Councillors at the education committee last Thursday agreed moves should be made to dispose of the building by the end of the financial year 2011/12.

A total of 151 people work at the facility and while assurances have been given that everything will be done to redeploy them, some redundancies may be inevitable.

The recommendations are still subject to an action plan and will require final approval from Fife Council's asset management committee, however, closure has been on the cards for some time.

Currently, the former school and C-listed building is used for training, storage and office accommodation but "significant investment" would be needed to keep it up to standard.

During the next few years, the Council plans to make more use of the centre, while looking for more savings and relocating staff.

The news prompted mixed reactions from the village's elected members, with Councillor Margot Doig "disturbed" by the proposal.

She said: "This was suggested a few years ago, but the Labour administration at the time ruled it out as the Auchterderran Centre had been given such a good report by an HMI inspection, and was deemed to be an excellent facility.

"Cardenden does not need another empty building.

"I think this is a very short sighted proposal, and does nothing to put any confidence in this administration regarding its commitment to Cardenden."

However, according to Councillor Ian Chisholm, people want to see underused Fife Council buildings sold off or used fully.

He said: "The Auchterderran buildings are very much of the underused category and our proposals are to widen the use of the buildings to other Fife Council services rather than only for the use of the education service.

"This will mean the place will get much busier for the next few years but the buildings, of sixties vintage, are well past their sell by date.

"In the longer term we need to look at an efficient replacement which will also need to cope with all of the Council's training and so save money on the Fife-wide hotch-potch of arrangements and buildings used presently."

Chairman of the education committee Douglas Chapman said the decision is by far the best option for the Council and for staff, who will be offered a more modern working environment over the next two years.

And leader of the Labour Group, Alex Rowley, is pleased the Council is to take a strategic approach to training requirements and that the centre at Auchterderran will be used by all services while a long term solution is found.

He added that cost may be a barrier for making Auchterderran that solution but he intends to examine this in more detail.