The Gazette understands that anger at local and national government policies could fuel an unprecedentedpush from Independent candidates at the polls next May.
Campaigners against any attempt to close Fife Institute have already said that they coul
d challenge sitting councillors at the ballot box.
But, it is believed that they may be joined by others fighting the ban on smoking in pubs and the council's controversial switch to once-a-fortnight bin collections.
The latter include Markinch man, Ken Watson, who has already threatened legal action against the council for abandoning once-a-week uplifts.
He said: "I am fighting this all the way, even to the point that I am prepared to run for the local council elections in May 2007 to contest these people and to address local issues which they are completely ignoring.
"I have asked over 15 times to be granted a meeting with the council chief executive, with no response whatsoever.
So, as a high council tax payer, I now see the only way forward is to fight their local councillors in the next election and get them out of their positions and change the system back to the weekly pick ups.
"It seems that the council are working on a policy that if they ignore the issues the problem will go away.
"I for sure will not allow that to happen."
A second campaigner, who does not want to be named at this stage, is also considering standing in protest at the ban on smoking in enclosed public places, which he believes has harmed the local pub trade and is depriving people of basic rights.
He said: "They talk about people turning their back on politics because they are not turning out to vote at elections in as big numbers as they used to.
"The real reason they are doing that is that councils and the government have stopped listening to what people are saying and just impose their policies without any regard for public opinion.
"Hopefully, if enough of us stand up, that attitude can be changed."
The election will be contested under a new proportional representation system.
