SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL — INVESTIGATION DOSSIER

Published 16 August 2026 • Updated Continually

 THE SAME PATTERN — EVERYWHERE

Our investigation reveals the identical systemic pattern found across five Scottish councils: long-serving councillors hold all power. Reserves down 46%. Debt up £53.3m. Consultancy costs more than doubled. Councillors awarded 50% pay rises while taxes rose 18.6% and services were cut.

  THE JEDBURGH SMOKING GUN

A Carnegie community building advertised at £120,000 — sold for £60,000 to a serving councillor. Fast-tracked, bypassing community rights. No valuation published. No interest declared.

HIDDEN

- £19.5m reserves vanished — no clear breakdown

- £107,500+ sent overseas — while local services cut

- 6+ hidden companies — land & funds flow through them

- Former staff → contractors → £millions in contracts

- Chief Executive 5 years — every metric worsened

- Audit warnings repeated year after year — no improvement

WHAT WE DEMAND

Full transparency. Declarations. Valuations. Answers. Formal requests issued. 20 working days to respond.

The system is not broken. It is being operated this way.