REGENERATION WAIT
NO cash has been allocated over the next two years by Scottish Borders Council for the much-needed regeneration of Selkirk’s town centre.
Instead, with its capital budget under severe restraint, the local authority has earmarked the work, worth £40,000, for 2014/15.
The scheme’s inclusion, albeit at the back of SBC’s three years capital programme, was announced this week and is due to be ratified by councillors on Thursday.
The programme reflects strictures placed on the council from Holyrood and Westminster with SBC restricted to borrowings of £80million to fund key, job-creating infrastructure projects over the three-year period. In 2009/10, that budget topped £57million in a single year.
One surving project, however, is the £492,000 Selkirk flood prevention scheme. In 2012/13, £252,000 will be spent on measures on the banks of the Ettrick, with the balance due to be spent in the following two years.
Revenue spending of £264million for 2012/13 was also announced this week. Although just £500,000 less than last year, with inflation, the freezing of Council Tax and a surge in demand for services for children and the elderly, more than £7million is required to bridge the funding gap.
In Selkirk, that will be partly defrayed by the sale of the social work offices in Chapel Street and the merger of the library with the contact centre.
There was good news, however, for existing and potential foster carers with fees and allowances going up by £43 a week to £270 for a child under 10, and up over £70 to £380 for a youngster aged 11-17.
The £350,000 set aside for these increases will, SBC hopes, save money in the long run with less children having to be cared for, at great expense, outside the region,
The new rates will also make fostering a more attractive economic proposition and thus aid recruitment.
Elsewhere, over £1million will be spent reducing the council’s workforce with 42 full-time equivalent (FTE) posts across the council set to be shed in the coming year.
This will be achieved by early retirement or voluntary severance.
z Parker urges young to come forward – Page 5
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Weather for Selkirk
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
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