Community Council

Floors, Makerstoun, Nenthorn and Smailholm (FMNS) Community Council covers this area of the Borders.  Not everyone understands what the Community Council does, so we hope the information below will help, and perhaps encourage you to get involved.

The Community Council acts as a channel between local people and Scottish Borders Council (SBC). One or two of the local SBC councillors usually attends our meetings,  bring information and take away problems we want raised.

We are also consulted by SBC directly on such things as planning, and by other public sector bodies such as NHS Borders, Scottish Water, and the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government has plans to increase the role of community councils.

The Community Council has a small annual budget mainly for its running costs but can make small grants to local groups where appropriate. SBC also have budgets for small schemes for improving local environments with things like roadside benches, noticeboards, step and path repairs, etc. Access to these funds is through the Community Council.

If you're interested and want to find out more, come to a Council meeting! Members of the public are very welcome to attend. These are usually held in Makerstoun or Smailholm Village Halls about every three months, although currently they are being held on Zoom. Minutes of meetings and agendas with dates and locations are displayed on the local noticeboards. This website will contain details of forthcoming meetings, and will also provide access to agendas, minutes and other information, such as the community police report.

From April 2023, members of the Community Council are:

Andrew Carter, Makerstoun - Chair

Nicholas Biddulph, Makerstoun

Ian Topping, Nenthorn

David Stark, Nenthorn

Tony Kime, Nenthorn - Secretary

Ian Malcolm, Smailholm

Jane Roberts, Smailholm

Veronica Ross, Smailholm - Vice-chair

The Treasurer is Philip Green, who is not a community council member

The community council website - https://www.fmnscommunitycouncil.co.uk/

Agendas for all meetings will be available shortly before the meeting.  The next meeting of the Community Council, and the AGM, will be Tuesday, 16 January 2024, 7.00 pm., in Smailholm Village Hall, and also via Zoom.