South West Fife budget spent for improvements to estates

More than £130,000 was set aside to enhance the appearance of the areas, with cosmetic jobs identified through 'walkabouts' with officers and councillors, but the South and West Fife area committee heard they've "basically spent the budget" for 2023-24.

By the start of October, less than £5,000 was left and at last week's meeting convener David Barratt said: "The estate walkabouts are extremely valuable.

"It's good to have them but I also see we've basically spent the budget and there's no money left this financial year."

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He added: "I don't know what we can do to free up more money or if it's just a case of waiting until the next financial year."

South and West Fife area committee convener, Councillor David Barratt. (Image: Fife Council)

Cllr Barratt said the lack of money was being felt in the Whinnyhill / Manse Road area of Inverkeithing where "not an awful lot of progress" had been made since since improvement works were identified last year on an estate walkabout.

He added: "The railings throughout the area are rusty and look neglected, likewise a lot of render is falling off walls in the public realm that really need to be dealt with.

"The area in general is looking sorry for itself and I think that's true across a number of council estates."

However, area housing manager Claire McKinlay said the particular works on the railings and walls come under a different budget, which still has money in it, and should have been progressed.

She added: "I'm not sure why we're stalling on that to be honest. I can look into it."

The committee was told the budget had been put to good use with 13 out of 20 estate walkabouts completed and action plans drawn up and progressed, with solar lights installed at Walter Hay Court in Rosyth and work underway to improve the pathways there.

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Balconies at the council flats on Forth View and Priory Square in Kincardine had also been replaced.

She continued: "However there's more work to do.

"We still need to identify funding for Glebe Terrace in Inverkeithing for bin storage improvements and we need to consult with Spittalfield Crescent residents about their gardens and what they want to do with them.

"We need to encourage and support residents to make arrangements and stick to arrangements to pay their rent arrears, and we still have a further seven estate walkabouts to complete."

She also told councillors that, to try and tackle the lack of affordable housing, 12 properties in Inverkeithing, Rosyth, Dalgety Bay, Kincardine, Oakley and Saline have been purchased by the council since March 2022 and eight properties in "high demand" areas in Hillend, Rosyth and Inverkeithing have been freed up through the 'best use of stock' initiative.

Ms McKinlay said she hoped to see a site start "imminently" in Crombie where 19 new council homes will be built after numerous delays.

She added: "On the lack of parking the lock-ups in Ramsay Place in Rosyth are due to be demolished towards the end of the financial year, there have been some delays there too.

"We've also installed 13 driveways at council properties in Leighton Street in High Valleyfield and another seven at Spittalfield Crescent in Inverkeithing."

Cllr Barratt said: "We're making progress on the buybacks and in a better position than we were.

"The acquisitions team were very firm they were being told they couldn't purchase more than 50 despite senior officers in Fife Council assuring councillors that was not the case.

"I think that's now been resolved."