THE managing director of the operators of the Little Raith Wind Farm has underlined the commitment the company has to the local communities which surround the facility.

This comes in response to Cowdenbeath MSP, Alex Rowley’s comments that moves have to be made to ‘stop the greed’ of the owners of wind farms in Scotland.

Mr Rowley said, “Corporate giannts cannot continue to pay a pittance to communities which are neighbours to wind farms” and condemned them for only being interested in their profits.

The MSP made an appeal to Fife Council that community ownership of wind farms would be a way ahead and also has written to community councils in the constituency pointing out that communities surrounding a wind farm in East Renfrewshire are to receive a community benefit fund of £10m over the life of a facility on their doorsteps.

Jonny Kennedy, Managing Director of Kennedy Renewables, who operate Little Raith, said that his company continued to seek to back organisations in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area and stressed that if the proposed extension at the site near Mossmorran gets the go-ahead the community fund operated by the 4 Winds Trust would receive a further £100,000 per year.

Mr Kennedy said, “Kennedy Renewables are continuing to consult with the local community regarding our extension proposals and we welcome any feedback. Our recent canvass of the views of 800 households in the local area showed that most people support our proposals. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with Alex Rowley to discuss our planning application for the extension and to explain to him directly the community benefit arrangements for the existing wind farm and the proposed extension.” He added, “The community benefit fund of a minimum of £49,500 per annum is provided by Kennedy Renewables to the 4 Winds Development Trust and is for the sole benefit of the local communities of Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Lumphinnans and Auchtertool. The actual benefit paid in the last year has been almost £60,000, due to the fund being protected by index linking against inflation. The level of funding of £2000 per MW (index linked) was agreed between the previous developer and the communities before we purchased Little Raith Wind Farm in 2010. “It was in line or more generous than other community benefit funds set up at the time, such as Whitelee Wind Farm set at £1000 per MW or Clyde Wind Farm set at £2000 per MW. “The guidance for community benefit for new projects - as published by the Scottish Government earlier this year - is now set at £5000 per MW, and we are pleased to have committed to this if our proposed extension is given the go ahead as it would yield a further £100,000 per annum into the community benefit fund.” Mr Kennedy stressed, “Kennedy Renewables also continues to work where we can to assist young people in Fife. “In addition - but separate - to the community benefit fund, we have a partnership with Fife College, where we have set up ‘The Kennedy Renewables Educational Fund’ to provide local students on the Wind Turbine Technician Training course with laptops, industry leading software and safety equipment.

“We also continue to work with General Electric who, through our partnership with the College, are looking to recruit a number of students from the course. “Kennedy Renewables also sponsor Cowdenbeath FC’s Youth Academy and have entered into a three year sponsorship which began in the 2013/14 season and will continue into the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. “These commitments are fully funded by Kennedy Renewables and cost over £20,000 per annum. We hope to build on these local partnerships and, with many primary and secondary schools regularly visiting the existing wind farm, and we plan to build an Education and Visitor centre on site as part of our extension proposals.”