Fife coastal communities net over £300,000 of support for projects

The funding from Crown Estate Scotland, which manages all land owned by the monarch in right of the Crown, has paid for improvements to river outlets, harbours and coastal bays in the Kingdom both this year and in 2019/20.

Councillors on Fife's Policy and Co-ordination Committee heard today (Thursday) that nearly £137,000 was gifted to Fife Council last year and a further £184,000 this year to improve coastal areas.

In 2019/20, £10,000 was given to the Tayport Harbour Trust to make repairs and install fencing at the east end of the harbour slipway, while £102,500 was spent by Fife Coast and Countryside Trust on improvements at Ruby Bay, Upper Eden River and Wormit Bay.

This year, Tayport Harbour Trust received £30,600 for a new office and clubhouse, while the Scottish Fisheries Museum Trust was given £28,450 to pay for a feasability study to assess the Anstruther museum's long-term future.

FEAT Trading CIC, which works to conserve the Silverburn Estate in Leven, was handed £31,471 to extend existing managerial positions while Love Our Langtoun received £30,000 to support its popular Kirkcaldy giftcard.

Fife Historic Buildings Trust got £21,590 to support its ongoing Inverkeithing Heritage Regeneration Project, raising awareness of the history and significance of local buildings.

The funds have been derived from the Crown Estate's income the previous year, pooling directly into projects that have a public benefit.

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Gordon Mole, head of business and employability at Fife Council, said the projects were chosen by a working group which assessed the benefits each could make to communities, the local economy and the environment.

However, Conservative councillor Mino Manekshaw said he was "concerned" that south-western communities, such as those at the Forth Estuary, were not benefitting.

The West Fife and Coastal Villages councillor has been seeking new sources of funding for the Torry Bay nature reserve west of Dunfermline since benefactors Scottish Power withdrew financial support after closing Longannet Power Station.Cllr Manekshaw has asked for some of the £56,000 left over from both years to be directed towards the reserve.

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