A leader’s tale – 2024 conversations at Scottish Borders Council

There are around 3,000 kilometres of roads managed by Scottish Borders Council. If you were to stretch that road network out, it would take you from Galashiels to Berlin and back again. With a population of over 116,000, how can we truly understand the needs of our unique communities unless we visit them?

I didn’t coin this phrase, but I use it often: “Nobody knows communities better than those living in them.” So, when I became Leader of Scottish Borders Council just over two years ago, I was concerned that there were gaps in our understanding of core issues in each of the region’s communities.

That’s why I initiated community conversations. I travelled around the region with council directors and ward councillors, visiting communities and listening to what mattered to them.

Initially, there was some resistance. Some council officials thought these conversations might be a waste of time and were uncomfortable with being pulled out of council HQ. I remember we even held pre-meetings to prepare for any difficult feedback, almost as if we were being defensive. After the first meeting, I decided to stop attending the pre-meetings. We shouldn’t fear feedback, however challenging it might seem. In fact, we should welcome it, as it helps us understand our communities better.

The issues varied widely across the region. In West Linton, it was public transport; in Eyemouth, 64 miles away, it was seagulls. After a few meetings, one previously sceptical council officer said, “Euan, we’re getting some really good feedback here!” That was a turning point for me, and before I knew it, the first year of community conversations was over.

A year later, we started again. This time, we adapted the format, visiting all nine high schools in the region and speaking to young people, alongside holding community conversations with the general public in the evenings. What struck me during the conversations with young people was their basic knowledge of local government and politics. They had many concerns but were often unaware of how to raise them with anyone other than a teacher. Once they got talking, they raised important issues such as public transport and school vaping. They also showed a strong sense of pride in their schools, towns, and region, which I specifically asked them about. This was an important observation, as we often assume young people feel disconnected from their communities, but it was clear that they had a strong sense of identity and valued the area’s traditions, such as sport and summer festivals.

As we enter 2024, we are now embarking on the third year of these conversations. This year, we’ve evolved the format once more. We’ll have ten rounds of discussions in communities, followed by visits to the nine high schools. Rather than focusing on one-to-one discussions as before, we’re concentrating on group conversations. This evolution reflects our commitment to continuously seek and value the input from people across the region. We lead these conversations in a way that allows us to address both micro issues, like grass cutting, and macro issues, like social care, ensuring that no concern is too small or too big.

The key to these conversations isn’t just listening; it’s acting on what we hear. Since the first year, we’ve used the feedback to shape our council plan and budget. We understand that in times of financial constraints, transformation and change are necessary. However, we should never force change upon a community. Instead, we work with them to shape it. After all, we aren’t here to serve ourselves; we are here to serve our communities. Their needs are our priority, and a conversation can go a long way towards making a difference.