FIFE Council’s Co-Leaders, Councillors David Alexander and David Ross, are calling on people in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area to get more involved in their local communities by standing for election in the upcoming Community Council elections.

Community Council elections are held every four years in Fife, giving local people the opportunity to have a voice in their neighbourhoods.

This elections are scheduled for October 4 apart from St Andrews, where an election date will be set for early 2019, to ensure the student population has an opportunity participate.

The Kingdom currently has 85 active Community Councils out of a potential 105. These include Crossgates, Hill of Beath, Kelty, Cowdenbeath, Lumphinnans, Lochgelly, Benarty, Cardenden and Kinglassie.

And both Councillors are keen to encourage more people to make a real difference in their local areas.

Councillor Alexander commented: “Community Councils are an important part of giving our communities a voice. "They can provide us, as Councillors, and statutory bodies with the grassroots viewpoint and opinions that are essential to shaping services and making decisions about issues that matter to local people.

“Some Community Councils are more active than others and some areas don’t even have one. New blood is always needed if groups like this are to grow and develop".

Councillor Ross added: “If you want to stand you must be 16 years old or over, be on the electoral roll for, and live in the community council area you want to stand in.

“I would encourage anyone who is interested in being an independent advocate for their community to come forward and stand for election.”

A Community Council is a voluntary organisation set up by statute by the Local Authority – in this case Fife Council. The local authority is responsible for running the elections and dealing with the notification of election, nomination papers and the results. The Community Council is run by local residents to act on behalf of its area. As the most local tier of elected representation, Community Councils play an important role in local democracy.

If you’re interested in becoming a member of a Community Council nomination papers and more information is available online at www.fifedirect.org.uk/communitycouncils or from the Returning Officer, Fife Council, North Street, Glenrothes, Fife, KY7 5LT, phone 03451 55 55 55 ext. 442176.

Nomination papers should be returned to the Council by no later than 4pm on Tuesday September 6.