Councillor claims building disposal plan is '˜shortsighted'

Cllr Julie Ford, has told the Gazette the decision taken at this month’s Glenrothes area committee to proceed with disposing of a number of assets while consulting on others is short sighted and unfair.

“I cannot support ‘putting a mandate’ on this which would allow for these local assets to be closed before any consultation takes place with the communities that will be affected,” she said.

“The tenants meeting rooms in Rimbleton and Caskieberran are both within the chart of assets that the council deems ‘unwanted’ by the community and therefore fine to dispose of.

“Recently, I have been approached by a constituent asking if they could book Rimbleton TMR, and I am also aware that Glenrothes Area Residents Federation has previously shown interest in the Caskieberran building.

“However, in both instances, these requests were knocked back and we were told that these TMRs were not open for bookings.

“How can we conclusively say that there is no appetite for community use of these buildings when past requests have been declined?”

Glenrothes councillors voted six votes to five in favour of pushing ahead with the disposal of three Fife Council run facilities in Kinglassie as well as Caskieberran and Pitteuchar meeting rooms and Leslie Town Hall, while offering to consult over the future use of 13 other facilities.