The watchdog scrutiny commitee of Scottish Borders Council is to form a working group and carry out a full demographic review in the coming year.

It will use existing records, which estimate the population of 109,270 in 2005, and carry out consultations with a range of groups and organisations to provide more exact figures and a generational breakdown.

In a 2006 report on the region's economy, experts reckoned the population, taking account of inward migration, would rise by 7.3 per cent in the region by 2014, compared to 3.1 per cent across the south of Scotland as a whole and just 0.9 per cent nationally.

"The region is clearly accommodating some of the population growth generated by Edinburgh and the Lothians," said the report, commissioned by Scottish Enterprise Borders.

An influx of families with older offspring is likely to see a marked rise in the 16-29 age group, more than five times the predicted increase in Scotland.

Even bigger surges are forecast in the number of 65 to 74-year-olds (up 29 per cent) and the over-75s (up 25 per cent).

Councillor Catriona Bhatia, who suggested the scrutiny review, told TheSouthern: "Many people see an aging population as a threat or burden but actually it is an opportunity to use all that experience within the Borders. The review will look at how we can recognise and harnesss the contribution that older people can make to communities and the region's economy as well as looking at wider demographics."

The watchdog's programme of work for the coming financial year was agreed on Thursday.

It also includes a working group probe into the community use of facilities within the three new secondary schools in Earlston, Eyemouth and Duns whose construction is funded through a public private partnership (PPP).

Finally the committee, comprising opposition and backbench councillors, will hold a series of hearings to determine if prevously agreed improvements to public transport and the health and safety aspects of school transport.