Flattering to deceive

Pleasant afternoon at Meggatland watching Hawick vs Boroughmuir. My nephew, Hue, plays for The Greens, and my brother coaches the forwards: my loyalties are with 'Muir though. It was on my watch that the proposal to sell part of the fields to Applecross to upgrade school and club facilities first came to the Education Committee. We stuck with it through thick and thin (12 years, I think), faced down the opposition and now the grounds are fantastic. Boroughmuir won 40- 21 (and the score flattered Hawick), a case of men against boys: also the chance to meet many old friends again...can't wait for the England - France semi final tonight. My husband (who is incidentally exuberant about the football result at Hampden) is half English but he is backing the Auld Alliance rather than the Auld Enemy tonight.

I read in the Evening News the half baked excuses from the chair of planning that he was on holiday...that he would have backed the zoo application...that he thinks they'll get it on appeal: this is a scandal. He is the chair of the committee - he shouldn't be on holiday when a planning committee is on - he takes a good responsibility payment for chairing the meetings and should earn it: it is within his power to set the agenda and reschedule contentious issues items - he could not have been unaware of Paul Eadie's opposition and he could have postponed this application till he was present: and we cannot have a situation where the chair ducks responsibility and incurs costs and massive reputational damage to the Council as a result.