Kirkcaldy groups rally public vote to win share of £300,000 pot of funding

The ‘Bright Ideas’ initiative launched by Fife Council has attracted over 80 applications, and the finalists will be chosen by the public.

Applications were sought from projects designed to help with the cost-of-living crisis; build community spirit; support early intervention and crisis prevention and bolster local economies and skills.

Projects aimed at further enhancing Kirkcaldy town centre and waterfront and those improving the area’s outdoor places and spaces were also welcome. Applications across broader themes including health and wellbeing and green initiatives combating climate change also fell under the campaign’s criteria, with projects able to apply for funding ranging from £500 to £15,000.

The ideas which came in varied from a community café to a people’s sauna, community cinema, new playpark, a whale park, sober pub, sensory garden; and a Jazz Prom - and voting is set to open this month.

The projects have been put into four different categories - community, social/creative, cultural/ecology and environmental, leisure and recreational - and the next stage of the process is an in person voting day at the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy on Saturday March 15. After that people have until March 30 to cast their votes online.

Each person can cast a minimum of one vote in each category or equally a maximum of five votes in each category with each ranked in number from most to least favourite

The projects are bidding for anything from £500 to £15,000, and members of the public can attend the theatre day to simply find out more before deciding which ones to back.

The event is being hosted by the You Decide Project team, including the community led steering group which will be on hand all day to offer support and advice - the campaign has been overseen by a group of residents from Kirkcaldy, Dysart, Burntisland, Kinghorn, Auchtertool and Puddledub, who have worked with Kirkcaldy area community’s development team.

There will be information boards around the hall featuring more details of the projects as well as video screens and, of course, a polling booth.

Following the vote, we aim to announce results early April, then payment of awards to the successful projects late April.

Paul McGhie, steering group chair, said: “It has been brilliant to be involved in the ‘You Decide’ campaign, working alongside our council colleagues to ultimately bring positive change to the area. We’re delighted all the work so far has paid off with such a great response from people and groups across the Kirkcaldy area, who have submitted an exciting mix of project ideas for consideration.”

Councillor Ian Cameronl convener of Kirkcaldy area committee, was also delighted at the response

“To get 89 applications is a great return,featuring an exciting array of project ideas, each in their own way capable of enhancing and benefiting the communities in which they would be delivered,” he said. “That fantastic response is testament to the dedicated work of the community led steering group, and I thank them for their tireless and professional efforts in generating so much interest.”