Kirkcaldy’s £20million funding: council ‘must start listening’ – MSP
The announcement of the £20million Growth Fund money is, on the surface, a welcome boost. Any investment in our town’s opportunity centre is good news, and I will always support it.
But when set against the wider context of what communities like ours have lost since Brexit, the picture changes.
Before leaving the EU, Scotland benefited enormously from structural funds, around £780 million between 2014 and 2020. Fife alone received tens of millions over the years for regeneration and community projects.
In that light, £20 million feels far less like a transformational investment and far more like a token gesture.
Setting that aside, any investment in Kirkcaldy should be positive, yet somehow Fife Council has managed to turn even this Growth Fund opportunity into a source of frustration.
Many residents feel the plans unveiled so far fall short of what the town actually needs, and I can understand why!
Public consultations are held but appear not to be heard. When the same concerns are raised repeatedly and then quietly brushed aside, trust erodes and confidence in the process disappears.
The fact that the town’s own Labour MP has publicly criticised the Labour led council’s proposals should prompt serious reflection within Fife Council.
It’s clear this money could be used far more wisely, with genuine community involvement, to deliver projects that create jobs and restore pride in our town. If this funding is to mean anything, Fife Council must start listening.