Tuesday September 22nd 2026
David Robertson, Chief Executive of Scottish Borders Council
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Scottish Borders Council’s chief executive today issued a staunch defence of the local authority’s track record amid government proposals which could see it scrapped.
If adopted the Scottish Government’s local reform plans would result in the current 32 local councils being replaced by between six and ten regional bodies and 120-160 local authorities.
A 1,800-word paper was published this week to “aid discussion” around the final plans.
Under the Government’s proposals, councillors would continue to be elected under the current ward system and would sit on both the local and regional authorities, though the paper suggests the increased time commitment may require a boost in councillor pay.
David Robertson, Chief Executive of Scottish Borders Council, has issued a statement in response, stressing his belief that the council he leads is “not too small to be strategic or too big to be local”.
He said: “We have an excellent track record of service delivery and financial management and our performance across a wide range of measures is very good, despite the very challenging circumstances we face.
“There is a huge body of evidence to show that Scottish Borders Council is not too small to be strategic or too big to be local, from our work with partners to secure massive investment packages and growth deals to our day-to-day services that support local people and communities and address local priorities from Berwickshire to Tweeddale and everywhere in between.
“We need to take time to review the Scottish Government’s proposals, both as a corporate and political body, and feed back our responses through the appropriate channels.
“Ultimately, our focus is on achieving the best outcomes for our Borders communities and residents through our work and investments, and that will always be the council’s starting point in any discussions about any reforms.”
Stressing that the position paper was a “starting point” for discussion, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “Reforming Scotland’s public sector is about delivering the best public services for people across Scotland.
“We need to ensure investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to empower communities and deliver real improvements in public services.
“Some decision-making is best delivered at national level and regional level while others better sit closer to communities and we must get that balance right.”
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