COUCNILLORS are "fully committed" to delivering on plans for a new care village.

At a full meeting of Scottish Borders Council (SBC) today (September 28) councillors were given a full project update for the Dutch-style care village in Tweedbank.

Last week the Border Telegraph reported that council officers were set to tell councillors that it would not be possible to "deliver the vision for the build that was envisaged by council in 2020 within the current agreed capital budget" - owing to rising costs.

In today's update councillors heard that the Stage 3 Costing report outlined that the development of the care village would come with a "significant financial impact".

Although a capital budget was agreed by council in March 2020, due to high inflation the cost of the building work is now estimated at £19.3million, adding a budget pressure of around £4.6million.

Councillor David Parker, Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “The budgetary pressures outlined in this report are being experienced not only across all projects in our Capital Investment Plan and by other local authorities across Scotland.

“Nevertheless, the care village remains a strategic Council priority and I welcome the agreement we have been given to proceed through the procurement and market testing process, following which we will have a firmer indication of what the final capital costs are likely to be.

“We recently held two well attended engagement sessions where people were given sight of the outline plans for the development. These were extremely well received with some very positive feedback given.

"We remain fully committed to delivering on these plans for the people of the central Borders, and I have every confidence that officers and partners working on the project will do all they can to ensure our vision is delivered in a way that also provides us with the best value for money.”

In a bid to mitigate the climbing costs council today agreed to proceed with the development to the procurement phase and obtain an agreed contract cost.

SBC will later receive a further report once formal planninig, detailed designing and procurement processes have all been completed.

A full business case for the care village is expected to be presented to councillors in spring next year.