THE region’s Community Action Team (CAT) has released its second quarterly report, providing a snapshot of the team’s performance over a six month period.

The CAT was launched in April as a collaboration between Scottish Borders Council and Police Scotland as a way to tackle anti-social behaviour and drug related crime in the Borders.

The team is funded via a £282,000 grant from Scottish Borders Council, and tackles community priorities by fining offending motorists, carrying out high-visibility foot patrols and conducting drug searches of people and properties.

The CAT has also led visibility patrols during the common ridings and festivals season, and confiscated alcohol from young people at those events.

Between April and September, the team has issued 460 parking tickets, which is an increase of 38.61 per cent on the same period last year, and has issued 12 road traffic fixed penalty notices and carried out 60 static roadside checks.

Officers have also conducted 113 personal drug searches and 35 property searches. Although more than 82 per cent of property searches were successful, just 33.6 per cent of personal searches yielded drugs.

The community action team has also carried out 160 hours of high-visibility patrols over the six month period, and conducted 253.5 hours of mobile patrols.

Although tackling dog fouling is part of Scottish Borders Council and Police Scotland’s wider initiatives to tackle anti-social behaviour, the team has handed out just two fixed penalty notices to dog owners.

The latest quarterly report, which is due to go before Scottish Borders Council’s executive committee on Tuesday (November 20), reads: “From completing mobile patrols and static road checks several motorists have been charged with relevant road traffic offences with fixed penalty tickets being issued and drivers reported to court.

“The community action team do take the opportunity to speak with and educate motorists regarding their driving style, their awareness of other road users and in relation to minor vehicle maintenance issues.

“Officers have had positive results following engagement with young drivers in areas identified as having anti-social and/or inconsiderate driving by groups.

“Work has also been done to enlighten cyclists using pavements in Innerleithen and engage with motorcyclists using the A708 at St Mary's Loch.

“All Borders towns have received attention in relation to dangerous and inconsiderate parking with an increase in the number of parking tickets issued this quarter.

“Officers have been completing timed parking in our main streets and high streets in response to concerns raised by local businesses and residents.

“Although enforcement is important, the community action team officers do try to move vehicles on when possible and explain the parking regulations to the public.

“The community action team are liaising with the local authority with regards to any signage problems or insufficient road markings.”

Between July and September, the community action team has also tackled local issues which have been raised by residents.

Some of the issues investigated include: anti-social issues in Berwickshire; anti-social behaviour, intimidation, harassment and vandalism in the Cheviot locality; youth issues in the Teviot area; and anti-social driving in Tweeddale.