Travellers are again a hot topic at Selkirk

Travellers have been on the site since the start of lockdown in March, as Scottish Borders Council had to provide a location where there could stay without moving around the country.

While most have since moved on, and the travellers still in place have stated a desire to settle down in the Borders, the mood in the town seems to be a fine balance between wanting to do the right thing and a deep desire to get the caravan park back up and running for tourists.

Last month, Councillor Gordon Edgar said he was disappointed in how his fellow Souters treated the travellers after some of the caravans were vandalised.

He also said he was stepping back from his role as liason between the travellers and the council, after he had been personally attacked on social media.

At last Monday’s virtual meeting on Zoom, former vice-chairman of Selkirk Community Council, Colin Anderson, said in the open forum: “I was really concerned following the last community council meeting, to read press reports in which Councillor Edgar blamed certain members of the Selkirk community for issues arising from the gypsy travellers.

“If he was accurately protrayed in the media, it was quite reprehensible.

“Especially as the council executive made two main failures ... one was to make adequate provisions for gypsy travellers pre-Covid and the second was checking the validity of the homeless claims, by vehicle checks, especially those who turned up in high-end motor homes.

“Having worked as an executive director in a past life, when we had a travellers’ site, it is quite clear these people feel they have an inalienable right.”

Mr Anderson mooted an upgrade to the facility to make it more attractive to tourists, as it had been slated on online camping forums.

Mr Edgar said that the site is run by staff at the adjacent swimming pool, which is now only open Mondays and Wednesdays, so there was no way for the site to be opened to the public.

He added: “There are three families there at the moment ... hopefully they will move on, as when winter comes, they tend to go to their place of rest.

“Two of the families have been offered houses and that offer is being considered.”

Mr Anderson asked why the council did not just take the running of the facility back from Live Borders, saying: “I’m sure Live Borders would shake your hand and say thank you very much.”

Mr Edgar replied: “Yes, they would, because it doesn’t make any money.”

Mr Anderson said: “It would only start to make money if there was investment in the infrastructure, so that people would aspire to come to it.”

Community council chairman Alistair Pattullo added: “Since it has been under Live Borders management, it has been handled very unimaginatively.

“It hasn’t been developed to its full potential at all.”

The issue was debated at some length, and tempers were tested, leading secretary Kirsty Lovatt to say: “I’m getting a little upset by all this as it comes forward as the worst case of discrimination ever.

“It sounds like people just want them [the travellers] moved on to somewhere else, even though they have been told there is nowhere else.”