More than £294 million is proposed to be spent on infrastructure throughout the Borders over the next ten years as part of a draft financial plan from the local authority.

Scottish Borders Council’s budget plans, to be considered at a meeting of the council on February 20, include a three year investment plan of £22m to be spent on the area’s roads and bridges and a ten year school estate improvement plan of £89m.

The Administration’s budget includes:

Council leader Shona Haslam said: “We have developed a budget which builds on opportunities and improves the lives of Borderers, whatever their age. It focuses on delivering quality services, opportunities for all in a thriving economy, empowering communities and enabling people to live independently and achieve their goals.

“We are committed to investing in services to help the most vulnerable in society, both young and old, deliver improvements to our roads, build new schools and support businesses by stimulating the local economy and improving our town centres.

“This budget also protects teacher numbers and frontline council services, whilst also recognising that we must modernise service delivery and make efficiencies.

“We are proposing a three per cent increase in Council Tax, which will generate around £1.6m for next year’s budget. Council Tax makes up less than a quarter of all the funding we receive, and this increase is only the second in 10 years, during which time the funds we receive from other sources has reduced and demand for services has increased.”