SBC Publishes Live Borders Report - Debated 20 Nov
Added at 14:45 on 17 October 2025
The Scottish Borders Council’s Joint Transformational Change Programme Project Team has published its wide-reaching report on the future of the Live Borders cultural and sports assets, after some months of feedback after the intial overview by cunsultants Integratis.
A special meeting of the Council will be held at 10am on Thursday 20 November, where the report will be discussed as a standalone item. A link to view the report, including many appendices, to be discussed at the 20th November Council meeting is here:
20 November Special Council Meeting
The meeting shoud be viewable online.
Selective extracts from the report, prepared jointly by SBC's Director of Resilient Communities and the CEO of Live Borders, include the following, specificly to do with Selkirk:
[The Report]
d) Approves the individual property recommendations and associated savings as detailed in brief below:
k. Retain Argus Community Centre and maximise usage and income generation, whilst a long-term proposition is developed, to be shaped by discussions with existing tenant and user groups exploring options which enable property rationalisation and support early learning, educational and community benefits within Selkirk.
r. Retain Halliwell's House Museum and co-locate Selkirk library service into the building and progress with development of a shared access arrangement with Sir Walter Scott’s Courtroom which allows staffing rationalisation and increased footfall across both sites. Pursue disposal of the Library building.
s. Regarding Selkirk Leisure Centre and Caravan Park, request that officers work with the community with the aim of establishing a robust and sustainable business case for a full Community Asset Transfer and community-led operation or any other 3rd party operational arrangements. Recognises ongoing Council revenue funding would be required to support a community operation. A further report to Council will be required on this proposal at such time as a request for Council funding is received, or if urgent capital investment is required to support ongoing operation of the facility. If there is no viable community or 3rd party solution by 31 March 2029 the facility will close and consultation on disposal will be progressed, in accordance with law regarding common good assets.
5.20 Selkirk Leisure Centre & Caravan Park – the Integratis report recommended that that this facility should close. The results of the scoring have identified a Community Asset Transfer as the preferred option. It is therefore proposed that officers work with the community in Selkirk to consider options for a new model of operation of the facility either through a Community Asset Transfer or other third-party model. It is likely that ongoing revenue funding would be required to support a community operation and a further report to Council will be required at the time when a business plan has been developed and the funding requirements are known.
If there is no viable community or third-party solution by 31March 2029 the facility will close and consultation on disposal will be progressed in accordance with Common Good law regarding common good assets. If any major capital investment is required in this facility in order for it to remain operational whilst an alternative model is being explored, a further report would need to be brought to Council, and an assessment made about the viability of investing in a facility that Integratis identified for closure.