A councillor has hit out at funding for a group of Fife projects, branding an autism charity's plans as "emotional blackmail", and saying that money for a pier refurbishment should be given to alleviate poverty.
Members of the council’s Levenmouth Area Committee agreed to allocate cash from the Levenmouth Reconnected Programme (LRP) large grant.
A total of £143,860 will go to support Autism Rocks’ refurbishment of the former Buckhaven and Wemyss Parish Church to help create an enhanced community hub for autistic people and their families.
The Buckhaven Play Park project received £95,250 to help provide better play park facilities for local children and families at a site between Sandwell Street and Methilhaven Road.
The Lower Largo Pier restoration project will receive an initial £150,000 with up to £500,000 in additional funding to be considered later subject to conditions being met.
The money will allow detailed design work and site investigations to be undertaken as part of plans to restore the harbour and pier as a cultural and recreational area.
While councillors unanimously agreed to allocate the funding, Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages councillor Tom Adams expressed reservations.
“The play park I don’t have a problem with. The Autism Rocks one I feel this is emotional blackmail,” he said.
“I support Autism Rocks and I supported them all the way through but they have bought a building that is a wreck. They were told at the time that it was a wreck. We are going to be throwing money into it and there is no guarantee how much money will be spent in the future.
“They would have been better advised, and they were advised at the time, to get a better building than this.
“The pier, the money for me would be better spent alleviating poverty in our areas as oppose to going on a pier which we will have no guarantees whatsoever in the future.”
Fife Council’ s Levenmouth Reconnected programme manager, Phil Clarke, insisted grants for the pier project were conditional on the ownership transference.
“We wouldn’t spend the money until the community take ownership of it. There would not be a situation where the hotel owner would sell the pier that the community has just funded,” he said.
Addressing the concerns over Autism Rocks, he added: “I take the point but it is like all these things, if you have a clean sheet of paper you might not necessarily go with the way they have again.
“They have invested in it. They have used it for a number of years. It is a key building in Buckhaven. It would be a shame to see it go to rack and ruin. It is a key structure in the area and not just a case of doing a building up – there is to be a use for it.”
Leven, Kennoway and Largo councillor Eugene Clarke shared the opinion that it was the wrong building for Autism Rocks.
He continued: “Having said that, they are where they are. If we decided not to go ahead with this, I presume the organisation would find itself in great difficulty and they are a well established group.
“As for the pier concerns, there has been one or two myths grown about this. It will not be in private ownership. This has been agreed.
“As far as the project is concerned, this will be run as a community organisation. They have already formed themselves into a charity.
“We are looking at something that will have a benefit to the community.”
Committee convener, Councillor Alistair Suttie, said the funding would bring “lasting benefits” to communities across Levenmouth.
“These investments reflect the ambition, commitment and creativity of local organisations that are working hard to improve opportunities and facilities for local people,” he said.
“It’s also a major milestone for the Levenmouth Reconnected Programme, which has already supported a wide range of successful projects across the area, helping communities make the most of the opportunities created by the return of the railway.
“These latest awards continue that positive legacy and demonstrate the lasting impact the programme is having throughout Levenmouth.”
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