Peebles Community Council called for Live Borders funding to be restored to sustainable levels and an end to the threats to sporting and cultural services after considering a report into the "Joint Transformation" of Live Borders at its 12 June meeting.

A relentless series of escalating cost cutting saw SBC effectively halve payments in real terms to Live Borders since 2016, SBC data show (fig. 1).

The blue trend shows the shortfall between actual SBC payments to Live Borders (grey) vs payments needed to keep up with inflation (coloured) – with 2024 payments half that of 2016.

1. Live Borders funding 2016–24

However, funding from Scottish Government to the 32 local councils in Scotland remained flat (fig. 2), with average culture & leisure cuts less than half the level of SBC cuts to Live Borders.

In order to protect much needed services, Peebles Community Council calls for:

• Funding to be restored to a sustainable level
• A halt to threats to privatise, transfer or transform sporting and cultural venues
• Scrapping of the current Live Borders consultation, which is attracting high levels of criticism
• Meaningful engagement with the public on SBC's full transformation agenda.

2. Govt funding to councils stable

Live Borders was set up by SBC in order to ensure that they meet their obligations under the legislation to provide adequate facilities for recreational, sporting, cultural and social activities. That obligation rests with SBC and cannot be farmed out. Consequently, SBC have a duty of care for the oversight of Live Borders.

PCC's view is that our community should not be punished by cuts to much needed services, with any pain spread across SBC's entire £344m budget.

Read the full PCC Briefing.

Submit comments to SBC's consultation.