Representing Border

EXC: Gail Macgregor says she's 'really disappointed' after stepping down as leader of Dumfries & Galloway Council. She will keep control of Conservative group, but says resigning ahead of no confidence vote was the 'best thing' for the region. SNP will now govern as minority

The @nngoffshorewind wind farm is now fully operational - & the First Minister was there for yesterday's official opening. We were the only media team invited to join his boat tour of the site - which was @JohnSwinney's first visit to an offshore wind farm

Seagulls were on the agenda at the Scottish Parliament today. @fincarson called them 'wild flappers' who seem to 'revel in the misery they cause'. But Christine Grahame MSP said gulls were being 'demonised'

Wellbeing minister @ThomasCArthur 'deeply sorry' for 'unacceptable' treatment of Borders teenager who took his own life after care in an adult psychiatric ward. Harris Macdonell's mum Jane has called for 'real action' to tackle a lack of specialist beds for under-18s.

'Should my constituents be training spaniels to scale scaffolding?' A Conservative MSP says people have been advised to use their dogs to deter seagulls from roofs. @Rachael2Win also calls for a 'seagull summit' to be held in the Scottish Borders

BREAKING: SNP has taken over leadership of Dumfries & Galloway council, after Conservative administration quit earlier today. Cllr Stephen Thomson elected new leader at special meeting, with Cllr Katie Hagmann as convenor

BREAKING: The leader of Dumfries & Galloway Council has stepped down. Conservative Gail Macgregor quit less than an hour before vote of no confidence, saying she was doing so with 'the heaviest of hearts'. New administration could be chosen at special meeting this afternoon

First Minister @JohnSwinney says he would 'welcome' an SNP-Labour coalition taking control of Dumfries & Galloway Council. The Conservative administration faces a no confidence vote, after 7 councillors defected. The FM was speaking to @andrewlearmonth

NEW: Not becoming a national park may cost Galloway millions of pounds of investment, the Rural Affairs Secretary has admitted. Mairi Gougeon won't tell @KieranPAndrews whether Scot Gov will invest in the region instead. She says they've 'not had those conversations'

ANALYSIS: @KieranPAndrews on why ditching Galloway National Park plan is helpful to SNP's opponents in the region. Story: itv.com/news/border/20…

Plans for a Galloway National Park have been dropped by the Scottish Government. @GregoryHoare explains how we got to this point 👇

BREAKING: The Scottish Government has dropped plans for a Galloway National Park

'People will talk over you, they will shout at you.' Scottish Borders councillors Viv Thomson and @DrummondBegg say they face abuse and threats at public meetings.

NEW: @COSLA warns of an 'alarming' rise in abuse towards councillors. President @MorayShona says there is a 'worrying' level of threats against women leaders in particular.