New health and social care role for Fife councillor after vote

He will represent the local authority at NHS Fife board meetings and join the council’s cabinet committee as one of its six strategic spokespersons. In addition, he was also appointed a representative to the Fife Alcohol and Drug Partnership.

Cllr Downie: “Health and social care is one of the most important areas that we know people across Fife are facing and struggling with. I’m really excited to start working with people across parties as well as on the NHS board and with the alcohol and drug partnership as well to try and improve the situations the best we can.”

The appointment came after Councillor David Graham resigned from all council duties last month, pending the outcome of a police investigation after he was charged in relation to alleged grooming offences.

Cllr Downie was subsequently nominated for the position by Council Leader David Ross.

He went head to head with SNP Councillor Rosemary Liewald (Lochgelly, Cardenden and Benarty) and won the appointment 38-32.

Cllr Downie is currently a member of four council committees - environment, transportation and climate change scrutiny; finance, economy and corporate services scrutiny; south and west Fife area; and standards, audit and risk.

He is also a member of the Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board.

“Hopefully using the experience I’ve had on the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) I can contribute as well as health councillors and other people from across parties with the individual issues people across Fife are having,” he said.

Cllr Downie has a passion for health and social care in Fife and is keen to take up both of his new roles.

“We’re seeing issues with alcohol and drugs across Scotland and across Fife so I’m really looking forward to getting into that,” he said. “It’s an area that’s a particular interest of mine where I think we can help people and really try and tackle all different types of addiction.

"More broadly on the health issues, we’ve got an ageing population, our primary care is under some pressure so hopefully I can help work with others across parties to address these issues.”