Borderlands launchpad
It was heartening yesterday to witness online the formal signing of the Borderlands Growth Deal, a remarkable coast-to-coast initiative designed to help recharge the economy on both sides of the border.
Jointly funded by the UK and Scottish Governments, flagship projects include developing Stranraer and Loch Ryan as a marine leisure destination, a Chapelcross Green Energy Park employment hub and a Dairy Research Centre near Dumfries.
There are also more generalised projects designed at improving infrastructure, such as high-speed broadband, across our largely rural part of the country.
Delivery involves a partnership between both governments, five local authorities on both sides of the border and other agencies with around £400 million of largely public investment, and some private, now in place.
As we hopefully emerge from the Covid-19 emergency, the 10-year Borderlands programme could not come at a more opportune time.
Better news
Whilst there are no certainties in the current pandemic, and a further surge can never be ruled out, the fall in case numbers, locally and nationally, is extremely welcome.
I was also encouraged that there was some additional clarity provided by the First Minister this week on the lifting of restrictions in the coming months.
For many smaller businesses in particular, the long-term uncertainty, and the inability to plan, was almost as damaging as having to close their doors.
Meanwhile, I'm sure I speak for all Courier readers, in again publicly praising those in the vaccination and testing teams across the region who continue to make remarkable progress and those in the NHS, care sectors and other organisations for all they are doing.
A75 milestone
I was delighted that Union Connectivity Review leader Sir Peter Hendy ranked the upgrading of the A75 as one of a handful of priority projects in his recently published interim report.
I would again urge the SNP Scottish Government to work with the Review team to allow them to complete their research more speedily, instead of preventing their civil servants from co-operating.
Many of my constituents would welcome the additional UK investment in our region on a vital road project successive nationalist administrations have failed to deliver.
Brexit means that the UK Government is sensibly looking at future strategic transport infrastructure improvements across our nations and regions.
One Dumfries constituent asked me last week: Do you think SNP Ministers would be as obstructive had A75 investment been proposed by the EU in Brussels? I'm sure most readers will know my answer!