Berwickshire News June 29th

Taxpayers will end up footing rail link bill thunders the front page of this weeks Berwickshire News. A new political party, the Borders Party, has been set up seemingly with the major aim of derailing the return of rail travel to the Borders on the grounds that it will only assist in the Galashiels area becoming ever more attractive to Edinburgh commuters. Eyemouth is hailed as the most English-friendly town in Scotland because of its tolerance during the current FIFA World Cup (in Germany, Scotland failed to qualify - again) with St. George's Crosses, Saltires and Union Jacks (they mean Union Flags of course) all flying side by side in the town. Several small schools in the Borders have all been blessed with the recommendation to remain open. SBC will of course revisit all decisions in due course as part of an ongoing review process.

23 drivers were nabbed for speeding in the Borders during a police crackdown on Friday last and a further 11 nabbed for flouting seatbelt laws. In the Lothian & Borders area a total of 79 were caught - of which 45 were van drivers, and 51 were speeding.

According to an article on page 2, SBC have come to the conclusion that climate change is something that will affect the Borders - having both positives and negatives for council coffers - a positive cited is the reduction in winter road gritting, a negative being the rise in mosquitoes! Nice to see that it's all being kept firmly in perspective.

Paddy Tompkins QPM, Chief Constable of Lothian & Borders Police has called upon those attending the multitude of civic weeks, Braw Lads' Gaitherins and other such festivals not to overpartake in alcoholic beverages. LBP are adopting a high profile presence at such festivals and the potentially inebriated should take heed.

Scottish Power are using a brand spanking new German machine to lay underground cables between a new windfarm (locally unwelcome I'm sure) and the national electricity grid - according to the report it can plough the furrow, lay the cables underground and replace the ground at a walking pace. Euan Robson MSP never one to shirk a photo-op or a vox-pop-op was reportedly impressed by what he saw of the device in action.

'Dogbombs' - the scourge of Greenlaw - are also a hot topic iat the Gavinton, Fogo & Polwarth Community council, the situation hasn't reached the letters page (perhaps it has - but I haven't reached it yet either).

A snippet from Torness Nuclear Power Station - After carrying out some speed testing on two gas circulators during the statutory outage, they were found to be technically lacking so have been replaced by refurbished units.

Over at Duns Sheriff Court, more justice meted out to those that have stepped over the thin blue line - Some imposter sitting in Sheriff K's chair going by the moniker of Alan Miller but dishing out punishment nonetheless. An Eyemouth man put on probation for 9 months for smashing a bottle over another Eyemouth man's head (good to know it's the most English-friendly town eh?). A Swinton man disqualified for 12months and relieved of £275 for driving whilst under the influence on the morning after the night before. A Duns woman guilty of claiming just shy of £2000 in benefits fraudulently fined £340. A man currently living in Coldstream found guilty of indecent behaviour in the Eyemouth area some years ago - Sheriff Al slapped him on the Sex Offenders Register pending sentencing following social reports. A man with learning difficulties ordered to pay £300 in compensation and a £60 for slashing tyres on two cars - claimed that he'd been intimidated into committing the crime. An Eyemouth man (it's that friendly town again) ordered to pay £250 in compensation and an £80 for throwing a part-brick through a window after an argument, and finally a Coldstream man banned for 18 months and fined £100 following a 3rd conviction for driving without insurance - same guy also got stung with a further £180 fine for carrying an offensive weapon.

A snippet from Berwickshire District Court - An Eyemouth woman found guilty of breach of the peace and vandalism after she "conducted herself in a disorderly manner, forcibly entered a parked motorhome, placed sleeping persons therein in a state of fear and alarm and committed a breach of the peace" and "did, wilfully or recklessly tear the curtains in the motorhome and break a ladder catch.". Fined a total of £250 and ordered to pay £165 in compensation.

Cllr David Parker, erstwhile leader of SBC is upset by a claim from the SBC opposition leader that SBC is the least improved local authority in Scotland. From the dealings that the Paperboy has had with SBC to date, it appears that there is plenty of room for that improvement to take place, but talking to other residents the situation has been ongoing for a considerable time and no improvement is likely in the short term. Part of Cllr Parker's defence is that when all performance indicators are taken into account SBC rises to 13th (out of 32) - still plenty of room for improvement then (or is the Paperboy just being silly?).

Picture of Duns Sheriff Court courtesy of the Scottish Courts website

PS. Germany beat Argentina on penalties after a 1-1 draw (aet) despite the best efforts of the Argentine players to feign injury and attack by the Germans in the Thierry Henry style (ie. where someone taps your knee and you grab your nose in pain). Paperboy happy at this outcome.