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Friday 6 March
Welcome to Council News, your fortnightly update from our council.
Our team is always keen to give you updates on the things that matter the most to you.
We also want to share positive stories about things that are happening in your community.
If you have news that you'd like to share – shining a light on an individual, community group or event – we would love to feature them in our Community bulletin.
Please email us at communitybulletin@dumgal.gov.uk with feedback or story ideas and one of our reporters will get back to you.
Marking International Women’s Day Across Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway Council will mark International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March by recognising the contribution of women across the region and reflecting on the importance of inclusion and representation in public and community life.
International Women’s Day is observed worldwide each year on 8 March. It provides an opportunity to recognise progress made towards equality, to reflect on ongoing challenges and to amplify the voices and experiences of women across society.
This year, the council is encouraging people across the region to reflect on women’s experiences in public life, communities and the workplace.
Depute Leader, Cllr Katie Hagmann, said:
“International Women’s Day is an important opportunity to recognise the contribution women make in every part of life in Dumfries and Galloway – in our families, our workplaces, our communities and our public services. It is also a chance to listen, learn and reflect on the experiences of women and to recognise that inclusion and equality is not a one-day conversation, but a commitment we demonstrate through our actions year-round.
“When women’s voices are heard – in workplaces, communities and decision-making – we make better choices and build stronger, fairer places. International Women’s Day matters because representation and lived experience matter.”
Coming up in This Week's Council News:
Childsmile Comes to Local Schools
Childsmile is a national programme which aims to improve the oral health of children in Scotland.
Childsmile works with nurseries and schools to deliver a daily supervised toothbrushing programme. This provides the children with the opportunity to brush daily at their nursery and school and to learn an important life skill at an early age.
The Childsmile toothbrushing programme has been shown to be beneficial across Scotland. Research shows that daily supervised toothbrushing can help reduce school absences due to children experiencing dental pain. There is evidence that the Childsmile programme has reduced tooth decay and saved on NHS treatment costs. We currently have 100% of local authority nurseries and 93% of our primary schools taking part in the programme.
An official Childsmile video shows the toothbrushing programme in action across three of our schools: Beattock Nursery, Georgetown Nursery and St Michael’s Primary School.
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Making Tax Digital: Free Information Session for Local Businesses
Making Tax Digital is approaching and many businesses are preparing for the changes.
If you are unsure what the new requirements mean or what action you need to take, our Business Gateway service is offering a free information session to help you get ready.
On 25 March, Business Gateway will be joined by the David Allen Accountancy team to give a clear and straightforward overview of Making Tax Digital (MTD). The session will explain what MTD is, who it affects and the practical steps businesses should take now.
With important deadlines on the horizon, the event will cover:
- What Making Tax Digital means in practice.
- New HMRC requirements.
- Expectations around digital record‑keeping.
- Compatible software options.
- Common pitfalls to avoid.
- Actions to take now to stay compliant.
There will also be time for questions, giving attendees the chance to receive tailored advice.
The event will be held at the Holiday Inn, The Crichton between 6pm and 9pm. Spaces are limited to one per company.
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Kaci Reaches the Finals
The past couple of weeks has seen National Apprenticeship Week and Scottish Apprenticeship Week, recognising the value and opportunities that apprenticeships create. We wanted to share one of our own apprentice success stories.
After struggling with confidence, Kaci Newall considered leaving school. But following a conversation with her careers adviser, she chose to stay on and complete a Foundation Apprenticeship in Food and Drink Technologies, including a work placement in Stranraer.
Spending two afternoons a week on site, Kaci gained hands-on experience and overcame her concerns to contribute meaningfully to the business. By taking part in a workplace challenge to design new products, from market research and costing to sampling and responding to consumer feedback, these experiences helped her go on to pass her Nat 5 Maths exam.
The confidence gained through her apprenticeship also helped her secure a waitressing job in Stranraer, while she trains for the World Cheerleading Championships in Florida next month. We’re incredibly proud to share that Kaci has also been announced as a finalist in the Foundation Apprentice of the Year category at the Scottish Apprenticeship Awards in association with SP Energy Networks.
Well done Kaci.
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In the News
We publish all of our press releases from the last 12 months on our website so you can keep up-to-date.
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Council Leaders Call for Action on ‘Unsafe’ Trunk Roads.
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Balanced 2026/27 Budget Set with 8.5% Council Tax Rise to Safeguard Services.
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A Celebration of Young People’s Achievements Across Dumfries and Galloway.
Watch Council Meetings
We stream videos of a wide range of council meetings on our YouTube channel.
You can still watch previous meetings to find out the key issues being discussed. Recent meetings include:
- Dumfries and Galloway Licensing Board, 5 March 2026.
- Dumfries and Galloway Full Council, 26 February 2026.
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