Feedback to SPEN So Far
In response to a request for more information about the consultation feedback, SPEN provided the following:
In total, as of the week ending Friday 10th January, we have received:
765 online feedback form submissions (includes a number of responses from outwith the Scottish Borders area, and some individuals who submitted multiple responses).
294 direct responses by phone, letter or email (this includes hard-copy letters, in addition to multiple direct responses on behalf of organisations).
22 requests for further printed material, including additional feedback forms, maps, and route information.
161 hard-copy feedback forms, which have all been scanned and logged accordingly.
Collective responses from some Community Councils, with a response signed by multiple individuals, with each individual being counted separately.
We also have recorded details for 401 attendees at the various community meetings that have been held over the course of the consultation period, though this includes a number of residents who also responded through other means.
We are currently analysing all the feedback received and the full Report on Consultation will be published in the spring. This will include details of the focused consultation we intend to undertake in March. A key point to make is that the feedback received is mixed, with some individuals being in support of the project. As such, the responses are not necessarily “objections”, but rather inform the definition of the proposed route to be taken forward to detailed design.
We intend to brief the Council members ahead of our focused/localised consultation and will be in touch with the Leader of the Council to arrange a date for this. In the meantime, please get in touch should you have any further queries or wish to discuss any element of the project.
What we think
Over 120 people attended the meeting organised by John Lamont MP at Cadenfoot.
This means that less than 300 people attended all the consultation meetings organised by SPEN. That’s not a big sample of people living along the route of the Cross Border Connection. As we have said before, and as SPEN has readily admitted, there was a problem with mailing out invitations to the meetings. Many people did not receive any notification of the meetings. Many of the meetings were organised during working hours so. that working people were excluded. We believe the consultation process has been defective, and that SPEN’s conduct of the so called Cross Border Connnection consultation has been at best disingenuous.
New Consultation period from 24 March to 2nd May 2025
For information about SPEN’s new series of consultation meetings about the revised proposed Cross Border Connection route please go to ‘Take Action’ on our home page.