Recent reports of more job losses in Hawick’s knitwear mills have refocused attention on the Action Plan created by the local Councillors and by SBC’s Economic Development officers in July, at the time of Pringle losses and the visit by John Swinney MP. Clearly contraction in the industry is an ongoing problem, and the situation has not been helped by the more widespread economic downturn.

Straightaway Ron wants to disassociate himself – and all of his fellow Councillors – from the assertion made in Hawick News (in a letter 7/11/08, and in a contributor’s column 14/11/08) that the Councillors feel it is not their remit to bring jobs to the area. This is totally untrue. The statement appears to have been made some years ago by a former Councillor but gains currency each time it is repeated! The present Councillors do see it as in their remit, and are determined to improve the local business environment so that employers will want to come to our area and to stay there.

The paragraphs below include items from a report made by SBC Economic Development officers to the local Councillors. Neither Ron nor the Lib Dems have any more input into these than any other Councillor or Party. They are included on this blog only to give information to a wider public on what is happening.

Scottish Enterprise and SBC Economic Development have met with Pringle management to discuss the retention of Head Office and Design functions in Hawick. The company has stated it is keen to retain a working presence in Hawick but Design is taking place in London because of the availability of top designers. The company have also indicated that they would prefer to find alternative premises in Hawick as their property requirements are different in view of their reduced workforce and operations. An initial set of possible property alternatives has been sent to the company. The reuse of the Pringle buildings for employment uses also needs to be investigated, although flooding and other planning considerations need to be addressed. A To Let sign now is to be seen on the building.

SBC are working with Scottish Enterprise to make more employment land available and the recently published Amendments to the Local Plan show earmarking of several fields at Galalaw for future employment, amounting to 14 hectares. Increased employment land in Newcastleton however is still a major issue to be resolved.

A revised draft of the Commercial Road proposals is now out for discussion, and will be presented at the Area Committee meting in Hawick Town Hall on Tuesday 18^th November. This also offers opportunities for employment – short term in construction and long term through retail and other commercial opportunities.

A motion to be considered at the full SBC meeting on 20^th November calls for the Waverley Rail Project to be brought forward in the interests of creating employment.

SBC and Scottish Enterprise are working together (and through the South of Scotland Alliance) to develop projects that would take advantage of Broadband pathfinder investment, and are also working with the private sctor and other agencies in relation to energy and biofuel ideas.

Economic Development officers would find it helpful to be updated on Scottish Government plans for any relocation of Government jobs, but the possible loss of HMRC jobs through the closures of their offices in Galashiels and in Hawick goes against this.

Scottish Enterprise are working on support for the Textile and Knitwear Industry, but further work is said to be needed to improve the links between Higher and Further education in the region and local (knitwear) businesses.

The final aspect of the Action Plan was to create an initiative (The Small Towns Support Initiative) that could support the regeneration of small towns, particularly focusing on town centre investment. Proposals for such an initiative are under discussion, the research having recently been completed, and SBC will suggest that, in view of the pressures being faced in Hawick, one option could be for the Government to use Hawick as a pilot area – a testing ground for new approaches.

The Transforming Children’s Services programme has continued to take up a lot of time. Over 247 responses were received by the closing date of 27^th October. These were circulated online to all councillors, with names and addresses omitted because of the lack of security involved in such e-mailed communication. It was of course possible to work out the source of some of the messages from the context. Ron has now read all of these submissions and formed clearer ideas of the main areas of concern.

It has become obvious from discussion after this October 27^th deadline that the document will be significantly altered, and the new date for submission of the revised draft to the full Council is to be 18^th December. Ron will certainly be looking for specific changes and is contributing fully to the discussions with a view to bringing these changes about.

Five of Hawick’s councillors sat down on Wednesday 2^nd July to consider their response to the news from Pringle of the proposed shutdown of manufacturing. They each reacted with dismay and expressed concern for the impact on the affected workers and their families but also felt that the news was just the next step in a long history of contraction in the company.

After extended discussion, the team of councillors, in association with Bryan McGrath of SBC’s Planning & Economic Development staff, had prepared an action plan which lays out their points of concern as well as areas where they are demanding supportive action from Scottish Borders Council and from Scottish Government.

1. Assurances are sought from Pringle that Head Office and Design functions will remain in the town.

2. The councillors stressed their intention that the Glebe Mill site should remain zoned as employment land in the future.

3. They emphasised the need to make additional employment land available, whether brownfield or greenfield, and that additional financial resources would be required to deliver this.

4. They agreed that the redevelopment of Commercial Road should be accelerated, with appropriate land transactions completed, development briefs agreed and planning applications lodged.

5. The councillors felt that further investment in infrastructure was critical, and look for work being brought forward on Borders railway, the A7, broadband etc., and on the investigation of biofuel and other energy projects: all of which aimed at making the Borders more competitive.

6. They demanded that Government consider locating Government jobs in the town, particularly for any new agency being set up.

7. Within the textile sector, and to support remaining businesses, they seek to develop new marketing approaches, building on the success of the cashmere Club – targeting export markets. They also look to Higher and Further Education institutions to work with local industry to provide required skills for the workforce and to help spin-off businesses.

8. They finally stated their wish to be part of the Government’s Small Towns Support Initiative which supports the regeneration of small towns, and focuses particularly on town centre investment.

This discussion, and the ensuing Action Plan, was all preparation for the five councillors – Zandra Elliot, Stuart Marshall, Davie Paterson, Ron Smith, and George Turnbull – to meet later on Wednesday afternoon with Cabinet Secretary for Finance John Swinney, who was accompanied by Christine Graham MSP and John Lamont MSP. David Hume, Chief Executive of SBC, and two Union representatives were also present.

Councillors opened by stressing the ongoing history of job losses in Hawick and in the surrounding area, and invited Mr Swinney to comment on the position. The Minister stated there were three aspects to consider: could closure of Pringle manufacturing be resisted, could the affected workers be absorbed elsewhere in the industry, and could a wider programme of support for employment in the area be developed? The first was not thought to be feasible. The second aspect would be explored through Union and SBC / SEB support teams. Cllr. Marshall and the Union representatives examined these points in detailed questioning with the Minister.

Mr Swinney began looking at the wider picture by emphasising that it was not beneficial to have an overheating Edinburgh economy while the remainder of Scotland was in ‘the deep freeze’’. He said that steps had to be taken to support the remaining companies in the textile sector, through skills development, access to support services, and through cooperation within the Textile Forum. It was also necessary to encourage other employers to move into the Borders, for example through the reshaping of programmes for capital investment, and through SEB initiatives, and he mentioned that the recent reduction in small business rates should help. Cllr. Smith commented that the threshold for businesses to benefit from this scheme was set too low and should be reviewed, and Mr Swinney and Ms Graham accepted that the scheme would be revisited.

Mr Hume pointed out the potential for innovative development work, combining textile technology with that in other Borders industries, and the Minister responded that the Government did indeed want to give local authorities incentives to take innovative action on business development.

In considering the points raised on the councillors’ Action Plan, he stated that the Scottish Biomass Scheme might allow the Government to make a contribution if this was pursued, and that he hoped to work with the Scottish Public Pensions Agency at Tweedbank to extend the range of work being covered, bringing potential for more employment there. He also emphasised the importance of the college infrastructure.

Cllr. Turnbull, in the chair, thanked the Minister for his visit, which Cllr. Paterson had helped to arrange. Cllr. Elliot then obtained a commitment from Mr Swinney to return in a few months time to consider progress. In conclusion, Mr Swinney said he had wanted to come for a first hand view, that he had a list of actions to take away. Proper support was required for those affected, other textile companies should be supported through the Textile Forum, and developments in other sectors of the local economy also required support.

Hawick & Hermitage councillor Ron Smith met earlier this week with representatives of the Parks and SB Local staffs to work out a Management Plan for the Millers’ Knowes parkland. The hilltop attraction has suffered in recent years from financial cuts and environmental constraints which have seen paths become impassable in wetter conditions and gorse bushes leaving wide areas off-limits. The BMX track, the result of much work by enthusiasts and their parents and once well patronised, has also come to be overgrown by broom plants.

Ron has asked council staff to develop a programme for cutting back the overgrowth and reopening paths. In addition the proposals would see some paths resurfaced with environmentally friendly materials, more litter bins provided, and picnic tables placed at a range of suitable spots. It’s also hoped to extend the steps which already lead part of the way uphill from the Weensland Road gate.

No consideration was given to more formal facilities as the Millers’ Knowes is a natural parkland and it would be inappropriate to introduce artificial features, although the way would still be open for cycling enthusiasts to come forward with a plan for rejuvenating the former BMX track in some form in the future.

The central areas would remain as open grassland, while around the outskirts there would be linked paths for dog walkers and for those seeking exercise.

Ron did however sound a note of warning that users should accept some personal responsibility for keeping the parkland attractive. He stated: ‘ Youths were clearly camping on the hill one Friday evening recently and, while no one would argue with that, the remains of two tents, food containers and broken glass bottles ruined the football field area until council workmen cleared the debris on the Monday’. He went on: ‘Litter can be a major problem, especially when young drivers leave the evidence of their fast-food and their drinks where their cars have been parked on the crest of the hill’.

SB Local staff later took advice from the Council’s Wildlife Officer who advised that extensive cutting of the gorse on the hillside should wait until the end of the breeding season in August. Management of the overgrown pathways can be done now however if completed carefully and with no disturbance of nests.

Recently, the ongoing problem has been wheeliebins! Not much can go wrong there you would think? However I’ve received comments recently from residents about problems with the wheeliebins.

These are being left out on the street all week round and so the pavement is congested, making it difficult for passers by, prams, etc., and just adding to an unattractive approach to the entries of tenements in particular.

In addition, difficulties are being noticed by the refuse collectors in that bags of all sorts are being mixed up in these bins, making it hard for them to identify what is to be cleared on the appropriate collection day.

Normal household waste in much of Hawick is collected on Tuesdays. The clear recycling bags for cans and plastic bottles etc., and the lilac bags for paper and cardboard are collected on Thursdays. Lilac bags, just for example, won’t ever be collected on Tuesdays! However if left out early they’ll be at risk of blowing about, or of being torn open.

It would be helpful if neighbours would only put out a bin or bags the night before they’re due to be collected, at the earliest. (It’s also a help if the bags are left separately – not within wheeliebins). If bins are then taken in again to the back court afterwards, the whole place will look better.

Unless this is tackled, the situation is going to become even more complicated from 31^st March when the garden refuse collections start again for the year!

I hope you will consider how you can help. I’ve delivered a letter seeking co-operation around one of the streets in the town and it’ll be interesting to see if anything changes! We’re all looking forward to seeing the town, and the street, look better as spring and summer arrive.

Scottish Borders Council recently agreed to establish a Flood Advisory Group, consisting of one member of the Council’s Administration from each of the five Area Committees, plus one SNP member who might be able to provide liaison with the Scottish Government. The five Councillors are Gavin Logan (Tweeddale), Vicky Davidson (Eildon), Len Wyse (Cheviot), Jim Fullarton (Berwickshire), and Ron Smith (Teviot & Liddesdale). The SNP representative is Kenneth Gunn, also from the Eildon Area Committee. Jim Fullarton as Executive member for Technical Services will chair the group. This group gives an opportunity for putting the case for rapid and effective action to safeguard Hawick. There has been major change in the approach to flood protection since the Council’s Flood Prevention report came out in September 2007, with much more willingness now to consider smaller schemes which can be progressed more quickly. Work will continue in preparing a case for one or two of the earlier and more expensive projects, but these are more likely to lie then on the table pending a signal from Holyrood that policies have again changed and funds might be made available for them. The F.A.G. meantime will balance cash and the prioritisation of the smaller local schemes so that residents will be able to see progress in their own areas much earlier.

[The Group has now met once and indications are that this new approach will indeed benefit Hawick and Newcastleton earlier.]