Great Tapestry of Scotland talks could be held in public

Private talks about the site of a permanent home for the Great Tapestry of Scotland in the Borders could be opened up to the public.

Scottish Borders Council was going to consider the subject behind closed doors at a meeting on Thursday.

However, council leader David Parker has now confirmed he will ask for the discussions to be held in public.

Tweedbank was the preferred site for the development but a location in Galashiels has since emerged.

The council report on the project was to be discussed in private as it contains commercially sensitive information.

Mr Parker said that on behalf of the local authority's administration, he would move that the business cases for the two sites should be presented in public.

"A decision as to whether this matter will be held in private or public can only be made on Thursday by council - as the papers for the meeting have already been published," he said.

"For that reason I will raise the matter on the day and, if agreed, this will mean that all of the information councillors will consider as part of their decision-making at Thursday's meeting will be made public.

"Although it was recommended to members that the report be taken in private, due to the commercially sensitive information contained in it, the administration believes it is crucial that all the information is released to enable the Borders' public to make their own assessment of the information councillors will debate."