Fiona Reid

AN appeal has been made for new witnesses from Dumfries and Galloway to come forward for the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI). Its investigations are now focusing on the provision of residential care for children and young people (under 18) in any hospitals in Scotland which provided long term care at any time up to […]

INCREASING school transport costs are putting financial strain on Dumfries and Galloway Council, it has been revealed. An extra £750,000 is needed this year to pay for school transport for pupils with additional support needs (ASN) – and it is feared this bill could rise to closer to £1m. Meanwhile, school/local bus contracts have risen […]

CONCERN has been expressed by an arts group in the region at the news of Creative Scotland’s closure of the Open Fund for Individuals. It has now closed to new applications. And the team at DG Unlimited want to hear from anyone locally that’s affected. They believe the decision will have “far reaching and detrimental […]

RACING pigs were the star attraction at this year’s Moffat Show. They proved particularly popular with the crowds at the Raehills venue last Saturday, with all ages lining up to cheer on their favourite porkers. It was just one of the highlights at a successful, and sunny, show day. Livestock entries were high, the craft […]

PROPOSED changes to the school week in the region have sparked controversy among school staff, parents, and the public. That’s the assertion from public sector union Unison, which has conducted a survey of members to assess their views on council plans to reduce the school week to four and a half days. And Unison has […]

CONCERN has been expressed this week by Dumfriesshire MSP Oliver Mundell at the prospect of a large swathe of Annandale farmland being carpeted in solar panels. He was reacting to news of the proposed giant solar farm scheme by Green Energy International, which would span 3250 acres between Eaglesfield and Gretna Green. Titled Wyseby Hill […]

A NEW Farmhouse in Time exhibition at Ellisland will tells tales of soldiers and thieves who lived in the poet’s house It will be staged in the byre that Burns built and reveal the lives of those who followed him, including doctors and dairymaids. Beyond Burns: Ellisland’s People will preview to the public this weekend […]

NEW pupils who have just started their school education at a Dumfries primary have been decanted into temporary accommodation. And it’s likely that the P1 children at Laurieknowe Primary, along with kids in P2 and P3, will remain in these temporary classrooms for the entire duration of the school term. The issue was raised by […]

TEACHER numbers will likely be cut as a natural consequence of the transformation of the schools estate in Dumfries and Galloway. With school rolls falling drastically and the closure of some rural schools, an inability to meet budget savings targets because of teacher number commitments has now been identified as a risk by education chiefs. […]

SEVEN key projects for the protection and restoration of biodiversity in Dumfries and Galloway have been identified for nearly £250,000 of investment. Council chiefs have drawn up a plan for the six-figure sum of cash to be split among several causes. However, this is all dependent on whether or not funding received from the Scottish […]