Local authorities can submit bids related to each MP’s constituency covering the area and also a single authority transport bid. Scottish Borders Council has submitted a bid under each of these three areas, including one under David Mundell’s Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale constituency in conjunction with Dumfries and Galloway and South Lanarkshire councils.

The bids, for capital funding, have been developed in collaboration with a range of partners and stakeholders, including South of Scotland Enterprise, Live Borders, local registered social landlords, Borders College and some voluntary bodies.

The bid relating to John Lamont’s Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk constituency totals £19.8m, across three themes – heritage; place; and tourism - and includes a total of 14 project elements. The transport bid covers 14 project elements and seeks over £19.5m.

The final bid, covering David Mundell’s constituency jointly with the two other local authorities, includes a single Borders project also with a tourism focus, with a funding ask of £4m.

All bids should contribute to net zero emissions targets in their planning and delivery, this being particularly the case with the transport bid which focuses on the decarbonisation of transport and development of active travel options.

Councillor Scott Hamilton, Scottish Borders Council’s executive member for community and business development, said: “I am pleased that we have been able to submit our bids into the second round of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The fund is highly competitive, with very strict criteria in place for projects and timescales. Whilst there is no guarantee of success, we are proud of our achievements thus far in bringing together the various elements and delivering for the whole of the Scottish Borders.

“By working extremely hard with a variety of partners we have identified a number of suitable projects where capital investment into infrastructure is required and which we think make a strong claim for this funding to support town centre regeneration, transport, culture and heritage.

“Even if not all our bids are successful on this occasion, at the very least this process has helped us and our partners to identify a number of new projects which could be taken forward if other funding becomes available.”

Details of the individual projects submitted as part of the three bids will not be released at this time. It is understood that decisions on this round of funding will be made later this year.