COUNCILLORS have agreed to give Fife Gingerbread some support to operate projects in the area but only a percentage of what the organisation had asked for.

However, they will help FG to source avenues for funding.

Wednesday's meeting of Cowdenbeath Area Committee considered a request from Fife Gingerbread for £39,842 towards their Making It Work 2 and Making It Work Families programmes.

Community Manager, Kevin Sayer, told members that these are projects, one of which is aimed at single parent families and the other aimed at families where nobody in the household works and there is a young person at risk of not achieving a positive outcome.

He added: "This is a request for continuation funding towards staffing and resource costs, and Gingerbread are keen to continue delivery in the Cowdenbeath area."

Making it Work is a unique partnership project which supports lone parents towards employment.

Started in 2013, with funding from Big Lottery, Making it Work has continued to deliver services to lone parents to support them to progress towards employment.

Over the years the project has been delivered in partnership with Fife Council, Citizens Advice & Rights Fife, and One Parent Families Scotland.

Committee convener, Councillor Linda Erskine, said that Fife Gingerbread's projects did a lot of very positive work in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area but that it was not possible for their budget to meet every application that is received fully.

She added: "We heard about their progressive work in the area at a previous meeting but there are limits to what we can fund.

"I feel that we can meet a quarter of what is asked and help them find other avenues of funding".

Councillors heard that FG were also seeking funding from Levenmouth and South Fife Area Committees.

Vice convener, Councillor Rosemary Liewald, agreed with Linda Erskine and insisted that there were other avenues that could be explored.

She added: "There are a lot of pressures on our funding streams but we can make a contribution and it is right that we back an organisation that makes a strong impact on a lot of local families."

It was agreed to fund a quarter of the £39,842 requested and offer support on other avenues.