Energy giant ‘lets west Fife down’

ScottishPower accused of blanking communities

ScottishPower has been accused of abandoning west Fife communities suffering in the wake of Longannet’s demise.

A row has broken out after it emerged local groups have had three funding bids rejected by the energy giant’s charity arm, the ScottishPower Foundation, this year.

Members of Longannet Initiative Strategic Partnership claim ScottishPower is “blanking” appeals for aid.

They say that in the two years since Longannet closed, with an annual loss to the local economy of £50 million, ScottishPower has failed to communicate with communities, or to tackle the economic fallout.

ScottishPower has hit back, stressing the foundation is an independent body which reviews all funding applications impartially.

A spokesman said it was actively engaged with local groups, had regular contact with Fife Council about the plant’s demolition and future, and would now contact the partnership to discuss how they could “work positively” together.

ScottishPower has been accused of turning its back on communities hit by the closure of Longannet.

The claim comes after three local projects had their bids for funding from the energy giant’s independent charity arm rejected.

ScottishPower has insisted all applications are reviewed impartially.

However, members of the Longannet Initiative Strategic Partnership (Lisp), established to give locals a say in a Scottish Government taskforce, say they feel let down and abandoned.

They claim that in the two years since the closure, ScottishPower has done nothing to tackle the fallout arising from the loss of 230 direct jobs and an estimated 1,000 indirect jobs.

Campaigners say when Longannet shut they were told funding would be available from the ScottishPower Foundation.

However, none of the latest grants – benefiting 17 charities to the tune of more than £1m – are Longannet-related.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust and West Fife Enterprise both applied for funding for training schemes but were knocked back.

Lisp member Trevor Docherty said the message seemed to be “we have shut up shop and you are getting nothing”.

He added: “They don’t want to engage with the community in any way and they certainly don’t seem to want to spend a penny helping us recover from their plant’s closure.”

West Fife Enterprise general manager Simon Warr said it was hugely disappointing that the firm “seem to be washing their hands of any responsibility” for the fallout.

“Ironically, among the additional courses we hoped to offer was a qualification on demolition skills, which might have come in handy now a contractor has been appointed to demolish the power station,” he added.

A ScottishPower spokesman insisted the firm remained active with local people, citing the Valleyfield Liaison Group as an example.

“Our community team will contact Lisp and we believe we can work positively with them,” he said.

The spokesman added: “Funding awards are purely made based on the merits of individual projects against very specific criteria.”

They don’t want to engage with the community inanyway and they certainly don’t seem to want to spend a penny helping us recover