LOCAL councillors are to look at what extra resources can be put into creating a drop-in service to help tackle the increase in suicides among local young people.

Cowdenbeath Area Committee passed a motion asking for the Community Manager to come forward with proposals for additional resources to deliver a service for young people across the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Linda Erskine, the committee convener, and Cowdenbeath councillor Gary Guichan.

Councillor Erskine said: "People are rightly alarmed and saddened by the recent spate of suicides and the impact that this has had on our young people in the Cowdenbeath Area.

"There are a number of good examples of support for people with mental health problems but there is obviously a need to look carefully at how we can look after our young people.

"We note with concern the recent numbers of young people attempting to take their life and seek a way of offering the right sort of assistance."

The motion before the committee was as follows: "We welcome the local work undertaken by Ashley and Rhys Greig, the Dunfermline Man's Shed, BRAG, and Home Start working in Lochgelly High School.

"The Area Committee believes there is a need for early intervention at a local level and we will commit to working with all the agencies in this area to ensure that we are there to support people when and where they require it.

"However, we must recognise that the services that we have in place at the moment do not deliver the much needed support.

"The Area Committee believes that the service best placed to to deliver this in our area is Community Learning and Development.

"With this in mind the Area Committee asks the Community Manager to come forward with proposals for additional resources funded from our Area budgets, to work with all agencies in our area to co-ordinate and deliver a confidential advice drop-in service for our young people across the Cowdenbeath Area.

"The Area Committee further recommend that all staff and councillors be appropriately trained in the area of mental health for example in -'Ask Someone if They Area OK'."

It was also recommended that a briefing note on the progress of the project be be brought back to the committee on a three monthly basis.

Councillor Guichan said: "It is a real regret that I second this motion before us.

"Statistics show that since 2017 suicides among young men are increasing and deprivation and isolation seem to be having a huge impact on this. Having someone to speak to can make such a difference."

Local Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament and youth member of the committee, Bailey-Lee Robb, commented: "I fully support this motion.

"I have listened to countless young people around the ward and it really is something that needs addressing."

The committee fully agreed with the motion and the committee should know about the progress being made in either September or October.