Headlines for March 2006

• New strategy to help the Council gauge public opinion - Friday, Mar 31 2006
  Scottish Borders Council is asking for comment on a new strategy to help it gauge public opinion.
• Peebles High School Pupils impress at Glasgow SECC - Friday, Mar 31 2006
  Six pupils from Peebles High School impressed delegates at the Fifth National 'Enterprising Careers Conference' - 'Let's Do It' - on 21 March.
• Major wetlands conference comes to the Borders - Friday, Mar 31 2006
  The Scottish Borders will host a prestigious conference on wetlands and wildlife recording next week, when experts and enthusiasts come together at Newtown St Boswells to discuss these crucial wildlife habitats.
• Free swimming session over Easter school holidays - Thursday, Mar 30 2006
  Free swimming will be available to all 12-18 year olds with a Young Scot card during the Easter holidays.
• Smokers accept ban in Borders' pubs and clubs - Thursday, Mar 30 2006
  Borderers are showing an encouraging acceptance of the new ban on smoking in enclosed public places which came into effect on Sunday.
• Deputy First Minister launches strategy to make Borders world-class centre for learning - Wednesday, Mar 29 2006
  Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen MSP visited the Borders yesterday to launch the region's new Lifelong Learning Strategy. The strategy aims to make the Borders a world-class centre for learning, both for local people and those living outside the region.
• Daffodil appeal of Council's catering manager - Wednesday, Mar 29 2006
  Council catering manager Graham Clark joined thousands of CEOs and senior managers across the UK when he went Back to the Shop Floor on Thursday in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.
• Council calls for greater powers to protect prominent buildings in Conservation Areas - Tuesday, Mar 28 2006
  Scottish Borders Council is calling for increased powers and resources to protect prominent, but unlisted, buildings within Conservation areas from falling into ruin.
• Strike Day update - Tuesday, Mar 28 2006
  Effect of industrial action on Scottish Borders Council Services
• Likely effect of tomorrow's strike action on Scottish Borders Council services - Monday, Mar 27 2006
  Scottish Borders Council is expecting considerable disruption to some services tomorrow as a result of a one-day strike by staff protesting at proposed changes to pensions regulations.
• Kerbside garden waste collections start in Scottish Borders - Monday, Mar 27 2006
  They say that when the clocks "spring" forward, it's time to get out into your garden, and, on Monday 3 April, Scottish Border's Council's kerbside garden waste collections are back in action.
• Some schools to close for Tuesday's strike - Monday, Mar 27 2006
  Scottish Borders Council is warning parents that a number of its primary and secondary schools will be closed to pupils on Tuesday 28 March, as a result of industrial action by public sector employees.
• Kerbside recycling to start in Berwickshire - Friday, Mar 24 2006
  Recycling has never been so easy in the Scottish Borders. And now that kerbside collections are starting in Berwickshire, every single household has the benefit of a convenient way to recycle and help protect the environment.
• Meet the architects of our new high schools - Friday, Mar 24 2006
  The 3HS Project Team has issued an open invitation to parents and the community to join them at Duns, Earlston and Eyemouth high schools this Saturday morning to meet the architects designing their new high schools.
• Fire Board must find money to keep Melrose Fire Station open, say councillors - Friday, Mar 24 2006
  Scottish Borders Councillors today reaffirmed their support for keeping Melrose Fire Station open.
• Disabled youngsters to attend multi-sports day - Friday, Mar 24 2006
  More than 130 disabled children and young people are expected to attend a disability sports day at Tweedbank Sports Complex, Galashiels, on Friday 24 March.
• Social Work looks to the future, as Exec plans overhaul of 1968 Act - Tuesday, Mar 21 2006
  One hundred and fifty Scottish Borders social work staff and key partners gathered in Peebles recently to discuss a far-reaching programme of change for the service, as the Scottish Executive prepares for the widest social work shake-up for 40 years.
• Newtown and Eildon Community Planning Day - Tuesday, Mar 21 2006
  Newtown and Eildon Action Group (NEAG) is organising an opportunity to work with the New Ways Partnership to identify future aspirations for Newtown St Boswells. It is holding a Community Planning Day at the Community Wing on Saturday 25 March.
• Council receives further award for roadstone partnership - Tuesday, Mar 21 2006
  Scottish Borders Council's in-house roads contractor, SBc Contracts, has received another national commendation for its work with a private company to supply roadstone and construction services around Scotland.
• Easter school sports programme kicks off - Tuesday, Mar 21 2006
  Scottish Borders Council's Easter Sports Programme for school children kicks off on April 3 for the two weeks of the school holidays.
• Fotheringham Bridge upgraded for wheelchairs, thanks to Peebles Callants - Tuesday, Mar 14 2006
  Scottish Borders Councillor Nancy Norman yesterday officially reopened Fotheringham footbridge, near Peebles, following work to upgrade it for pushchairs and wheelchair users.
• Youth orchestras to raise roof in Melrose - Monday, Mar 13 2006
  A concert by school pupils from the Scottish Borders Wind and Chamber Orchestras will take place at Melrose Parish Church on Monday, 20 March at 7:30pm under their conductor Kevin Price.
• SBC appoints Preferred Bidder for 3 High Schools PPP Project - Monday, Mar 13 2006
  The replacement of three high schools in the Borders came a step closer today when Scottish Borders Council announced that it has chosen Scottish Borders Education Partnership (SBEP) as the preferred bidder for its 3HS Project.
• Burnfoot not 'worst place to raise kids', says survey company - Thursday, Mar 9 2006
  The London-based research company which last week published a survey identifying signs of social deprivation in the Hawick ward of Burnfoot and Mansfield, has denied that it is rated the worst place in Scotland to raise children.
• Nicol Stephen to launch Borders Lifelong Learning Strategy - Wednesday, Mar 8 2006
  As part of New Ways' highly successful Keynote Speaker Seminar programme, Nicol Stephen MSP, Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, will formally launch the Scottish Borders Lifelong Learning Strategy on Monday, 27 March.
• Winning pictures show merits of healthy breakfast - Tuesday, Mar 7 2006
  The seven winners out of more than 400 entries to a recent Farmhouse Breakfast Poster Competition were announced at Scottish Borders Council HQ on Friday morning.
• Councillors to become Energy Champions to combat climate change - Tuesday, Mar 7 2006
  Scottish Borders Councillors are set to become 'Energy Champions' to combat climate change and the threat of global warming.
• Onlineborders is the new website for the whole community - Tuesday, Mar 7 2006
  A new website has been launched for the Scottish Borders' community.
• New books will tackle emotional issues for Looked After Children - Thursday, Mar 2 2006
  A new collection of children's books tackling the complex area of feelings and relationships is now available through Scottish Borders' libraries.
• Council's Events Strategy pays off - Wednesday, Mar 1 2006
  Local events supported by Scottish Borders Council generated £3 million for the Borders' economy last year. They included such successes as July's World Meeting of 2CV Friends in Kelso and Merida Mountain Bike Marathon in Selkirk.
• Improvements planned for Coldstream - Wednesday, Mar 1 2006
  The entrance to Coldstream's Henderson Park and its adjoining car park are scheduled for a makeover in the next few months, as part of a wider programme of regeneration projects being undertaken in the town.
• 125th Anniversary of the Eyemouth Fishing Disaster - Wednesday, Mar 1 2006
  Many people might not be aware that 2006 marks the 125th Anniversary of the Eyemouth Fishing Disaster, a storm which killed 129 of the town's fishermen in 1881.