Councillors contactable

Fife Council has clarified how the public can get in touch with new councillors after the Courier received complaints that some can’t be contacted.

Of the local authority’s 78 councillors, 29 were elected for the first time on 3 May.

FIFE COUNCIL has clarified how the public can get in touch with new councillors after the Courier received complaints that some cannot be contacted.

Of the local authority’s 78 councillors, 29 were elected for the first time on May 3.

Several readers wrote to the Courier, confused about how to reach their new representative by telephone and email.

One woman, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote: “Over two weeks since the local council election, Fife Council has still not made available email addresses for the new councillors.

“We can only assume they haven’t managed to set up email accounts for them even though a child using the internet can set up an email address within minutes.

“If residents who want to get in touch with their new councillors are frustrated and baffled, how much worse must it be for the new councillors?”

The issue was also raised at last week’s meeting of Cowdenbeath Community Council, where chairman Alex Haddow asked two of the town’s new councillors for contact details.

Councillor Peter Lockhart told members he is yet to be issued with an official mobile phone, but would circulate his number in due course.

Fellow Labour councillor Jayne Baxter said all newly-elected councillors could be contacted by email in the meantime.

Fife Council’s democratic services manager, Linda Bissett, said: “All councillors’ details are available online and you can contact a councillor either by telephone or email.

“If we have not yet been able to confirm which telephone number the new councillors wish to use, we have provided a number for Members Services.

“Anyone calling will be put in contact with their councillor this way.”

New councillors are in the process of setting up regular “surgeries”.

All councillors’ emails use the same system: cllr.firstname.secondname@fife.gov.uk.

To contact a councillor by telephone, call members services on 01592 583101.