Fife Council: Labour administration gives progress report after a year at the helm

“We’re just over a year into the new council five-year term so it feels like a good time to take stock of the progress we’re making on our big priorities and to set out our aims for the coming year,” he told the public in a YouTube video released by Fife Council.

Tackling poverty and supporting vulnerable people; supporting the local economy; and addressing the challenge of climate change are the three overarching priorities of the council administration. Those are the goals that the Administration has worked towards over the past year and they are the goals councillors will continue to work towards in the future.

“I think we’ve made a good start,” he said. “We’ve met our promise to scrap charges for bulky uplifts and are already seeing a drop in fly tipping, and we’ve put an extra £3.5 million into repairing Fife’s roads this year.”

He continued: “For the longer term, we’re continuing to build new affordable homes to add to the 7400 we’ve already delivered since 2012. We’ve completed the new Methil Care Village and have plans for new Council care homes in Cupar and Anstruther. And we’re well on the way towards completing the new Dunfermline Learning Campus, and for replacing the ageing Inverkeithing High School.”

He also highlighted the successful winter assistance programme created last year to help people impacted by the cost of living crisis. The programme has been modified and renewed for the upcoming winter as well.

The council has also agreed a new local economic strategy with support for local businesses – including investment for skill and training and investment in infrastructure.

And the council will be publishing a new climate change action plan in the near future which will outline support for improved insulation of Fife buildings; support for new energy schemes and local community climate initiatives.

“Over the coming year we’ll be focussing in particular on housing and continuing to deal with the housing needs built up over the pandemic, And on education, improving attendance, attainment and helping our young people into positive destinations after school,” Cllr Ross concluded.

“All this is in the context of continuing funding pressures on the Council. As I say I think we’ve made a good start but there’s much more to do over the next four years of this council term.”

At the end of the video, Cllr Ross encouraged residents with concerns and comments to get in touch through the council website.

The video is available to watch in full here on YouTube.