A Hawick soldier is facing a second probe into the death of an Iraqi civilian in 2003, writes Bob Burgess.

Barry Singleton was serving with the KOSB when he opened fire at a checkpoint in Basra.

The soldier fired into the man’s car when he sped away after being challenged.

The lance corporal was investigated by the army after being accused of firing 12 shots and was cleared in 2006.

But he has now been told there is a fresh investigation. And that could lead to a charge of murder.

The former KOSB i, 33, is now a sergeant with the second battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, the Royal Highland Fusiliers.

The Iraq Historic Allegations team has until 2016 to complete their investigation.

The army’s prosecuting authority confirmed the probe but said Sergeant Singleton had not been charged.

His friend and former boxing coach John Sharkey has branded this second investigation a complete joke.

He added: “As far as I was concerned this had been fully and thoroughly investigated and he was cleared.

“This is disgraceful. I just cannot believe the stress this will have caused Barry and his mum.”

Mr Sharkey said he would again write letters of support on behalf of his friend.

This week we seem to be reporting on an endless stream of roadworks across the Borders.

And one thing that has become clear is the havoc these can cause when signage is less than ideal.

Selkirk traders along Dunsdale Road, at the bottom end of the town, have been feeling the brunt of things this month after Dunsdale Haugh was closed due to unexpected work having to be undertaken in connection with the Flood Protection Scheme.

While everyone will agree, the flood prevention work is crucial to the town, particularly to those people living and working close to the river, drivers wanting to access their homes or businesses in that area have a 1.5-mile diversion round part of the town.

For drivers who don’t know Selkirk well, it’s a hassle.

But for the businesses who have seen their takings plummet due to people assuming the road closure means they are not open for business, or who have difficulty finding them, it is disastrous.

While there is light at the end of the tunnel for Selkirk’s traders, Galashiels businesses and shoppers can expect weeks of roadworks in connection with gas pipe laying and the railway come January.

Can we urge the council – who admittedly have had a difficult task managing all the changes – to learn lessons from Selkirk’s difficulties, and make sure that future signage is clear and disruptions are kept to a minimum for everyone.

wooler

At their weekly Primestock sale last Wednesday John Swan Ltd had forward and sold 729 lambs and 361 ewes.

Lamb numbers tight, helping trade along to make returns greater on the week quite substantially; more numbers could easily be handled in front of a good ring of buyers.

Leading prices per head:- Tex:- £98 South Ditchburn, £94.50, £93 (2) Lickar Moor, £90 South Ditchburn, £89, £88 Greenhead, Reston, £88 Lilburn Estates, £87.50 Springhill, Seahouses, £86 Low Middleton, £84.50 Mindrum Farming Co, £84 Lorbottle. Suff.x:- £95 Kinross, £88 Mindrum Farming Co and Kypie. Ven:- £82 Craigshouse.

Leading prices per kilo:- Tex:- 210.3p Lilburn Estates, 206.3p Mindrum Farming Co, 205.3p Lorbottle, 201.2p Mindrum Farming Co, 198.9p Springhill, Seahouses, 195.2p Lilburn Estates, East Fleetham and Springhill, Seahouses. Bel.x:- 207.9p Lilburn Estates, 200p (2) Ladykirk. Suff.x:- 196.5p East Fleetham.

Ewes numbers similar and again very dear again more numbers could easily be handled.

Leading prices:- Tex:- £130 Kinross, Bamburgh, £119 Elwick, £105 Barmoor Red House and Mayfield, £97, £91 Barmoor Red House. Suff.x:- £119 Kypie, £115 Mayfield, £109.50 North Lyham. Char.x:- £100 East Fleetham. Chev:- £100 Linbrig. Mule:- £89.50 Barmoor Red House, £89 Mayfield. BF:- £67.50, £64.50, £63.50 Lilburn Estates.

Rams:- Tex.x:- £126 Shoreswood Hall.

St boswells

At their weekly primestock sale on Monday John Swan Ltd sold 121 clean cattle, 37 OTM cattle, 2,338 new season lambs and 562 ewes.

Bullocks (50) averaged 220.2p per kg and sold to248p (-0.5p on week), heifers (70) averaged 217p per kg and sold to261p (-6.2p on week), one young bull sold to £155p (n/c on week) and 37 beef type OTM cattle averaged 124.1p per kg and sold to 2p (n/c on the week).

New season lambs averaged 202p per kg (+20p on the week) £88.26 per head and sold to £101, top price 236p per kg for Beltex. Ewes averaged £64.39, and sold to £106 for Suffolk. Heavy ewes averaged £74.06 and light ewes sold to £65 for Blackface and averaged £50.54.

Principal prices per head: Bee Edge £1555.56; Lurdenlaw £1543.70, £1489.50; North Synton £1527.96, £1504.16

Principal prices per kg: Bee Edge 2.61, 2.45 M/s W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons, 2.53 Robert L. Wilson, 2.53 W. Taylor (Lockerbie) Ltd, 2.45 M/s H. Black and Sons Ltd; Upper Nisbet 2.48 M/s W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons, 2.46 M/s J. Gilmour and Co; Lurdenlaw 2.46 M/s W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons, 2.43 Robert Pringle; Wester Ulston 2.46 M/s J. Gilmour and Co Ltd; Honeyburn 2.45 Shaws of Lauder; Longnewton 2.42 M/s W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons; Dunslaw 2.42 M/s J. Saunderson Ltd, 2.41 J.F. Finlay and Co Ltd; Humbie Mill 2.42 J.F. Finlay and Co Ltd; Shidlaw 2.40 M/s J. Saunderson Ltd.

Bulls: Hyndsidehill Hill £1180 (100p); Bowershields £705.60 (80p).

Annual Show and Sale of Cows was judged by M/s G. Aitken and Sons, Traprain, who awarded the champion to Ramrig for b. Blue.x which weighed 826kgs, 160p, realising £1321 and reserve was awarded to Wester Middleton for a Char.x which weighed 960kgs, 163p realising £1564.80.

Beef cows - 1. Ramrig; 2. Wester Middleton; 3. Ramrig; OTM - 1. Humbie Mill; 2. Nisbet; 3. Humbie Mill

Cows per head: Wester Middleton £1564.80, £1469.16; Ramrig £1321.60, £1243.44; Nisbet £1212; Hyndsidehill £1180; Shidlaw £1106.30, £1099.82, £999.46; Huntington £1084.72; Cockburn £1031.94; Caverton Mill £1017.24, £967.44; Nisbet Mill £982.80; Barmoor Red House; Outerston £926.86.

Cows per kg: Nisbet 2.00; Shidlaw 1.85; Wester Middleton 1.63, 1.59; Ramrig 1.60, 1.57; Huntington 1.49; Caverton Mill 1.47, 1.39; Nisbet Mill 1.35, 1.31;; Barmoor Red House, 1.29(2); Cockburn 1.31.

Light lambs also met a sound trade selling to a top of 2.35p pkg, £77.50 for Belt.x from J. and G.S. Sinclair, Crookston. Averaging overall £63.76/192.9p pkg.

Other top prices:- Belt.x;- £77.50 Crookston, £77 Threeburnford, bf;- £77, £67 The Peel, £65 Middlesknowes, £64.50 Burncastle, SM;- £75 Belford on Bowmont, £72 Threeburnford, Suff.x;- £73 Woodside, £65 Kirktonhill and Woodside.

A good show of quality lambs forward, trade was firmer for all classes of lambs and levelled at 202.1p a rise of 20p/pkg on the week, averaging £88.26 per head.

John Swan Ltd held their Annual ‘St Boswells Christmas Cracker’ which was kindly sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

A fantastic show of cattle was forward: the judges were Mr C. Tulloch, Paisley, Mr J. Worsley, Dewsbury, and Mr J Robertson, Eskbank. Overall champion - Lim.x Heifer from W.B. Hamilton and Son, Bee Edge, 564kgs, 310p sold to Michael Malone of Edinburgh Ltd. Reserve champion Lim.x Heifer from S. and J. Allen, Longnewton was 580kg, 290p to W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons.

longtown

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart plc had forward 42 prime cattle, two young bulls, 31 over 30 month cattle, 6,423 prime lambs and 3,377 cast ewes and rams at their weekly sale at Longtown last Thursday.

At the annual Christmas show and sale there was a good entry of 23 cattle put forward to the judge J. Craig, Ballard Butchers, Castle Douglas. Mr Craig awarded the championship ticket to a Limousin heifer jointly owned and shown by Kilnstown Farms Ltd and E. Telfer and Son, Newton High House, which later went on to make 375p/kilo (£2043.75) and was purchased by the judge.

The reserve championship and best British breed went to the same animal, a Galloway bullock which was jointly shown by Kilnstown Farms Ltd and H. Watson, High Stobhill Farm, and later realised 360p per kilo (£1656) and purchased by Whitepeak Farm Butchers Ltd, Derbyshire.

We would like to thank the sponsors Jobson Animal Health for their generosity and the judge Mr Craig.

In the three months after garden waste collections were scrapped, the council had to fork out £128,000 in extra landfill costs.

Over the same quarter from April 1 to June 30, the volume of household waste recycled in the region fell from 44.4 per cent in the corresponding period of last year to just 34.5 per cent.

The amount of household waste going to landfill at Easter Langlee in Galashiels surged from 7,281 tonnes to 8,152 tonnes – an increase of 12 per cent.

And the landfilling cost to the local authority rocketed by 26.3 per cent – from £524,205 to £652,160.

In his performance report to Tuesday’s meeting of SBC’s executive, waste manager Ross Sharp-Dent candidly cited the “removal of the garden waste collection” as the reason for the negative trends, adding that Landfill Tax – levied by the Scottish Government – had gone up from £72 to £80 per tonne over the year.

Confirming “actions to improve or maintain performance”, he said a new community recycling centre in Kelso was due to open in the spring of 2015, while others would be upgraded. He flagged up the new integrated waste treatment facility at Easter Langlee – not due to open until at least 2017 – which, he said, would “capture recyclates previously destined for landfill”.

Mr Sharp-Dent also noted that overall recycling would increase and landfill dumping reduce when a statutory food waste collection service is introduced next summer for 24,000 households in Galashiels, Tweedbank, Selkirk, Jedburgh, Hawick and Peebles.

Unsurprisingly, the data was seized on by former Hawick councillor Andrew Farquhar who gathered an 8,000-signature petition demanding reinstatement of the green bin service.

His rearguard action was ultimately unsuccessful, with the council endorsing its decision to scrap the uplifts on October 30, albeit with an explicit expression of regret for the “inconvenience and disturbance” it had caused.

“To say the decision to scrap garden waste collections has been a false economy is an understatement, given the colossal extra costs incurred in just three months,” said Mr Farquhar. “Along with the embarrassing reduction in recycling, it is an outcome which everyone except the council could have predicted.

“I think the council has a problem with competency.”

The Stow Community Park group has been formed with the intention of creating a destination park for the whole valley to use.

There would be something for all ages, including adults, although the park would be aimed mainly at older children.

Residents are uphappy with the current playpark in Stow and gathered there to highlight how poor they feel the facilities are for youngsters aged over five.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the group, or who wants more information, should contact stowcommunitypark@gmail.com. A Facebook page will also be set up.

Photograph: phil wilkinson

Pictured are Kiaya and Leiland Hume with the Christmas torches.

Scottish Borders Council could lose nearly £600,000 a year for essential services if a controversial plan to hive off its road maintenance services goes ahead.

The proposal – which would include winter gritting – would see council roads staff, including the 60 employed by successful trading organisation SB Contracts, along with plant and equipment, transfer to a new limited liability partnership (LLP) run and owned jointly by SBC and the five councils which cover Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife.

The cost-saving suggestion has come from the Scottish Government’s Improvement Service (SI) which is committed to “help improve the efficiency, quality and accountability of public services in Scotland”. 
But a senior officer at SBC has warned of the pitfalls of such a scenario.

In a briefing to last week’s meeting of the environment and infrastructure committee, commercial services director Andrew Drummond-Hunt said SB Contracts had a turnover of £11million last year and recorded a surplus of £584,000.

“This went into the coffers of the council to pay for services like social work and education,” he explained. “With a new Edinburgh, Lothians, Borders and Fife [ELBF] organisation, this could be put at risk.”

He admitted that SBC and the five other ELBF councils had many services in common, including road repairs, traffic light maintenance, surface treatment, flood risk management and rock salt gritting.

Advantages for councils of being part of – and jointly owning – an LLP which will formalise existing collaborative arrangements would include being able to award each other work and pursue joint procurements.

But he cautioned that SBC was already a special case because SB Contracts, which carries out the bulk of road repairs in the region and provides plant for winter maintenance, was the only arms-length trading organisation of its kind in the ELBF area.

He said income for other council services was expected to be further boosted as
 a result of SB Contracts signing a major sub-contractual deal this year with Amey for the maintenance of trunk roads.

He believed there was a risk to both the trading division and the council’s winter maintenance service if there was the “disaggregation” explicit in the ELBF proposal, and suggested a better option would be for SB Contracts to form its own LLP which would be “better placed to exploit wider contracting opportunities.”

Mr Drummond-Hunt agreed to prepare a detailed report on the full implications of the ELBF proposal for a meeting of SBC’s executive in the new year.

A council spokesperson said later: “The discussions at a regional level regarding an ELBF LLP are still at a very early stage and any decision will need to be taken by the full council.”

Sorry to bang on about Chrimbo (yet again), but this week I got one (I say one – and as I have been good this year I am living in hope that there will be many, many more goodies coming my way) of my Chrimbo prezzies.

This one has come early as, after many years of loyal service, my laptop has died. Well, not so much died as ground to a halt. And as about 50 per cent of its keys have packed in, including most of the vowels, it has become impossible to write anything.

However, they would have to go far to beat this one. It is the oddly-named Hudl 2 (yes, there was a Hudl 1, although it was just called a Hudl).

You may have heard of it – the Tesco tablet. It costs £129, comes with lots of apps (ooooh, get me with my apps), front and back facing cameras (though, admittedly, these are not its strong point, I think I will stick to my iPhone for that), and is soooooo easy to use.

I have set up my free, web-based Microsoft Word equivalent on it, and here I am, tapping away like Ernest Hemingway.

Actually, Papa didn’t used to tap away, Mr E informs me. He’s a big Hemingway fan and says sometimes Papa would spend about six months on one sentence (that might be a bit of an exaggeration on my part).

Anyhoo, it’s a great wee thing and I’m loving it.

The only drawback so far is that, being a Tescopoly product, it is equipped to play Jedi mind games with you and pull you over to the dark side of shopping from your local Teutonic discount supermarket to Tescopolis, mightiest of all supermarkets.

Even so, I (a person hugely suspicious of Tesco’s – mwah-hah-hah – evil plans to take over shopping on a galactic scale) have to admit that the Tesco-ified content is waaaaaay over on the left-swipe screen and all the good stuff (in my humble opinion)

is over on the right screens.

However, if you happen to be reading my shopping list just now, I have swiped the wrong way and I take that all back.

But to the point of this column, which was not just a big gloat about my lovely, early Chrimbo present, but the name – Hudl. Certainly, the entire family has been trying to Hudl round it to nosey at what I’ve been doing.

I suppose Hudl is like cuddle and so quite a nice, cosy word. At least it shows some imagination in the hi-tech gadget naming department. You can’t libel the dead, though I wouldn’t put it past the
 deceased – but litigious – Mr Jobs to still be on the ball.
But fans of fruit-based technology, you’ll know what I mean. Mind, there’s Amazon’s Kindle (the suggestion being that you should burn your books and use an e-reader?), and the Nokia Lumia phone. (Lumia? Do you need it to make phone calls on, or to light your way to the car on a dark, winter’s eve?)

When I was a nipper, tab was what you called cigarettes.Suddenly, Hudl doesn’t sound so odd.

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. The first snow flurries of the winter arrived on Sunday while I was out and about doing my monthly duck count. I was at the extremely high and exposed site of Lindean Reservoir when they arrived and the accompanying wind cut like a knife.

There was very little on the water to trouble my mathematics – only three swans and two mallards, so my attention wandered elsewhere.

I couldn’t help noticing that loads of new nest boxes had appeared since my last visit a month ago. With there being few mature trees round the loch with suitable nest holes, it was good to see the Ranger Service providing places for hole-nesting birds to take up residence. It wasn’t just birds that were being catered for, as I also noticed several bat boxes too. These differ from the avian variety in that they have no obvious entry holes and they are usually erected in clusters around the tree trunks. As well as the usual tit boxes, I also noticed a much bigger owl box, so they too are being catered for.

While wandering through the woodland looking at the new boxes, I also came upon an older one which had been put up previously. This particular one was a tit box, but the hole had been enlarged to almost the size of a tennis ball. The rim of the hole was jagged and had been made bigger for a purpose. This was the work of the great spotted woodpecker – not to make a nest for itself, but to get at and eat the tit chicks which were inside. Most people are unaware that this species of woodpecker does not just eat wood-boring grubs, but in the nesting season can be a voracious predator on the chicks of other species. If you have a nest box in your garden and want to avoid it looking like the one pictured here, a metal plate round the entrance hole is the answer.

For me, one of the first signs of approaching Christmas is not the strains of festive songs in the shops or the arrival of cream eggs in the petrol stations, but the sound of the annual Borders Bird Report dropping through my letterbox. It duly arrived last week. It seems to get bigger and better every year and would make the perfect gift for the birder in your life. Simply send a cheque for £8.70, made payable to “SOC Borders Branch” to Malcolm Ross, Westfield Cottage, Smailholm, Kelso TD5 7PN, along with your name and address and that’s another present problem solved!

The chairman of the local health board has moved to allay fears over the future of the region’s four community hospitals – in Peebles, Kelso, Hawick and Duns.

John Raine alluded to last month’s annual review meeting of NHS Borders, at which medical director Dr Sheila MacDonald highlighted the need to review all clinical services, including the four hospitals.

Mr Raine said on Tuesday: “Regrettably, Dr MacDonald’s comments have been misinterpreted as an intention to close hospitals.

“We know our community hospitals are highly regarded, but the review will need to look at the way all our in-patient services are used and how the hospitals work as part of the whole system of healthcare alongside other health and social care services in the community.

“Eventually, we hope to have reviewed all our clinical services to ensure we are making best use of resources, as well as opportunities for improvement. The board can give a categorical assurance that any changes would be widely consulted upon.”

Mr Raine said a report on how the wider review will be taken forward, starting with the hospitals, will be considered by the board in February.

He went on: “This will include effective engagement with the public, staff and other stakeholders, along with timescales for the programme.

“All public service organisations need periodically to review the way they deliver services and we are no exception. We have budget pressures which mean we must continue to make efficiency savings, but the fact is we are given substantial sums of public money and we need to be assured we are using our resources in the best possible way for those we serve.”

Mr Raine added: “People across the UK are living longer and life expectancy in the Borders is the highest in Scotland.

“With an increasing elderly population, the availability of new technology and better treatments and medicines is to be welcomed.

“But nonetheless, these represent challenges at a time of public funding constraint and we need to carefully consider whether the way our services are delivered should be adapted, and indeed improved, particularly in terms of accessibility and equity.”

An online petition against any closures was launched on Saturday by Michael Grieve from Hawick and by Wednesday morning had attracted 1,776 signatures.

It states: “They (cottage hospitals) are not just buildings, they are living entities. They breath life back into our communities.”

There’s a wry saying applicable to politics that if you’re not confused you don’t know what’s going on. It can seldom have been more true than when talking about how changes to Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will affect farmers in the next five years.

More than 90 per cent of Scotland’s farmers have already had an example of how little they know. Their annual single farm payment was made at the beginning of December, which was good news, but they found it down by an unexpected average of 12 per cent on the previous year.

That can only get worse. Advisers of all types and NFU Scotland are trying to explain how much further that payment might fall each year to 2019/20, but at most meetings the specialists have been forced to admit there are many questions they can’t answer. There are so many uncertainties.

For every individual farm the answer will depend on whether land has been re-classified, if correct areas have been allocated, what they do to comply with “greening” regulations, what national totals are … and on, and on.

It’s all a classic example of a quote I saw recently in connection with something else: “Extra regulation can drive protection, but it also drives incompetence, bureaucracy and obfuscation.”

The speaker was referring to new rules for lawyers in England, but what he went on to say almost exactly describes changes to the CAP: “Where you have lots of detailed rules it often means that compliance officers don’t actually know where they stand and what’s permissible.”

In simple terms it means that the penalty for receiving support payments is an ever-tightening screw. Rules become increasingly complicated, qualification more difficult and payments less. If George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, thinks he has problems, said one farmer after last week’s autumn budget statement, “he should try being a farmer”.

Or a Scottish landowner or owner-occupier farmer as the Scottish SNP Government tightens another screw – that on land ownership.

Who owns what in Scotland has excercised many minds with even the most determined of them, such as Andy Wightman, failing to come up with a complete answer. What we do know is that a few hundred people own most of Scotland and it has long been SNP policy to do something about that.

Legislation is also being planned on the law of primogeniture, that one where the oldest male heir gets the land.

Changing that can’t be bad, although critics have pointed to the Code Napoleon in France where, at death, land is evenly divided among heirs until everyone ends up with a window box.

For the best account of how disposal of a few acres can lead to unleashing of the worst in human nature, read Emile Zola’s The Earth, or consider any farming family fall-out near you in the past few years.

Organisers of The Land The Light The Locals festival have confirmed a packed programme of concerts, sessions and the Hogmanay ceilidh which takes centre stage.

The festival begins on Monday, December 29 with the main concert in Denholm Village Hall featuring one of the UK’s top acts, The New Rope String Band. Their combination of excellent musicianship and side-splitting humour make them one of the most entertaining bands around, and people are still talking about their last visit here in 2012.

The following day the first traditional music session will be held at The Gordon Arms Hotel in the Yarrow Valley, while the evening event is a special Hawick Sings concert in the town’s Burns Club, where money will be raised for local charities.

On Auld Year’s Day the venue for the afternoon session is the Royal Hotel in Jedburgh.

This is followed in the evening by the Hogmanay Ceilidh through the bells at Denholm Primary School, with music provided by the very popular Blackthorne Ceilidh Band.

On New Year’s Day there is a walk organised for those
 needing to blow away the cobwebs.

Then it’s off to Ashkirk Village Hall in the company of Selkirk’s own John Nichol and Hilary Bell who will be hosting a Herds’ Supper in their own very entertaining way.

The day is finished off by a session in The Fox and Hounds Inn at Denholm.

The final day sees the farewell session held in the Denholm Meet, with a survivors’ concert by local favourites Real Time featuring Eilidh Grant in The George and Abbotsford Hotel at Melrose rounding off this five day event.

Full details of the festival can be obtained by visiting www.thelandthelightthelocals.com, or by calling 01450 870664.

Tickets for the ceilidh are also available online at www.borderevents.com/boxoffice

For some reason I don’t really do what is now universally known as social media. That’s Facebook and Twitter and various other cyber-space methods of communicating with people.

I do have Facebook and Twitter accounts, and I think – think – I am hooked up to something called Linkedin. And I do, a couple of times a day, take a peek at Facebook and Twitter and discover that Kenny has parked his lorry at some transport cafe for the night and that Helen has dropped the kids of at school and is off for a walk. Oh, and Fiona has posted a photo of her roast beef lunch at a wonderful wee restaurant she has just discovered and is recommending it to all and sundry.

I don’t have a computer at home. I used to have one that I inherited from my wee sister when she upgraded from a steam-driven version to one powered by electricity. That gave up the ghost and has joined a great variety of not-working or surplus items in my over crowded loft. I’ll clamber up soon and rescue my Christmas tree lights, but once again turn a blind eye to the great gathering of items from my past.

My electronic wizardry is almost solely confined to my work computer and mobile phone. Mobiles actually, because I have two – my own trusty Blackberry and a complicated device provided by my bosses. I confess that I do not get the best out of either.

Call me old-fashioned. Call me a fuddy-duddy. But to me, phones are for phoning and receiving calls from people. I can do voicemail, text and the odd email from my devices. But I have never knowingly downloaded an app. I say knowingly, because there a few things on my phones that I can’t explain. I have taken a few pictures and a shaky video of my garden shed, which I proudly erected all on my own. I took another picture when it fell down.

But I return to Facebook and Twitter. I have been in the world of journalism for a couple of years just short of half a century. In journalism the word – written or broadcast – can get a journalist into a lot of bother. Sometimes costly bother. That’s why we have rules, regulations, guidelines and laws that bind us. They protect us and they protect the public.

Social media is a nightmare.

There are ample examples of comments appearing that would have had a journalist and their editor in court. Rape victims identified and parents have learned of the death of their son or daughter.

That’s why I welcome the news last week that the Lord Advocate and his prosecutors will take a hard line on those who abuse social media. It is here and it is here to stay. But it must be used responsibly.

The professional charged with ensuring Galashiels fully exploits the opportunities presented by the railway met with the town’s business leaders this week.

Steve Revell has been appointed by Scottish Borders Council to the two-year post of town centre co-ordinator, and will be based within the economic development department at Newtown.

Mr Revell was at the Burgh Chambers in Galashiels on Monday evening to discuss his role with Energise Galashiels, the business and community pressure group set up in September – a year before the first trains start running.

And his job description matches many of the aspirations of that ad hoc voluntary organisation: to revitalise a town centre blighted by empty shops, to market the town to visitors and new businesses, to promote events and to explore the possibility of Galashiels becoming a Business Improvement District.

According to SBC, Mr Revell has worked in local government for 20 years in the field of regeneration and economic development, including in rural areas in Northumberland and Cumbria.

He has also had experience of maximising the potential of the Robin Hood rail link for communities in Nottinghamshire.

“I’m excited to take on this post at an important time for Galashiels,” said Mr Revell.

“Local businesspeople and residents have taken the initiative and created their own group to look at town centre improvements and I look forward to working with them, and others, to deliver their vision.

“I will also be working with the council’s economic development team and hope that by working in partnership, the council and the community can make a real difference to Galashiels town centre.”

Meanwhile, Energise Galashiels chairman, Councillor Bill White, (Galashiels & District) has announced the appointment of a themed leadership team.

These leaders include Salmon Inn publican Helen Calder (volunteer resources), architect Dave Armtrong (improving the look of the town centre), ex-SBC planning officer Johnny Gray (events) and retired businessman Mike Gray who will spearhead a long-term masterplan for the town.

Councillor White revealed that talks had already taken place between the group and the owner of the Douglas Bridge retail development, a key pedestrian gateway from the new transport interchange which has several empty units.

Energise Galashiels will also include input from the community council and the joint public/SBC road improvement group.

There is a wry saying applicable to politics that if you’re not confused you don’t know what’s going on.

It can seldom have been more true than when talking about how changes to Europe’s common agricultural policy (CAP) will affect farmers in the next five years. More than 90% of Scotland’s farmers have already had an example of how little they know. Their annual single farm payment was made at the beginning of December, which was good news, but they found it down by an unexpected average of 12% on the previous year.

That can only get worse. Advisers of all types and NFU Scotland are trying to explain how much further that payment might fall each year to 2019/20, but at most meetings the specialists have been forced to admit there are many questions they can’t answer. There are so many uncertainties. For every individual farm the answer will depend on whether land has been re-classified, if correct areas have been allocated, what they do to comply with “greening” regulations, what national totals are … and on, and on.

It’s all a classic example of a quote I saw recently in connection with something else: “Extra regulation can drive protection, but it also drives incompetence, bureaucracy and obfuscation.” The speaker was referring to new rules for lawyers in England, but what he went on to say almost exactly describes changes to the CAP: “ Where you have lots of detailed rules it often means that compliance officers don’t actually know where they stand and what’s permissible.”

In simple terms it means that the penalty for receiving support payments is an ever-tightening screw. Rules become increasingly complicated, qualification more difficult and payments less. If George Osborne, chancellor of the exchequer, thinks he has problems said one farmer after last week’s autumn budget statement, “he should try being a farmer.”

Or a Scottish landowner or owner-occupier farmer as the Scottish SNP government tightens another screw, that on land ownership. Who owns what in Scotland has excercised many minds with even the most determined of them, such as Andy Wightman, failing to come up with a complete answer. What we do know is that a few hundred people own most of Scotland and it has long been SNP policy to do something about that.

Legislation is also being planned on the law of primogeniture, that one where the oldest male heir gets the land. Changing that can’t be bad, although critics have pointed to the Code Napoleon in France where at death land is evenly divided among heirs until at last everyone ends up with a window box. For the best account of how disposal of a few acres can lead to unleashing of the worst in human nature read Emile Zola’s ‘The Earth’. or consider any farming family fall-out near you in the past few years.

A young Kelso podiatrist has set up business in a beauty salon in the town.

Twenty-two-year-old Joanna Allan, BSc (Hons) Podiatry MChS (Member of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists) is diagnosing and treating conditions in the foot and lower limb from the Beautiful Truth salon on Saturdays.

Joanna said: “Podiatry is a fascinating science which affects the whole body.

“Knowing I am helping to improve someone’s quality of life makes my job hugely satisfying. As they say ‘if your feet are sore, you’re all sore’.”

Joanna studied for four years to become a podiatrist at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, qualifying in 2013 and gaining her first-class honours earlier this year.

She said:“I have experience working in the public sector for NHS Lothian, and I also worked in Alnwick within the private sector.

“I have treated patients from the age of six to 92, male and female. There really can be a need for a podiatrist at any age.

“Younger clients tend to present with conditions such as ingrown toenails, verrucae and sporting injuries, whereas patients over the age of 60 generally have needs concerning corns and thickened nails.

“Their needs can extend to complications caused by gout and arthritis – changes which can cause pain throughout the lower limb.

“In addition, there are many people who present with fungal nails and generalised foot pain, originating from tendons, muscles, nerves or bones.

“My practice covers treatments from nail cuts to nail removal surgery, from footwear advice to orthotic prescriptions and much more.

“And I am HCPC (Health Care and Professions Council) registered and a member of the Chiropodists and Podiatrists Society. This is to ensure I practice safely, within my scope of practice and I am up to date with current procedure.”

Joanna is also available for consultations in the evenings on request, Monday to Friday, and can treat patients in their own homes, including residential homes, throughout the Borders.

For more information visit Joanna Allan Podiatry on Facebook, contact Joanna on 07463 754978 or email her at: joanna.allan@hotmail.co.uk

A veteran had a special visitor on Sunday when Russia’s Consul General in Scotland presented him with the Ushakov Medal for valour, toasting him with shots of vodka.

Selkirk’s Bill Laing, a navy torpedo bomber pilot, was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross in 1944, and a Campaign Medal 69 years later in 2013, for sinking a Nazi U-boat while shepherding Britain’s Arctic convoys, which supplied the beleagured Soviet Union with food and weapons during the Second World War, from 1941-45.

Lt Laing’s frozen run from Scotland to Russia was the first one not to lose a merchant ship to German attack, but 3,000 died in what Churchill called “suicide” missions.

Seventy years on, Russia arrived in Selkirk to say thanks.

The retired minister, who turns 92 tomorrow (Friday), greeted Andrey Pritsepov and officials in flawless Russian: “Greetings comrades, I am delighted to see you.”

Mr Pritsepov praised it as “perfect – without accent”.

Mr Laing, whose frailty forced him to forego a ceremony in Edinburgh, sat in his family home of 50 years beside his wife Sheila, sister Jean, sons Iain and Peter, and grandchildren as Mr Pritsepov began the ceremony.

“On behalf of the Russian president, and the people of Russia, I’m privileged and honoured to present to you with the highly-esteemed Russian military award, Ushakov Medal, for your personal valour and bravery shown in combat on the Arctic convoys during the Second World War.

“Wear this medal with pride and dignity. This is only a tiny bit of our debt to you as a war veteran, and you should always remember that in Russia, you are considered a war hero.”

Moved by the presentation, Mr Laing replied: “That’s a very kind statement. I am highly honoured. Thank you very much for your thoughtfulness and effort.

“I can’t claim to have been very brave, but other people were.”

Mr Pritsepov then presented a bell in memory of the visit. “How kind,” Mr Laing said. “I am going to use this to tell my wife I wish to speak to her!”

The consul added: “There is a very old Russian tradition to celebrate with a dram of vodka. Na Zdorovie –good health!”

Octogenarian Jean was curious:“I’ve never tried vodka.”Iain replied: “This should be interesting. You’re meant to down it in one.”

The Scottish Borders Manufacturers’ Corporation (SBMC) held its 229th Michaelmas Dinner at The Townhouse Hotel, Melrose.

Guest Speakers were Mr William Dowson (Scottish agent for the Bank of England), The Right Honourable Michael Moore MP and Mr Guy Learmonth (local 800m Commonwealth finalist – who finished sixth, the
 highest placed British athlete).

The dinner was well attended and £1,145 was raised on the evening for The Lavender Touch, the SBMC 2014 nominated charity.

The organisers thanked the staff at The Townhouse for an excellent meal and great hospitality.

The Scottish Borders Manufacturers’ Corporation was founded in 1776 and is the oldest organisation of its type in the UK. Its principal aim is the encouragement and promotion of trade and commerce within the Borders.

This is carried out informally through social networking, and fostering links with other trade 
bodies. If you would like to learn more about the corporation please visit www.scotbor-mc.co.uk/contact.html

A celebration was put together by Borders Voluntary Older People’s Services charity in Jedburgh for senior citizens to mark St Andrew’s Day and Christmas.

Four coaches from across the Borders transported some 200 guests to Springwood Hall on the outskirts of Kelso for an afternoon of fun and entertainment provided by Hawick Scout Pipe Band, Ward Irish Dancers, the Spirit of Scotland duo, Harry Macfadyen and Ray Carse (one of the Tartan Lads) and Ian Buchanan.

Santa was also present to help get everyone into the festive mood.

Transport to the coaches (and some to the event) was provided by the organisation’s network of volunteers.

Many of those attending rarely get the opportunity for a day out, but they were all singing on the coaches on their return journeys following a festive lunch.

Volunteers are always welcome and anyone who can spare a few hours a month should phone 01835 862565.

Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team have kicked off a project to raise funds for a new state-of-the-art incident control vehicle.

The initiative will see the existing 15-year-old truck retired and replaced with a new vehicle which will be more reliable and equipped with technology such as a satellite data connection, touch- screen computers for search planning and the most up-to- date communications equipment.

The new vehicle is likely to cost in the region of £60,000 which will need to be raised through fundraising efforts.

The team are starting their festive fundraising by asking members of the public to buy them a ‘virtual pint’ via a donation on the team’s Virgin Money Giving page.

Volunteer and deputy team leader Dave Wright said: “Raising funds for a state-of-the-art incident control vehicle will be a challenging project and will take a number of months to complete.

“We thought that asking members of the public to donate the cost of a pint at the start of the Festive period was a good way to kick off the fund raising.”

The link to the teams fundraising page can be found here at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/finalCharityHomepage.action?charityId=1005371

Tweed Valley MRT have 40 team members who are unpaid but very highly trained volunteers, on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to offer assistance to lost or injured people in mountainous or remote areas.

For more information or to find out how you can support Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team please log onto www.tweedvalleymrt.org.uk

Tweed Valley MRT covers West Lothian, Mid-Lothian, City of Edinburgh and the Borders area to the West of the A68.