Fife Council Welcomes Scottish Government Funding

28th September 2016

Fife Council welcomes the announcement from the Scottish Government that £2.7m funding has been allocated for Fife as part of the recently announced Programme for Government.

Cllr. David Ross, Leader of Fife Council, said: I am delighted that the Scottish Government has now responded to the calls from Fife Council and local authority partners for additional resources to support economic growth in our local communities. It is particularly helpful that the Government have recognised some of the priority local economic development projects identified through the Longannet Task Force Economic Recovery Action Plan and made a specific allocation to support two projects in Kincardine.”

The Scottish Government Economic Stimulus Package is to support 16 projects across Scotland, including a £10 million local economic development capital investment support fund from which two projects within Fife are to be funded. The first, an enterprise hub will be a multi-use building developed and managed through partnership between Fife Council and Coalfields Regeneration Trust. It will provide a range of business support services, including Business Gateway Fife services, and provide a focus for community enterprise development.

The second project will see the construction of 8 industrial workshops including utility connections, access and landscaping. These will provide premises suitable for small business and industrial occupiers in the Upper Forth area, which has been significantly affected by the closure of Longannet.

Cllr Lesley Laird, Depute Leader and Executive Spokesperson for Economy and Planning, said: Council officers have been working with Scottish Government officials since this funding announcement. The allocation of new resources for local economic development projects will create or support 40 - 70 new jobs within Kincardine and South West Fife. It will enable the creation of an enterprise and business hub and the construction of industrial workshops.

"This is a positive start in beginning to deliver on the actions set out in the Longannet Action Task Force plan. However, there is more work still to be done, and additional funding will still need to be identified in order to satisfactorily deliver on the action plan and the commitments to the communities in southwest Fife and beyond.”

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