. I would urge locals and visitors to shop in the street as normal.

“I would also like to pay tribute to officers and the contractor who are doing their best to get the job done as soon as possible.”

Particularly concerned about those businesses relying on passing trade, town provost Dean Weatherson added: “It’s a very serious issue as the retail and coffee shops have been hit especially hard. It has come at the worst possible time too, just as they were getting their Christmas stock delivered.

“The community council invited officers are traders from Roxburgh Street along to our October meeting and there was a good turn out.

“The good news from the meeting was that this work would progress regardless of whether they could trace all the owners of the building or not.

“The priority is to get the building made safe so the road can open as soon as possible.

“I’d encourage everyone in the town to make the effort to go up Roxburgh Street and do some shopping, even if you don’t normally, otherwise it could potentially mean businesses closing.”

A Scottish Borders Council spokesman confirmed: “Pedestrian access to Roxburgh Street in Kelso was restored on Friday, October 6. However, the road remains closed to traffic due to a dangerous building.

“A chimney which was causing concern has been removed with further work required on the gable wall.

“Additional signage and banners have been installed advising members of the public that pedestrian access is available and all local shops remain open.

“A timescale for the reopening of the road is still to be determined but the council is making every effort to resolve this situation, and are still in discussions the owner of the building. However, public safety continues to remain the primary concern at this stage.”

Diversion

To enable access for motorists during the closure, the one-way order on Union Street has been temporarily suspended

Diversion signage is in place and is directing traffic from the town centre through Woodmarket, Rose Lane, East Bowmont Street and Bowmont Street.

A fast-food takeaway manager who brandished a knife during an argument with a customer was this week fined £400.

Turgut Batkitar, 35, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Ozkan’s in Roxburgh Street, Kelso, on the evening of August 27.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court, pictured, heard there had been a problem with an order which had been placed on the internet, and when the female customer went into the shop to check the order, there was no food ready.

She contacted her partner who said she should cancel the order and get her money back, but the staff said they were unable to give a refund as the order had been placed online.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the partner went into the shop to complain and there were raised voices on both sides. He explained how Batkitar picked up a knife lying on the grill and demanded that the man left the shop.

Mr Fraser added: “It is accepted he did not intend to use the knife, but it was an inappropriate use of it to get the customer to leave.

“The incident was caught on CCTV which he provided himself.”

Mat Patrick, defending, said Batkitar was busy and under pressure at the time of the offence, adding: “Both parties were annoyed. Clearly he has lost his temper and picked up the closest thing to him.”

BENEFITS CHEAT CLAIMED £6,000

A 64-year-old man received £6,000 in benefits he was not entitled to, Jedburgh Sheriff Court has been told.

John Wilson pleaded guilty to an allegation of receiving employment support allowance between June 2012 and March 2015 without declaring he was in receipt of pensions income.

The offence happened at his former home in Teapot Street, Morebattle.

The court heard he was in the process of repaying the money.

Wilson, now living at Lawnmarket in Edinburgh, had sentence deferred for a criminal justice social work report and restriction-of-liberty order assessment.

FACING SIX CHARGES

A Kelso woman is set to stand trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court next month facing a total of six allegations.

Sharon Smith, 38, denies four assaults, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, and damaging a car.

The offences are alleged to have been committed in Orchard Park, Kelso.

A trial date has been set for November 16.

DENIES FLOUTING RESTAURANT BAN

A Galashiels man has been accused of running an Indian restaurant for three months when he was banned from doing so.

Navojyoti Roy, of Croft Street, is charged with participating in the management of the Jedburgh Tandoori when he was prohibited from doing so between February 13 and May 1.

The charge alleges he was served a hygiene prohibition notice in August 2009.

Forty-nine-year-old Roy pleaded not guilty to the allegation at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

A trial date was set for November 2.

EX-SELKIRK MAN DENIES FRAUD

A 33-year-old man will stand trial in November.

James Harding, formerly of Selkirk and now living in Lowestoft, Suffolk, adhered to his not-guilty plea in relation to two fraud allegations and a theft charge.

He is alleged to have pretended to the owner of Armstrong’s Garage in Mansfield Road, Hawick, that he had permission to have four tyres, other parts and labour costs invoiced to the account of Hoscote Estate, and obtained goods and services by fraud on August 1.

Harding is also charged with the theft of a fridge, cement mixer, two firearms cabinets and an extension hose from Hoscote Estate, near Hawick, on September 29.

He is facing a third allegation of obtaining goods to the value of £107 by fraud at a shop in Sandbed, Hawick, on December 24, using a cheque he knew would not be honoured.

Harding pleaded not guilty to all three charges and a trial date was set for November 14 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

NISBET MAN’S DRUGS TRIAL

A Nisbet man has been accused of producing cannabis and drug dealing.

Andrew Robson, 40, is charged with committing the offences at his East Nisbet Farm Cottages home on September 6.

A trial has been scheduled for Jedburgh Sheriff Court on January 23, with an intermediate hearing on December 11.

Dangerous driving trial

A motorist has been accused at Jedburgh Sheriff Court of causing serious injury to two pensioners in a road accident by dangerous driving.

Sixty-three-year-old David Fielden pleads not guilty to crossing into the opposite carriageway and negotiating a bend on the wrong side of the road before colliding with another vehicle, pushing it onto a grass verge.

The charge states that a couple aged 80 and 79 were seriously injured following the incident on the B6399 road between Hawick and Newcastleton on October 15.

Fielden, of Dersingham, Norfolk, had his intermediate hearing continued till October 30 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

TEENAGER’S NOT-GUILTY PLEA

A Lauder teenager will stand trial later this month accused of assaulting a male to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Tom McKinlay, 18, who lives in Scott Road, pleads not guilty to the offence which is said to have happened at Nenthorn House, near Kelso, on December 17.

The trial date is set for January 23 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 11.

ORDERED TO DO UNPAID WORK

A Galashiels man who admitted a series of offences has been ordered to carry out a total of 280 hours’ unpaid work.

David Connolly, 33, of Winston Place, admitted threatening a man with an axe in Gala Park, Galashiels, on July 18.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing bottles of after-shave to the value of £100 from Boots in Galashiels on April 24.

Connolly also admitted breaching his home curfews on two occasions.

In addition to the unpaid work, Connolly was placed on supervision for 18 months.

Sheriff Janyss Scott, sitting at Jedburgh court, said the sentence was an alternative to custody.

ACCUSED OF DRUG DEALING

A Hawick man has been accused of drug dealing.

Twenty-nine-year-old Kyle Christensen, of Scott Crescent, is charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

He also faces charges of possession of cannabis and an air weapon.

The crimes are said to have happened in Hawick in December and February.

A trial date has been set for January 25 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 11.

NOVEMBER TRIAL FOR JED ACCUSED

A Jedburgh man has been accused of sending threatening, offensive and abusive messages to his estranged wife.

They were also alleged to have included a photograph of her with another man.

Wayne Scott, 37, denies the offence which is said to have happened on various occasions at his Howden Drive home on August 24 and 25.

A trial date has been set for November 16 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

THREATENING ALLEGATION

A Kelso man has been accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in the town’s Eschie Court.

Ronald Thomson, 39, of Maxmill Park, denies the offence which is said to have happened on July 18.

A trial has been set for November 14 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

CANNABIS CHARGE

Alyxs Millar, 24, will stand trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on January 25. He faces a charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis at his Eildon Road home in Hawick between January 1 and April 24.

DRIVING WHILE BANNED CHARGE

Daniel Purvis has been accused of driving while disqualified and with no insurance in Shedden Park Road, Kelso, on September 10.

The 21-year-old, formerly of Kelso and now living in Wooler, will face trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on November 14.

ON TRIAL FOR FRAUD

A Jedburgh woman has been accused of a £10,000 benefits fraud at the town’s sheriff court.

Tara Morris, 23, of Priors Court, is alleged to have received £6,640.60 of income support she was not entitled to between December 2014 and September 2016.

She also pleads not guilty to receiving £3,409 in housing benefit she was not entitled to by failing to specify her partner was living in the household.

A trial has been scheduled for November 14.

BENEFITS ALLEGATION

A Kelso woman is alleged to have received £2,807.64 in benefits she was not entitled to.

Gillian Mitchell, 37, of Grovehill, is said to have failed to report an increase in household income between April 2013 and May 29, 2016.

A trial has been fixed for January 23 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 11.

PAIR DENY DRUG DEALING

A man and woman have been accused of drug-dealing at their home in Hawick’s Fairhurst Drive.

Kay Miller, 29, and 32-year-old Billy Rutherford deny being concerned in the supply of cannabis on September 9.

A trial has been set for Jedburgh Sheriff Court on January 9, with an intermediate hearing on December 11.

If you’re partial to Mother’s Ruin today will need no explaining.

It’s International Gin and Tonic Day!

The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland is objecting to plans by Scottish Borders Council to create a £6.7m permanent home for the Great Tapestry of Scotland in central Galashiels.

The Edinburgh-based body, set up in 1956 to “protect and celebrate” Scotland’s historic buildings, takes issue with the proposal to demolish the former Poundstretcher shop on the corner of Channel Street and Sime Place to make way for a gallery for the giant artwork.

It claims the new building will dwarf the adjoining grade-B listed former post office to be linked to the gallery after being adapted to provide its main entrance and ancillary facilities.

The planning bid, due to be determined by the council’s own planning committee in December, was submitted earlier this month with a deadline of Thursday, October 26, set for public representations.

The society’s response states: “We feel the proposed building dwarfs the listed building in its setting, which will be extremely visible within the town centre and its associated conservation area.

“The physical additions to the listed building are indeed minimal, but it is the effect these proposals have on the conservation area that we must object to.

“The applicant wishes to demolish an entire corner block of historic – albeit not listed – vernacular town centre shops without any case made, besides being previously chopped and changed internally.

“The demolition of historic fabric without a strong case for doing so is against council guidance.

“The proposals will remove an integral corner of the historic town centre.”

On top of that, concerns over lack of parking provision have been expressed by a former senior roads engineer with the council.

In his submission to planners, Russell Cramb, now running his own consulting company specialising in road safety audits, cites a transport statement supporting the planning bid.

That document claims the site “does not merit additional parking provision”.

Mr Cramb states: “If 50,000 visitors a year are expected, then the numbers that arrive by car will surely place pressure on the existing parking provision within the town centre that is currently close to capacity.”

That prediction for the number of visitors the attraction will generate was included in a council press release issued earlier this month.

The release also claimed the new centre will create 16 full-time jobs and boost spending within the local economy by £900,000 a year.

The tapestry, completed in 2013, is made up of 160 embroidered panels, a dozen of them stitched by volunteers in the Borders.

Galashiels was among the locations at which panels for the tapestry, designed by Andrew Crummy, were stitched, along with Stow, Tweedbank, Lauder, Hawick, St Boswells, Jedburgh, Melrose, Kelso, Coldstream, Tweedmouth, Ednam, Gordon, Duns, Smailholm, Gordon, Peebles, Selkirk and West Linton.

A Tweedbank care home closed two years ago could be adapted and brought back into service to tackle the ongoing problem of delayed discharges at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Borders Health and Social Care Partnership confirmed this week that it is working to develop an assessment-to-discharge facility at the former 25-bed Craw Wood dementia residential unit.

“We are currently exploring the possibility of opening such a facility at Craw Wood,” said the spokesperson.

“This would support a more timely discharge of patients from the Borders General Hospital and enable their ongoing care requirements to be assessed in a more appropriate environment than an acute hospital bed.

“Funding for the proposed facility has yet to be agreed.”

The decision to close loss-making Craw Wood as a dementia unit was taken by its owner, the Eildon Group, in 2015. It has recently been used to provide overspill accommodation for a Peebles nursing home.

In addition to the 16 intermediate care beds unveiled by the partnership at the Waverley Care Home in Galashiels this week, Scottish Borders Council leader Shona Haslam has outlined measures to address a potential spike in delayed discharges this winter.

“The council and NHS Borders have worked in partnership to develop an appropriate winter plan which identifies options and processes to increase capacity in community settings across care sectors in order to support discharge processes at the Borders General Hospital and community hospitals,” said the Tweeddale East councillor.

“The health and social care partnership’s transformational change programme includes the development of an out-of-hospital community services model which will incorporate a range of bed and non-bed-based models of care to support people to remain at home or return to home or community settings wherever possible.

“This will support discharge processes at the Borders General Hospital and also help prevent admissions.”

Borders MP John Lamont has welcomed the tougher sentences for killer drivers announced by the UK Government this week.

Motorists responsible for causing death by dangerous driving could now be set to face life sentences rather than the current maximum term of 14 years.

The move follows an investigation last year by Johnston Press, the Southern’s parent company, revealing that killer drivers had claimed almost 300 lives in Scotland since 2005, but only two-thirds had gone on to be put behind bars.

The proposed longer jail terms would apply to drivers who kill others while speeding, racing or using mobile phones behind the wheel.

Life sentences would also apply to drunk and drugged-up drivers convicted of careless driving causing death.

A new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving would be created too.

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP Mr Lamont said: “The UK Government received over 9,000 submissions to its consultation on changing the law, and there was a clear backing for tougher sentences.

“The issue of dangerous driving remains a problem in the Scottish Borders, as it does across Scotland.

“Over the past five years alone, 166 drivers were convicted of causing death by their dangerous driving.

“It is, therefore, the correct approach to introduce the toughest sentences for those who wreck lives by driving dangerously, drunk or high on drugs.”

Hawick’s Wilton Lodge Park will host its third annual scarecrow design and pumpkin-carving competition this Sunday, October 22, from 1pm to 3pm.

People of all ages are invited to enter scarecrows, with the winning entries taking top place in the garden for spring planting.

The park’s events manager, Gordon Webber, said: “The pumpkin-carving activity has become very popular, with many of the participants having their own design ideas.

“It is becoming a tougher competition each year to produce the scariest carved pumpkin.

“We also look forward to new entries for our head scarecrow for the walled garden. Over the years, they have been a great addition to the life of the garden.”

There will also be craft activities and spooky surprises at the event, all free apart from charges for craft materials and pumpkins.

For details, email Gordon at gordon.webber@liveborders1.org.uk