News & Events
Local News and Events
A702 Biggar Town Centre Traffic Signal Installation Works
BEAR Scotland, acting on behalf of Transport Scotland, is planning to undertake essential civils works for the installation of traffic signals on the A702 in Biggar Town Centre between Park Place and Station Road.
Please click here to find the enclosed location plan for clarity.
The works have been provisionally programmed to start on Monday 16th February 2026 for a duration of 40 days, with work taking place between the hours of 06:00 and 18:00 each day. This includes Saturdays and Sundays.
To ensure the safety of the workforce and the public it is necessary to utilise temporary four-way traffic signals with designated temporary pedestrian crossings between Park Place and Station Road throughout the duration of the works.
Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times, and all traffic management will remain in place out with working hours.
If you require any further information on any of the proposed works please do not hesitate to contact Alexander Bell by email at SEConsultationroads@bearscotland.co.uk.
Explore the South of Scotland Magazine
The latest issue of Explore the South of Scotland Magazine is now available.
To view the magazine, please click here.
Issue 17 is packed with information and events taking place in the next few months in our great region.
Early Learning and Childcare Provision Parental Survey
Overview
Local Authorities in Scotland must gather feedback from parents/carers at least once every 2 years, to support their planning for the delivery of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC).
In Scottish Borders, ELC is provided in local authority (school) nurseries, private and voluntary nurseries, and Childminders.
All 3 and 4 year olds, and some 2 year olds (those who meet the eligibility criteria), can access up to 1140 hours of funded Early Learning and Childcare, depending on when their birth dates are.
For more information, visit:
Survey
The Provision of Early Learning and Childcare Parental Survey 2026 goes live from 9am on Monday 9 February until Sunday 8 March 2026. The survey will take around 10 minutes to complete and is anonymous.
It is aimed at parents/carers whose children –
- Will access ELC provision in the future
- Those currently accessing ELC provision
- Those who have previously accessed ELC provision. If you are completing the survey as a parent/carer who previously accessed ELC provision, please respond to the questions based on your experience.
Why your views matter
The aim of this survey is to gather the views of parents/carers to help them improve and support –
- High-quality service
- Flexible service
- Assess service and provision needs
- Identify gaps within the provision
- Plan future provision
What happens next
If you would be willing to be involved in any further discussions relating to this survey, there is a form at the end where you can provide your name and contact e-mail address direct to our Early Years Team.
They have a statutory duty to publish their plan for the delivery of ELC at least once every 2 years. Under section 50(1)(b) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 education authorities must have regard to the views expressed by parents/carers and the views expressed in this survey will help inform the Council’s Plan.
The resulting data will be collated by the partner agency, The Improvement Service, and the analysis shared securely with them. By completing this survey, you agree to the collection and sharing of your anonymous responses as outlined above. When you submit this form, it will not automatically collect your details like name and email address unless you provide it yourself.
If you have any questions, please contact the Councils Early Years Team at; earlyyearsteamed@scotborders.gov.uk or on 01835 824000.
Information in this survey will be dealt with in accordance with their Data Protection Policy. To find out what they do with your information, view our Privacy Notice.
To view and or download the PDF version of the Early Learning and Childcare poster, please click here.
Spotting Scams
Community Police Constable PC Beaumont provided copies of Dot Magazine to Skirling Community Council in their last meeting. Dot Magazine is digital education to help people feel smart, safe and connected – with lots of information to improve everyone’s digital wellbeing.
Click here for a scan of a really useful article about Spotting Scams.
Copies of the magazine can be found in the village hall foyer.
Support for your Families
The Wise Group offers two support services with no waiting lists, providing immediate help to families and individuals as the cost of living and energy bills rise. They work across Inverclyde, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire, and the Scottish Borders, offering one-to-one support to help people stay financially stable and warm.
Relational Mentoring is for households with children and provides face-to-face mentoring to support families with budgeting and income maximisation, energy advice and advocacy, mental health and wellbeing, employability support, access to training and workshops, and linking with other suitable services. There must be children in the near or extended household. Click here to take you to the application form.
HEAT (Home Energy Advice Team) is for anyone who pays an energy bill and is struggling with energy-related issues. It offers support with energy crises and advocacy, energy-saving advice, income maximisation, energy efficiency guidance, and debt management. Click here to take you to the application form.
Please click on the headings for links to the relevant flyers.
Public Consultations
Please click on the relevant links to read about, and take part, in these current public consultations:
South of Scotland Standard for Community Benefits Consultation
A public consultation on proposals to create a South of Scotland Standard for Community Benefits from onshore wind has been launched by South of Scotland Enterprise.
The consultation is part of the Better Benefit project, which seeks to ensure communities consistently receive the highest standard of community benefit from renewable energy developments.
The aim is to encourage the adoption of best practice as the norm across every community in Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders.
Click here for more information and to take part.
Safeguarding Scotland’s Water Environment
SEPA has launched a public consultation, Safeguarding Scotland’s Water Environment, about what it calls Significant Water Management Issues – issues that are having a significant adverse impact on the condition of the water environment and that it seeks to tackle.
Skirling 750
The one-day Skirling 750 exhibition in Skirling Village Hall on Saturday 26th October celebrated 750 years of the village’s history. From 10 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, a steady stream of visitors came through the doors. Residents, former residents, and visitors alike wrote in the comments book of their astonishment at how much history lies within one small village. The event was organized by Bob and Isobel Hunter and funding came from the SSE Clyde Wind Farm via the Skirling Community Development Trust.
An Evening to Remember
In the evening, a good crowd gathered to enjoy refreshments and to listen to brothers George and Charlie Wheeler-Carmichael share stories of growing up in Skirling House. Afterwards, visitors lingered among the displays, exchanging memories and anecdotes of village life.
Looking Ahead
It was a grand day. Although the exhibition in the hall could only last one day, plans are afoot for it to appear at Biggar Museum—possibly as soon as December—giving many more people the chance to discover the story of this extraordinary little village and its people. It is also envisaged that a visual record of the event and some of its exhibits will be available online as part of an eco-museum.
More Details
Click here for the full write up, and for more images, please visit our gallery.
Biggar Medical Practice Patient Group
We welcome views from patients about your experience of the practice and also other NHS and social care services used by you. You can let us know what has worked well and what has not – and how it might be improved. If you would like to give any feedback, please email biggarpatientgroup@outlook.com. Sarah Sinclair is the Chair of the Patient Group, which has membership across the practice area.
If, however, you wish to make a complaint – the practice follows the NHS Complaints Procedure, which we cannot participate in. More details on the complaints procedure can be found below with the practice website link.
The below minutes are also available on the practice website, where there is lots of health information: https://www.biggarmedicalpractice.co.uk/. Under the section About Us/Have Your Say you can find the minutes as well as the NHS Complaints Procedure.
PATIENT GROUP MINUTES: July 2023 | October 2023
Potholes and Road Repairs
To effectively register potholes and road repairs, use the FixMyStreet website or App, which allows you to locate the exact position of the problem and submit a photo. This is then directly submitted to the correct council department and keeps track of when/if the problem is dealt with (including re-contacting the council if nothing is done). A very effective tool.
Regular Skirling Events
These events take place in Skirling Village Hall regularly, everyone is welcome!
Pilates –
Wednesdays from 5pm to 6pm and Thursdays from 6pm to 7pm with Lindy. £7 per person per session. Contact Lindy on 07549 686 116 or by email on pilateswithlindy@gmail.com.
Skirling Lunch –
Every second Thursday in the month from 12pm. £2 per person.
Toddlers –
Toddler group for toddlers and babies now takes place on Mondays from 11am to 12.30pm in Skirling Village Hall. Contact
Katy on 01899 860 252.
Skirling Church –
Service at 11.30am on Sundays. All welcome!