A West Fife councillor has called on Fife Council to "match the ambition of the community" as it decides what to do with facilities at the existing Inverkeithing High School.

Councillor David Barratt this week expressed disappointment after discovering that a report he believed would be brought to the local authority's cabinet committee today (Thursday) has not yet been produced.

The document had been promised after the decision to build a new school in Rosyth and was to look at future options for the site which contains the community-use wing offering a range of activities – including a swimming pool – for the public.

Dunfermline Press:

Cllr Barratt explained: "In September last year, I was successful in requesting a long overdue report on the future of community use and sports facilities in Inverkeithing to be brought to the January 2024 Cabinet Committee. The report was to include an options appraisal and costings for future community use, sports and swimming facilities in South and West Fife.

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"That Committee meets next week and on reviewing the agenda, I'm surprised to see no reference to the promised report. I'll be asking why the report is not ready and seeking reassurance that it will come to the next meeting in February.

"The new school is due to open in just over two years and it does not feel like adequate planning is being undertaken for the future of the existing site."

The Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay councillor is keen to keep the site's future at the forefront of the council's thoughts.

Cllr Barratt said: "Since the original decision was made not to go with the existing site, as soon as that decision was made, I asked the council to start pursuing considerations for the future of the site and to activate discussions with Historic Environment Scotland about the listed status of the school. Could we demolish it? Could we retain parts of it so we are not left in a position where it is 2026 and we have not started to discuss it yet?

"We haven't started to discuss it. I would hope it will come in February but this is still an issue.

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"We had the sports and leisure trust at the last area committee and I made a point to raise it. They said the swimming pool at the wing – which they look after on the behalf of the council – was one of, if not the biggest, pool in Fife. There is a strong demand for it.

"There is huge demand for better sporting facilities, more pitches, retaining a swimming pool and that all needs to be looked at. There was the agreement we would bring a report to the cabinet committee in January but that has not happened.

"I think it would be fair to say in Inverkeithing, the community are extremely sceptical that the council has any ambition for that site. I am trying to get the council to match the community's ambitions."

Fife Council has confirmed that the report is due to come before councillors at next month's meeting.

A decision to move Inverkeithing High to Rosyth was made in September last year when councillors agreed that a new facility would be built at the Fleet Grounds.

Opened in 1973, Inverkeithing High is currently rated the worst secondary in Fife for accessibility and its condition is classed as C, as it has "major defects".

The new school, which is set to open in 2026, will accommodate up to 1,735 pupils and 152 staff on a 16,305 square metre site.

The new premises will include community-use facilities – but not a swimming pool – as well as grass and astroturf sports pitches, landscaping, floodlighting, parking and footpaths.