SCOTTISH Borders Council leader David Parker has denied trying to scupper a petition calling for kerbside garden waste collections, which were scrapped in April, to be re-instated.

As revealed in these columns last week, on the advice of Mr Parker, an extensive briefing note, stressing the financial implications of the service being restored and dismissing recent media reports as “misleading”, was circulated to senior councillors in his ruling administration.

And after the document was leaked to the press, it was emailed to all 34-elected members.

This week, Mr Parker hit back at claims this had been a deliberate attempt to thwart a petition, raised by former Hawick councillor Andrew Farquhuar and due to be considered by SBC’s petitions committee later this year.

Mr Parker told the Border Telegraph: “The fact is that a few weeks ago, information was put in the public domain which was inaccurate and misleading.

“I asked for the briefing to be prepared in response to various press articles and to provide information to members to allow them to answer any questions raised.

“I am quite relaxed about the petition, and if elected members agree to reinstate the green waste collections and prioritise the funding for it, then that would be a perfectly legitimate democratic decision.”