A COWDENBEATH housing estate problem is to be dealt with by local councillors.

Councillor Darren Watt proposed a motion at the full Fife Council meeting on Thursday requesting that unadopted roads and pavements in Johnston Park, be brought up to standard then fully adopted by Fife Council.

The SNP/Labour administration put forward an amendment stating Cllr Watt’s motion would ‘commit the Council to unspecified financial costs and the range of factors surrounding these issues could not be given proper consideration by councillors in the context of a simple motion unsupported by background information and advice from officers’. The amendment also made clear that issues relating to Johnston Park should be dealt with at ward meetings and Area and Strategic Committees.

Conservative Councillor Watt said this week: “I am of course very disappointed I failed to get the full support from fellow councillors to pass this motion, however, there is a fear that this case could set a precedent right across Fife and cost the council dearly. I completely understand that but as I said when I presented my motion, Fife Council is the current local authority and must right the wrongs of the past and rectify the mistakes made by the previous local authorities.”

Mr Watt said that there are some pavements and roads within the Johnston Park estate that are unadopted and in need of attention. However, the reasons why these areas were not adopted by the local authority fifty years ago still remains unclear. He added: “Fellow Cowdenbeath members, Alex Campbell and Gary Guichan, spoke with great passion on Thursday and I want to emphasise that they are both just as committed as I am to finding a successful resolution for the residents and my motion was not a slight on them what-so-ever, I do hope they understand that.”

Following on from the decision at the Fife Council meeting to refer the issue of the unadopted roads and pavements at Johnston Park back to local councillors to find a solution, Cllr Alex Campbell has said a resolution to the matter must be found as soon as possible.