Fife budget: Standing Stane Road plans and new schools at risk as Labour unveils cuts

Council Leader David Ross (Labour) said the Capital Programme – the Kingdom’s long term plan for assets like buildings, equipment, and transport infrastructure – is under serious pressure right now, and councillors have been forced to cut approximately £200 million from the plan over the next ten years.

The programme was previously described as “significantly oversubscribed” because of long term inflation and high interest rates, and explained that the programme is looking to be reduced by about 20% (£200 million) over the next ten years.

The administration officially unveiled its capital programme proposals for the coming year, and Cllr Ross has explained which have been prioritised and which could be placed on hold.

“The ten year Capital Plan is like a mortgage. The council borrows money up front to do big structural projects,” Cllr Ross said. “There are two big pressures: construction costs and general inflation has gone up a lot and interest rates haven’t come down as fast as predicted. So we’ve either had to remove some projects or find additional funding.”

If the Administration’s budget is approved, major improvements at Standing Stanes Road will have to be sacrificed and some money will be taken away from the Council’s Pathway to Netzero plan. The £3 million previously allocated for destination play parks in Fife would also be cut from the capital programme.

Cllr Ross said money would also be reduced for improvements at Dunfermline’s Carnegie Hall.

“We’re going to put £10 million in for basic refurbishment but the estimated cost was £18 million for a complete job and we can’t do that,” he said.

However, the Administration proposals would maintain money for the Anstruther Care Village project and they would set aside £13.1 million for new pool and leisure facilities in Inverkeithing and West Fife. Money for flooding prevention schemes would also be maintained as well as investment on road maintenance and vehicle fleet replacement.

The Administration has also proposed to allocate £34 million over the next ten years to provide children with 1:1 digital devices in schools.

“The Scottish Government promised to do it several years ago but hasn't found the money for it,” Cllr Ross said. “We can’t wait for the government to come up with the money. The advice we’re getting is that at least ten other local authorities are already going down this path and our kids are in danger of being left behind.”

Plans to replace Glenwood and Glenrothes High Schools will also be abandoned in favour of refurbishments.

“We applied for money at Glenwood and Glenrothes for a replacement school, but that was turned down by the Government,” Cllr Ross said.

“Now we need to put money into refurbishing them. There won’t be a replacement school as was our aspiration. It’s the same with Balwearie High School, which is the last secondary school not brought up to modern standards.”

Fife Council is due to set a balanced budget on February 20 at 10am in the Fife Council chambers in Glenrothes.