PEEBLES has moved a step closer to cementing its place in a Borders-wide project to improve a community’s response during an emergency.

Organisers’ hopes of having the initiative up and running in time for next winter have been boosted after receiving backing from the town’s Community Council.

“We needed the backing of the community council as it has to go through them if we are to get insurance for the volunteers,” said co-ordinator John Swanson.

More than 20 communities are already fully signed up members of the Resilience Community initiative being promoted by Scottish Borders Council and Peebles is among another 31 hoping to join.

SBC officer Jim Fraser told a meeting of Peebles Community Council that the scheme had begun in 2011 but he said: “Some of the bigger community councils are having problems organising it all and we are going to hold a meeting to help them.

“We have been working with John and his band of merry men in Peebles and it will be a mainstream project.” The idea of the project is to set up a network of volunteers who will be on call to respond to emergencies such as severe weather, fire and power failure as well as assisting members of the community on a smaller scale.

Mr Fraser said: “Peebles came close to being flooded last year and there was a great response from the community - that’s what it’s all about.

“This initiative is seen as one of the best in the UK and there is some funding assistance from the Scottish Government.

“The idea is to put all the volunteers into the system and then we can alert them to what is going on.

“In Walkerburn they have 60 involved and they are asking us for support - we do have the odd training night but it’s more that we are there if needed.” Mr Swanson is hoping to recruit at least 100 volunteers for Peebles and split the town into several areas with each one having its own co-ordinator. “It will be a case of doing everything you can for any neighbours who need help,” he said.