“WE’VE got to turn the fortunes of the Borders round.” That was the clarion call this week from Stuart Bell, executive member for economic development on Scottish Borders Council, after a new report revealed alarmingly low levels of investment in our region by Scottish Enterprise.

A report on the publicly-funded agency’s local activity in 2013/14 makes grim reading and casts into sharp focus the decision to scrap Scottish Enterprise Borders (SEB) which, until 2008, operated from large premises in Bridge Street, Galashiels.

It was one of 12 local enterprise companies abandoned in that year in favour of a single national agency which today has a small regional office in Selkirk.

In its last year of existence, SEB had an annual budget of around £10million with spending determined by a board of directors drawn from the business community.

Using their local knowledge about the aspirations and requirements of businesses in the Borders, economic support was targeted accordingly.

In its last year, SEB’s Business Gateway helped 213 new businesses start up, including 99 run by women.

In stark contrast, according to the new report, just three companies entered the Business Gateway pipeline in 2013/14 – even fewer than the eight which did so the previous year – compared to a Scottish total of 472.

Other SEB achievements prior to its demise included 47 businesses being supported to make better use of IT, 50 new ventures supported in rural areas, 397 individuals taking part in funded occupational training programmes and 76 businesses implementing workforce development. Although the new report does not offer direct comparisons, it indicates that the Borders is languishing far behind other areas.

For instance, 116 businesses in Scotland last year accepted offers of regional selective assistance (RSA) worth £52.6million, creating 4,477 jobs. Not a single RSA grant to create or safeguard jobs was paid out in the Borders.

Scottish Enterprise approved 53 research and development (R&D) grants in Scotland last year, only two of which were in the Borders, while of the 237 Scottish firms which received innovation support grants, just three were based in the region.

The report reveals that Scottish Manufacturing and Advisory Service (SMAS), which provides expert advice, one-to-one support, training and events for manufacturing businesses of all sizes, completed 136 projects in Scotland last year, with only five helping Borders companies.

The Scottish Investment Bank (SIB), which supports the development of Scotland’s small and medium-sized private sector enterprises by giving them access to growth capital, made 158 investments valued at £32.5million last year. Just one of those investments, worth £200,000, came to the Borders.

Finally, the report confirms that 432 contracts, worth £256million, in relation to the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, have been awarded to Scottish companies. Not a single one is based in this region.

Councillor Bell told the Border Telegraph: “It is impossible not to be bitterly disappointed at these figures which represent a low watermark for the neglect, in terms of economic assistance, businesses in this region have suffered since Scottish Enterprise took over.

“On the plus side, the report gives us ammunition to press for a better deal, showing in black and white how much ground we have to make up. We’ve got to turn round the fortunes of the Borders and these statistics can only help our case.” Mr Bell said this week’s report comes on top of similarly bleak investment figures in local companies and jobs recorded by Scottish Enterprise in 2012/13.

“In September last year, this council agreed that Scottish Enterprise was not investing enough in the Borders to help drive forward our economic recovery and wrote in those terms to the Scottish Government.

“We have not just been wringing our hands in despair. Instead we have been doing our utmost to get a better deal for the Borders so we can take full advantage of the railway’s return.” Mr Bell cited the award, earlier this year, of assisted area status to 13 former council wards, including Netherdale and Lower Langlee/Tweedbank.

Subject to Eureopean Union ratification, non-retail businesses which support local jobs and operate or wish to operate within these areas, will, from next month, be eligible to bid for regional aid to help with skills, training and research and development.

Mr Bell said his council, despite having limited resources, had begun offering so-called “intervention assistance” to help more local entrepreneurs enter the Business Gateway pipeline. He thus expected a significant improvement in new start-ups in the current year.

And yesterday (Tuesday), the executive of SBC unanimously approved a strategic programme of projects which will be presented to Scottish finance minister John Swinney for consideration later this month.

The programme features two major Borders investment projects.

The first is for a £5million Central Borders Business Park at Tweedbank to take advantage of the Borders Railway and provide business/office space to accommodate up to 350 jobs over five years. Long term projections suggest up to 2,300 jobs could be catered for as the project progresses. The second project, worth an estimated £5.5million, would see the further development of mountain biking facilities in the region, creating new trails and an electronic uplift in a bid to attract more visitors.