SCOTTISH Borders Council’s SNP-led opposition is demanding answers about the authority’s preparation for Brexit.

Leader of the opposition, Tweeddale East councillor Stuart Bell, is seeking assurance from council chiefs that their much-touted ‘Brexit response team’ will be presenting their findings to councillors in the near future.

The team, drawn from the council’s own officers, was set up in January 2017 with a view to negating the short-term financial impacts of Brexit.

At Thursday’s meeting of Scottish Borders Council, councillor Bell will ask council leader Shona Haslam: “A Brexit response team was set up by this council 21 months ago but since then we have heard nothing from them.  

“Other Scottish local authorities have established similar Brexit teams and, to name but three, those in Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh have reported in the last few months to elected members on their work.

“Our council has been specifically advised by Audit Scotland to closely monitor Brexit developments and to have plans in place to mitigate any emerging operational risks.   

“I am led to believe the lack of any reporting to this body was discussed at full council last month, but no commitment on a definite timescale to report back was minuted.  

“What actions have you taken to ensure the timely presentation of a report, even an interim report, by the Brexit response team to this council?”

Council chiefs have been quizzed on the impacts of Brexit on the Scottish Borders before.

Most recently, the council’s executive members were asked about the potential effects on Berwickshire’s fishing industry, and the impending loss of EU rural funding.

However, the council has largely responded by saying that until the terms and impact of Brexit are known then the response team cannot comment on the effects on the wider Borders economy.

Ahead of the full council meeting, councillor Bell said: “Brexit uncertainties continue and public anxiety grows as the deadline for leaving Europe looms.  

“The council and the Borders public need to hear from this group. We need to hear about the potential opportunities from Brexit and the risks and mitigation measures which our council and partners should be taking to ensure the prosperity of the Borders economy and continuity of council services.  

“I see no independent initiatives from the council administration to respond to Brexit risks and I have a deep fear that they are not prepared to face up to potential local problems because of embarrassment at their links with the party in power in Westminster.  

“I want to know if councillor Haslam, as leader of Scottish Borders Council, is actually doing something to ensure, as best we can, that the council and the Scottish Borders are prepared for Brexit.”

Scottish Borders Councillors are due to meet on Thursday, October 25.