Action plans says £180m needed as investment in area’s economy

AN “ambitious and radical” £180 million action plan has been drawn up to boost economic activity in Cowdenbeath, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth.

The draft Mid-Fife Economic Action Plan, to be discussed by councillors this month, makes recommendations including investing in business parks, improving town centres and boosting employment skills.

But consultants Context said in the report that it was not yet known how the plan would be delivered.

“The scale of resources required is significant – and well above and beyond the current level of resources allocated to mid-Fife,” said the report.

“The cost of delivering the plan is estimated at £160m to £180m, which is a direct response to the scale of the challenges identified – and the need to recognise that ‘more of the same’ will not make the required stepchange in mid-Fife.

“It is essential to note the plan cannot be delivered within the current envelope of available resources.”

Councillors have been asked to provide feedback on the document.

The area has suffered from the demise of coal and manufacturing industry, with men in full-time work earning 12% less than the Scottish average wage and women earning 15% less.

And fewer women in mid-Fife have jobs compared to Scotland as a whole.

The report said midFife benefits from a good location, with “reasonable” commuting times to Edinburgh and a lower cost of living than the capital.

And the Levenmouth rail link project was said to provide a “massive opportunity”.

“Evidence from the Borders railway and the Alloa to Stirling, which in year 10 had doubled initial estimates, is positive about the benefits to local economies.”

Gordon Mole, Fife Council’s interim chief officer for business and employability, said in a report prepared for the committee: “This area has some of the poorest outcomes in Scotland in relation to jobs, health and deprivation.

“Consultants were appointed to develop a Mid-Fife Economic Action Plan that was based on an independent appraisal of the area’s economic profile and business base, and an assessment of current and future business needs.

“The consultative draft action plan recognises that there are different issues within the component areas of mid-Fife and therefore proposes both mid-Fife area-wide actions and locally relevant and specific actions for each of the four areas.”