Scottish Borders Council is to set its 2017/18 budget later this week.

Roads, bridges, school, flood protection works and economic development will be the key areas of focus once the budget is agreed on Thursday, 09 February.

As well as a £1.3 billion five-year revenue plan, key highlights of the council's £321 million 10-year capital plan include:

• £14.2m additional funding for essential works to roads and key bridges, taking roads capital funding to £67m over 10 years

• £3.2m additional funding for the £38m Hawick Flood Protection Scheme

• £400,000 additional funding to improve parks and open spaces

• £500,000 to improve Council commercial premises

-- Advertisement --

• £6.2m additional funding for energy efficiency works in the Council estate, to improve the efficiency and reduce carbon emission

• £7.5m to fund the works highlighted by the School Estate Review, taking total investment in the school estate to £77.7m over 10 years

• £1.4m to upgrade adult services facilities, including Council-owned care homes

• £500,000 to upgrade Council-owned public halls

• £500,000 for a 3G sports pitch in Jedburgh

• £800,000 to support the regeneration of Eyemouth

• £800,000 to renew the waste management fleet.

Council Leader David Parker said: "The budget we are putting forward on 9 February reflects our ongoing commitment to protect frontline services, and deliver significant investment for the Scottish Borders.

"This includes maintaining teacher numbers in our schools for the next year, continuing our ambitious plans to attract people and businesses to locate here, modernising the way we work, and a capital programme which will benefit the whole of the region.

"Like other local authorities, we are facing financial pressures as a result of decreasing public funding and increased demand on our services. However, thanks to our sound transformational and financial plans over many years, we are in a much better position than we might have been given the economic climate."

(LM/MH)