Politics

Residents, community groups and businesses are being given the opportunity to have their say in developing a plan to balance the council’s budget.

Nearly £500,000 in bad debts have been written off by council officers in Midlothian, where the local authority is facing a £7 million shortfall in its budget.

Plans to build houses on greenbelt land alongside a new business park have been lodged with Midlothian Council.

Howgate village Hall was standing room only on Saturday as 50 local people gathered to share their concerns about plans for a major housing development on the derelict Wellington School Site.

Local MSP Christine Grahame has called on Tory front-bencher Michelle Ballantyne to withdraw remarks calling for the Scottish Government to have “nothing to do” with the NHS.

Midlothian South MSP Christine Grahame has written to ScotRail CEO Alex Hynes to invite him to join her on a rush hour service from Tweedbank to Waverley to allow him to see issues first hand, after she again raised the performance of Borders Railway with the First Minister.

The character of an historic village is being “obliterated” by large housing developments, Midlothian’s provost told councillors at a planning meeting last week.

Midlothian Council could become the first local authority in Scotland to publish details of payments it makes which are more than £500.

As the Brexit behemoth stumbles to a halt once again, who are the likely candidates for the top job?

Calls for a roundabout at Leadburn Junction were rejected amid claims there is no evidence it is any worse than any other junction in the county.

Midlothian South MSP Christine Grahame has criticised ScotRail for a lack of workforce planning at Holyrood’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee.

Figures from a new report from Audit Scotland have highlighted significant challenges for Midlothian Council including deprivation and core funding.

The leader of Midlothian Council has been left “profoundly disappointed and frustrated” by last week’s Court of Session decision to dismiss the council’s £12 million legal claim against one of two companies advising on a failed Gorebridge housing development.

Midlothian South MSP Christine Grahame (SNP) has raised recent performance issues on the Borders Railway with the First Minister, calling on Scotrail Abellio to be told it’s “in the last chance saloon”.

Demands for two new bus stops to be built next to a new rural retail unit  on the A68 have been described as “questionable”.

Michelle Ballantyne MSP has written to the Scottish Government’s Transport Secretary asking to meet regarding overcrowding on the Borders Railway.

Danielle Rowley MP is hosting ‘Women’s Matters: Everyday Action’, her second annual women’s conference, next Saturday (March 30) at the National Mining Museum in Newtongrange, 12pm-5pm.