Fife town to get £500k kids health cash boost

Glenrothes has been earmarked for £500,000 from a total of £3.5 million Fife Council have available as part of its capital revenue budget agreed in February.

And it has been welcomed by Glenrothes West and Kinglassie councillor Altany Craik who told the Gazette it will go towards improving play parks and other facilities across the town.

This week the Executive Committee agreed that each of the seven area committee’s in Fife will be the freedom to decide on how best to spend the money in their areas.

“This a significant amount that I’m sure will be welcomed across the town,” said Cllr Craik, the Labour led administration’s Finance and Corporate Services spokesman.

“It’s an unexpected surprise and while it won’t change everything, in challenging economic times we live in, it will allow us to make some much needed improvements.

“And by involving the public and assessing how best to use this money, it will allow us to reshape some of the town’s play areas and allow us to meet the commitment we made last year to provide full inclusion for any new play areas so that children of all abilities can use and enjoy the facilities.”

Around £4m of the £10m the council have put aside to promote health and well being through sport has already been allocated on projects across the region.

In Glenrothes, the proposed sports hub at Gilvenbank Park in the north of the town was among the organisations to benefit, having recently received £150,000 of funding to help the project become a reality.

The commitments made to the area committees will now allow those who know their areas best, to decide the best way of allocating the cash.

“I don’t think there is anyone that doesn’t welcome this money and the plan now is to act without delay once we have a new area committee formed following the outcome of May’s council elections,” said Councillor Craik.

“It’s somewhat self perpetuating, if the youngsters have the best facilities then they will use them.

“That in turn will automatically generate a healthier outcome for children across Fife and that is certainly what we want to see happen.”