SCOTTISH Borders Council is to give major spending powers to the region’s five area forums.

Around £500,000 will be made available in the next financial year to the bodies representing Tweeddale, Berwickshire, Cheviot, Eildon and Teviot & Liddesdale.

The funding decisions of these forums, which include representation from community councils, will be binding and will not require further ratification by SBC.

Although details of the cash distribution have yet to be clarified, the so-called “participatory budget” scheme was approved at yesterday’s full council meeting.

It had been agreed privately earlier this week by the ruling administration at Newtown after it was confirmed that the local authority is to receive an extra £2.88m in revenue support from the Scottish Government in 2017/18.

Councillors agreed that the bulk of that one-off windfall should be used to mitigate the impact of spending cuts which were drawn up to address a previously announced £8.28m reduction in the annual grant from Holyrood.

It was agreed that a proposal from the administration to cut bus subsidies by £200,000 in the coming year should be scrapped, alongside plans to reduce outdoor education provision.

In addition, a controversial proposal to cut SBC’s annual contribution to Live Borders, which runs libraries, museums, community centres and sports facilities, has been softened by £200,000.

The decision to fund area forums was also enshrined in the revised 2017/18 budget.

“We could have used all the extra resources to make further savings, but instead have opted for something which recognises the pressing need for our local communities to have real democratic power,” said Councillor Stuart Bell (SNP, Tweeddale East)), executive member for economic development.

“It is one of my regrets that in the five years since I was elected many of our 69 community councils are in a fragile state. They feel powerless to effect real change on their patches and perceive area forums as mere talking shops.

“Participatory budgeting is a way for local people to have a direct say in how and where public funds can be used to address local needs.

“It also chimes with the objectives of the Community Empowerment [Scotland] Act to promote and facilitate the participation of members of the public in the decisions and activities of this council – including in the allocation of its resources.

“It is the hope of the administration ahead of the May local elections that by devolving funding decisions in this way, our communities will be more engaged and energised.

“It will be for the new council to decide if it wishes to continue funding the scheme beyond 2017/18.”

As expected, the council yesterday approved increases in Council Tax after a nine year freeze.

The new annual rates, from April 1, are as follows: Band A - £744.35; Band B - £868.40; Band C - £992.46; Band D - £1,116.52; Band E - £1,466.98; Band F - £1,814.35; Band G - £2,186.52; Band H - £2,735.47.