Thursday April 24th 2025
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A controversial report recommending closure of a string of leisure, cultural and community sites across the Borders has considered the “cost of everything but the value of nothing”, councillors were warned today.
Integratis Consulting were brought in by the council to examine the future of the troubled charity Live Borders, which runs certain facilities on the council’s behalf.
The proposals are intended to map out a sustainable future for the cash-strapped charity, which has received financial bail-outs from Scottish Borders Council in recent years.
If the proposals were enacted in full it would result in the loss of more than 50 full-time jobs.
Among the facilities recommended for closure are Selkirk Swimming Pool, the Focus Centre in Galashiels and the Queen’s Leisure Centre and Tri Fitness gym, also in Galashiels.
The report also advises that Jedburgh’s Laidlaw Pool should remain closed.
Libraries in Earlston, Eyemouth, Coldstream and Hawick are also recommended to be shut or consolidated with other services.
Old Gala House, Abbey Row Centre in Kelso and Sir Walter Scott’s Courtroom in Selkirk are also on the closure list while the bowling hall at Tweedbank and sports hall at the Gytes in Peebles are proposed to be turned into fitness gyms.
At a meeting of the full council today some elected members highlighted “mistakes, inaccuracies and contradictions” in the report.
There was also criticism that the public announcement of the proposed cut-backs was made on Easter Sunday and that some Live Borders employees first heard the news via social media, as emails were sent on Good Friday – when some staff weren’t working.
But members were also told that retaining the status quo “was simply not an option” and that radical change was needed, including a review of venue charging.
Elected members were also assured that no decisions had yet been made and that an extensive public consultation would be carried out before any action was taken.
Councillor Marshall Douglas, SNP for Tweeddale East, said: “It is difficult to welcome the report although it is a necessity, but there is not much pleasant reading in it, although there is valuable information in there that helps us in the direction of travel we need to follow.
“The current situation is not sustainable, we need to make changes, but there are inaccuracies within the data in the report, there are ommissions and there are contracdictions.”
Mr Douglas said the Innerleithen Memorial Hall was the “living heart of the town’s community” and that a saving of £3.314 a year raised by its closure was not justified.
He added: “This is a dispassionate report from people outside of the Borders. However, there are are aspects of it which are almost a desk-top exercise. It shows the cost of everything but the value of nothing.”
Fellow ward councillor, Independent Robin Tatler, repeated a quote from Winston Churchill, who stated: “This is not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning”.
He added: “We’ve only started the process of the discussion we will have with our communities and yes, there are flaws and inaccuracies in the report, they will be raised when we have the discussions with our communities.”
Councillor Viv Thomson, SNP for Tweeddale West, said the data-driven report was “devoid of emotional attachment”, adding: “This report has already caused a huge amount of concern across our communities and people are making it clear they want to be fully engaged in the consultation process.”
Council leader Councillor Euan Jardine, Conservative representative for Galashiels & District, encouraged fellow councillors not to make a “snap judgement” on the proposals.
He said: “We can be pragmatic, we can be forward-thinking here. It’s really important that we get this right and not make a snap judgement and that we go forward with an in-depth consultation.”
Councillor James Anderson, Independent for East Berwickshire, said he was relieved that Eyemouth Leisure Centre was to be retained as part of the proposals, but expressed support for Live Borders staff, saying: “I am concerned that once again the staff were the last to know and in some cases the impact on people and the backlash could have been lessened by a bit of tact.
“The staff are people too, not just numbers or assets and they need to be treated as such.”
Members agreed that the council and Live Borders “progress with robust stakeholder and community consultation” over the proposals within the report.
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