SCOTTISH Borders Council (SBC) will set aside around £35,000 from its COVID recovery fund for parties to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation.

Last week, elected members narrowly voted through plans for the region’s 69 community councils to access £500 to put on events.

But the “tone deaf” fund was slammed by opponents in the council chamber who called it into question amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Galashiels councillor Fay Sinclair, of the SNP, said it was a “party fund at taxpayers’ expense”.

“Our group’s opposition to the coronation fund is not about preventing communities from holding events to celebrate this historic occasion,” she said.

“It’s about our belief and the belief of a huge number of people in each of our wards that this is not an appropriate use of public funds.”

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Independent Tweeddale East councillor Robin Tatler said: “People are really struggling to heat and to eat and then next week we’re going to consider putting that council tax up by five per cent – a modest increase, but that will still affect people.

“And then we’re looking at funding parties for a coronation. I’m not against celebrating and commemorating. This is the wrong thing at the wrong time.”

Council leader Euan Jardine backed the plans for coronation parties, adding that opponents had decided that the “historical moment should be dull, dark and disappointing for our communities”.

On using money from the COVID recovery fund, the Conservative representative for Galashiels said: “I remember how dark the days of COVID were, how much we lost an opportunity to celebrate birthdays, weddings, spend time with our families and friends, and come together in the community.

“That’s what we’re looking to do here, we’re looking to bring people together, offer light from the darkness COVID gave us, unite not divide communities, offer escapism from the stresses of the world which seem to be growing daily, a chance to create memories that last a lifetime.”

But Melrose councillor David Parker said Mr Jardine needed a “reality check” over what communities could do with the money.

“What does £500 get you? In Oxton it’s £1.12 a head in the community. In his own ward of Galashiels it’s £0.05 for the community.

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“In Oxton we could probably do a picnic on the green, in Galashiels you can buy a Greggs for 100 people with what’s on offer from the council.

“Make no bones about it, this is a very small sum of money which won’t make a big difference, it won’t bring that many people in the Scottish Borders together, it won’t involve the majority of the Scottish Borders.

“It’s a sum of money so small that we have to question its value in the first place.”

Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton, of the Conservatives (pictured above), said he was disappointed the item had been “politicised”.

“The creation of a fund to celebrate a royal event has been a well-established norm in the Scottish Borders,” he said. “Unlike with jubilees, unlike with royal weddings, this coronation has been 70 years in the making.

“This will be a moment in our history.

“Like it or not the king is our king. He represents us, he embodies us, he leads us.”

Elected members also approved plans for SBC staff to have the day off on Monday, May 8.

The government has confirmed that a bank holiday will take place in the UK on the Monday in recognition of the coronation.

The ceremony is due to go ahead on Saturday, May 6.