| Friday 19 December 2025 Welcome to Community, your Dumfries and Galloway community bulletin. We are always keen to hear of any positive stories about things that are happening in your community and would like to feature them in Community. Please email us at communitybulletin@dumgal.gov.uk and one of our reporters will get back to you.  Gatehouse Welcomes New Inclusive Play Park Dumfries and Galloway Council is delighted to announce the opening of the new inclusive play park in Garrie’s Park in Gatehouse of Fleet – the fourth inclusive play park project launched this year – supported by the Scottish Government Play Park Renewal Fund. This milestone marks another step forward in creating accessible, welcoming spaces for children and families across our region. The Gatehouse Development Initiative raised an impressive £250,000 to install a Changing Places toilet and upgrade play facilities at Garrie’s Park, ensuring the park meets a high standard of accessibility and inclusivity. Additional support came from Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Play Park Renewal Fund and Coastal Benefit Fund, with over £57,000 secured in community funds. Read more  Milestone for Sustainable Travel in Dumfries and Galloway The start of construction on the Council’s nine multi-modal transport hubs was marked in Newton Stewart with councillors and partners this week – a major milestone for sustainable travel. The hubs, located in Sanquhar, Dalbeattie, Whithorn, Stranraer, Gatehouse of Fleet, Castle Douglas, Newton Stewart, Annan and Langholm, will offer e-bike hire, electric car club vehicles, secure cycle storage, public EV charging points and cycle repair stations. They’ll also connect with local bus and rail services for more joined-up journeys, featuring bus waiting areas and real-time passenger information screens. Supported by the UK Government through the Levelling Up Fund, the hubs are scheduled to open in late spring 2026. Read the full story  Find a Local Business You Can Trust Is your property suffering from storm damage? Need a pre-Christmas repair? Don’t let your money go down the drain – find a local business you can trust. The council Trusted Trader scheme consists mainly of local home improvement traders. They are reviewed by customers and checked and monitored by us to make sure they’re trading legally. The scheme aims to increase consumer confidence, promote good practice within local businesses and helps to protect people from doorstep crime. You can find information on our Trusted Traders website or by calling 030 3333 3000. In some of the most recent reviews, customers have said that the teams are prompt, professional and friendly, delivering excellent results at reasonable rates and often going above and beyond expectations. Many have highlighted their satisfaction with the quality of work and the clear, diligent service provided. Visit the website  Get Ready for Winter The winter months bring unpredictable weather – from sunshine to wind, rain, snow and ice. The council and other partners will always try to deliver as many services as they can, no matter the situation, but the reality is that they might also be impacted. To help, you can get prepared and be ready for disruption. Taking a few simple steps can improve your own personal or household resilience. We’re sharing a few ideas of what you can do to be prepared. Household Emergency Lifesaving Plan – in the event of a major incident, it may be some time before the emergency services can help you. It is important that you and your family make preparations to take care of yourselves. Find out more and make your Household Emergency Lifesaving Plan. Find your utilities – it sounds obvious, but it is significantly easier to locate your fuse box, gas meter, or mains water supply tap in the light, than during a power cut or emergency situation. Take the time to learn where utilities in your house are and how they operate. Check your car – it is important to ensure your vehicle is ready for winter. Make sure these areas are topped up or checked: Fuel, Oil, Tyres, Coolant, Electrics, Screen wash. Think about your neighbours – a resilient community is one where households look out for each other and help one another in times of need. You may be able to help your neighbour with an important job to prepare for winter or your neighbour may be able to help you. Going out and about during the winter months – it’s important to wrap up warm. Wearing lots of thin layers will help to maintain body heat and footwear with a good grip will help to prevent slips and falls when outside. Christmas Safety Tips from RoSPA – the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has Christmas advice and safety tips, including on decorations, buying children’s gifts and a video highlighting the importance of checking your Christmas lights regularly: https://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/christmas-safety Travel Safe D & G app – an app is available and gives direct access to SEPA’s Floodline and the Met Office’s National Severe Weather warning service, What 3 Words and DGVOST. When searching for the app in the Google/Android or Apple’s app store search for ‘Travel Safe D & G’. DG Locator – Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway provides a range of information for organisations and services on the free mobile app and website DGLocator. You can quickly find services that can help you in a range of situations. DGVOST – Dumfries and Galloway’s Virtual Operations Support Team. This team becomes operational when a major incident is declared. The website – https://dgvost.dumfriesandgalloway.gov.uk/dgvost shows live incidents, ongoing road closures, and emergency contact numbers and weblinks. You can follow the team on Facebook or X Check out the Community Resilience Padlet for lots more practical advice and support within your local community – Community Resilience Dumfries and Galloway The Ready Scot website has excellent practical tools and advice for preparing for adverse weather and other events – Advice for emergencies in Scotland Useful phone numbers: In an emergency always dial 999 when there is a risk to life or property. Dumfries and Galloway Council Contact Centre – dial 030 33 33 3000 (this number is monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year). Dial the 101 the non-emergency number to make local police aware of any policing issues in your area. Dial 111 for provide urgent care advice and mental health support day or night from NHS 24. Dial 105 to report or get information about power cuts in your local area. Dial 0800 023 2023 for Openreach to report issues related to telephone services in your area. Dial 0800 077 8778 for Scottish Water-related issues. Dial 0800 111 999 for Scottish Gas-related emergency issues, such as a gas leak. Learn more about household winter readiness  Help Stop Battery Fires: Recycle Your Festive Tech Safely Dumfries and Galloway Council is working with the national Recycle Your Electricals campaign this December to address the growing risk of battery fires in local waste streams. As the festive season brings an increase in battery-powered gifts and decorative lights, residents are urged to recycle broken lights, batteries and small electrical items instead of placing them in household bins. Incorrect disposal can lead to batteries being crushed in waste vehicles or recycling centres, causing dangerous fires that threaten waste crews, emergency services and the wider community. Recent years have seen a sharp rise in battery-related fires across the UK, with over 1,200 incidents recorded nationally in 2023–24. Dumfries and Galloway has also experienced such incidents. Residents can easily recycle domestic batteries using pink battery recycling bags, available at council service centres and recycling points or by ordering them online. By recycling electricals and batteries, valuable materials can be recovered and reused, supporting both environmental sustainability and community safety. For more information and to find your nearest recycling point, visit the council’s website. Find out more  Thank You for Taking Part in the Budget Consultation 2026/27 Thank you to everyone who shared their views in Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Budget Consultation 26/27, which closed on 23 November. This year’s consultation received a record response. In total: 6348 people completed the survey and 7331 responses were received overall – including the interactive Budget Challenge, Community Conversations in every ward, focus groups and direct feedback. These unprecedented levels of engagement show how much people across our region care about local services. What happens next? All feedback from the consultation has now been analysed and summarised in a detailed report. Councillors received this report at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 11 December and it will help shape the next stage of the budget process. Council officers will now work with elected members as they develop detailed budget proposals, taking into account what local people said. Final decisions – including the setting of the 2026/27 budget – will be taken at Full Council in February 2026. Why this matters The council needs to identify £35 million over the next three years through savings and new income in order to balance its budget and protect vital services. Even with indicative Council Tax increases tentatively planned for 2026/27 and 2027/28, there remains a significant funding gap. Community input is a valuable part of the council’s financial planning. Where to read the report The Council Budget 2026/27 and Future Years report considered on 11 December – including the full consultation summary – is available on the council’s website. Thank you again to all who took the time to contribute. Your feedback is helping to shape local priorities and support informed decision-making for the year ahead. Read the report  Reminding Residents to Stay Safe When Using Taxis and Private Hire Cars This Winter Through the festive period as more people head out to social events, Dumfries and Galloway Council is reminding residents and visitors to make sure they only use licensed taxis and private hire vehicles when travelling in the region. The reminder follows a recent rise in complaints about overcharging and reports of unlicensed or uninsured ‘lifts’ being offered locally, which can put passengers at risk. Licensed vehicles and drivers are checked and approved by the council to make sure they meet required standards for roadworthiness, insurance and passenger safety. Each licensed vehicle displays a council licence plate on the rear of the vehicle, showing the Dumfries and Galloway Council logo, licence number, expiry date and registration details. Taxi drivers must also display an ID badge showing their photograph and licence number. Private hire cars must be pre-booked in advance through an operator. They cannot legally pick up passengers on the street. Only licensed taxis can be hailed or hired at a taxi rank. Passengers are also encouraged to agree the fare before setting off, particularly for longer journeys. This simple step helps avoid misunderstandings and keeps costs clear to both passenger and driver. Unlicensed vehicles or drivers have not been vetted or approved and may not have valid insurance. The use of such vehicles can put passengers in danger and undermines those operating legitimate, licensed taxi businesses across the region. The council’s Licensing Team continues to work closely with Police Scotland to address concerns and raise awareness of the importance of using properly licensed vehicles. If you have concerns about a taxi or private hire vehicle, the right point of contact depends on the nature of the issue: If you witness or experience criminal, unsafe, or inappropriate behaviour, contact Police Scotland on 101 (or 999 in an emergency). If you wish to check the validity of a taxi or private hire vehicle, or make a licensing-related complaint, contact the council’s Licensing Team at licensing@dumgal.gov.uk or call 01387 245 922. Information about unlicensed taxis or drivers can also be reported anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Learn more about taxi and private hire licensing  Council Invites Views on Customer Services Dumfries and Galloway Council is inviting people across the region to share their views on local Customer Services through a new survey. The survey asks about how often people use different services and how well they meet their needs. Feedback will help the council understand what is working well and where improvements can be made. Council services included in the survey are: Libraries. Registration services (births, deaths and marriages). Face-to-face customer services. The Heritage Service (historical collections and resources). The survey is open until 16 January 2026 and takes just a few minutes to complete. Support to take part is also available at customer service centres and libraries. Take the survey  Be a Responsible Dog Owner in Scotland Police Scotland has reported a rise in livestock attacks by dogs in recent weeks. These incidents often involve dogs that are unaccompanied or being walked off lead. This is a particularly sensitive time for farmers, as many ewes are heavily pregnant. If you’re enjoying Scotland’s great outdoors with your dog, please help keep everyone safe: Keep your dog under control. Use a lead or ensure strong recall, especially near people, livestock and wildlife. Clean up after your dog. Bag waste and bin it properly. If there’s no bin nearby, take it home. Respect others. Not everyone is comfortable around dogs. Manage your dog calmly near walkers, children, cyclists and animals. Protect wildlife and livestock. Keep dogs on leads in sensitive areas and during nesting or lambing seasons. Never allow dogs to chase farm animals or birds. Stay alert. Watch for traffic, changing weather and hazards. Reflective gear helps keep you visible in low light. By being responsible, you help protect Scotland’s landscapes for everyone. A little care goes a long way, for your dog, other people and the environment. Discover the Scottish Outdoor Access Code  From Functional Fitness Test to StrongHER Success Back in March, Helen Wood took part in the Functional Fitness Test: a seven-exercise assessment that measures mobility, strength, balance and cardiovascular fitness. Motivated by her results and keen to build confidence, Helen joined the Active Communities six-week StrongHER programme. She committed fully to every session, steadily improving her technique, stamina and self-belief. By the end of the course, Helen was lifting heavier, moving better, and pushing herself further than she ever imagined. We have been working in partnership with the NHS to deliver Functional Fitness MOT’s in the workplace. The MOT consists of seven exercises that measure where your current fitness levels are. These exercises are: 30 second chair rise. Chair sit and reach. Back scratch. 8 foot up and go. One leg balance. Handgrip strength test. 6 minute walk. The benefits of our functional fitness MOT’s include encouraging independence, helping with fall and injury prevention, and improved mobility. With her new sense of strength, Helen took the next step and signed up for a full membership at DG One Gym to continue training independently. Today, she works out regularly and has achieved an incredible milestone by completing a 75kg deadlift, something she once thought was out of reach. Helen’s story is a powerful example of how structured support, the right environment, and personal commitment can transform not just physical ability but also confidence and mindset. Learn more about our fitness programmes  This is the last edition of 2025, so from all at the Community Bulletin team have a great holiday and we will see you all when the Bulletin returns on Friday 16 January 2026. |