Local residents are being invited to discuss how publicly owned land and buildings can be better used in the Scottish Borders.

A series of consultation events will be held by the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership (CPP) this winter to discuss property plans in each of the five localities across the region.

The exhibitions will explain to residents why the plans are being put together and as well as gathering information from communities about their priorities for public land and buildings in their area.

So far, exhibitions are underway in Jedburgh on the future of schools provision and further consultation will take place with parents in the coming months. In Kelso, new builds are already underway at the new Kelso High School and Broomlands Primary whule further consultation will begin in 2017 over the other schools in the Kelso High School catchment area.

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Cllr David Parker said: "One of the main aspects of the Community Empowerment Act is the right for community bodies to request to buy, lease, manage or use land and buildings that belong to public organisations.

"The Act requires all public services, along with voluntary organisations, to work more closely with communities to improve local services, address local needs and make the best use of increasingly scarce resources.

"This legislation arrives at the same time as Community Planning Partners are looking at how they can use their land and buildings more efficiently and effectively.

"These events will give people the chance to discuss land and buildings in their area before the plans are put together, which gives them a real say in the process.

"Issues to be discussed include what we are doing well in terms of the use of public buildings, and what we could do better. We also want to know where people think we should prioritise our resources when it comes to properties and land, how communities could play a role in the running of facilities and what support they would need if taking over or buying buildings and land for community use."

The first of these events will take place at 7pm at Jedburgh Town Hall on Thursday, 20 October and Kelso's Tait Hall on Thursday, 27 October.

Similar events will be held in the other four localities – Berwickshire, Eildon, Teviot & Liddesdale and Tweeddale – later in 2016 and into 2017.

(LM/CD)