CALLERS to Scottish Borders Council’s phone line are being cut off – after being put on hold for 30 minutes, it has emerged.

People calling the 0300 number to access council services have also complained that when they make a request for a call-back no-one ever calls them back.

The matter was one of the issues raised during the local authority’s recent ‘community conversations’ with the Borders public.

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A spokesperson for the council has accepted there is an issue with its phone system, saying: “We recognise this is currently a problem. Many people are frustrated at accessing council services using the 0300 number.

“We are urgently looking at ways in which this can be improved, including accessing council services using the council’s website are being developed.

“The capacity of systems underpinning the 0300 number is a known problem which is being addressed by CGI.”