WELFARE reform is costing the Cowdenbeath economy £22m every year, it was revealed this week.

The full impact of Welfare reform on Fife has been put at £153m per year, this is equivalent to £660 for every working age adult in the Fife. The figures are based on work done by Fife Council in understanding the impact of welfare reform on communities.

The chair of the Cowdenbeath Area, councillor Mark Hood, explained: "The headline figure of £153m only tells part of the story, the biggest impact is being felt in the most vulnerable communities.

"In St. Andrews the loss to the local economy has been approximately £3.5m or £256 per working age adult, however, in Buckhaven and Methil the loss to the economy has been £11.5m or £995 per working age adult. The most deprived communities are paying the biggest price."

Two of the worse impacted areas has been are in the Cowdenbeath Area Committee's three wards which has seen over £22m, or £858 per working age adult, lost to the local economy every year.

Mr Hood explained: "We have seen a huge increase on the demand for food banks, with families falling into crisis and having to rely on food donations to feed their children.

"There is almost 6500 homes in the Cowdenbeath area living in fuel poverty, forced to make the decision between eating or heating. But for me the worst impact is on children, we currently have 2000 children in the Cowdenbeath area living in poverty, their lives blighted as a result."

Mr Hood, who represents, Lochgelly and Cardenden said: "The Tory policies of early 80’s and 90’s damaged our communities for years, but with Welfare reform they have launched a new attack which is holding our community back.

" I find it amazing we have local Conservatives complaining that councillors need to do more to establish food banks. In my opinion we need to first get rid of the Tories and then remove the need for foodbanks."

The figures produced by the local authority show that for the Cowdenbeath ward the loss per working age adult is £711; while in Lochgelly and Cardenden it is £924 and in the Lochs the total is £952 per working age adult.