Politics

Councillors are set to discuss plans for 64 new affordable houses in Newtown next week.

Controversial plans for 38 new houses in Lauder are being recommended for approval.

The developer behind the controversial Pines Burn wind farm south of Hawick has been accused of gaining permission “by the back door” after submitting an application to raise the agreed height of nearly half of its turbines.

Borders MP John Lamont says he has “suffered many sleepless nights” pondering howto vote on UK prime minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal but has yet to come to a decision.

Officers at Scottish Borders Council have put on hold a decision on an application to build 26 homes at the foot of the Eildon Hills.

Despite the majority of voting businesses in Galashiels being in favour of implementing a business improvement district (BID) scheme in the town, the plan has been rejected.

Plans to let lynx loose just south of Carter Bar have been rejected, and that knockback has been welcomed by Borders farmers fearful for the safety of their sheep.

Council bosses in the Borders plan to show the same true grit this winter as last in dealing with adverse weather – but they fear lack of cash will mean they won’t be worth their salt to the same degree in years to come.

Work on long-awaited flood defences in Hawick has been hit by a six-month hold-up.

A bid to convert a former bar once popular with rugby fans into a flat has been shown the red card.

Selkirk’s shiny new town centre was marked on Saturday, with the official opening of the town’s Market Place and the switching on of its Christmas lights.

A two-pronged programme of action is planned to clampdown on inconsiderate motorists parking up in Hawick streets.

Galashiels is in line to be the next town in the Borders to get a new school, probably an inter-generational campus, following on from Kelso and Jedburgh.

Plans to build a new housing estate at the foot of the Eildon Hills came in for unanimous criticism at this week’s meeting of Melrose Community Council.

Drinking in public could soon result in fines of up to £500 if Scottish Borders Council’s bid to bring in new by-laws on alfresco alcohol consumption is given the thumbs-up.

Councillors in Hawick are showing a united front in support of calls by a Borders MP and MSP for the town to be the next in the region to get a new high school.

Borders pubs, clubs, hotels and off-licences in arrears for fees for their licences to sell alcohol face being summoned to explain that oversight to councillors next month.

Harestanes’ new £342,000 playpark promises to be the best in the Borders yet.

Former Borders MP David Steel made an impassioned speech to the House of Lords on Tuesday evening, arguing the case for a second referendum on Brexit.