RESIDENTS of six Borders communities are to be given the opportunity to shape what happens in their area.

On Thursday a meeting of the Eildon area Partnership will be held for people in Galashiels, Tweedbank, Melrose, Selkirk, Lauder, Earlston and the surrounding areas.

Councillor Sandy Aitchison, executive member for neighbourhoods and locality services said: "We had our first Area Partnership meeting in Tweeddale the other week and it was big success, with over 50 members of the public in attendance.

“Instead of being a formal council meeting with a strict agenda these are designed to be relaxed with the communities themselves playing a big part in driving the discussion.”

Area partnerships are replacing locality committees and are split into five different parts of the region – Berwickshire, Cheviot, Eildon, Teviot and Liddesdale, and Tweeddale.

These will be informal gatherings where members of the public and community organisations will join local councillors in a conversation about their area.

Councillor Gordon Edgar, chair of the Eildon Area Partnership added: "We're keen to hear what is currently working for people in the Eildon locality, what they like about their area, what we can improve collectively, and what they can offer to help their towns, villages and local communities.

“This first meeting is in Galashiels but they will move around the area over the coming months to give as many people as possible an opportunity to get involved.”

The Eildon meeting will take place on Thursday, January 25 in Galashiels Transport Interchange at 6.30pm.