The Courier has done more to help flood victims than highly paid public servants.
The damning indictment of Fife Council’s complete “lack of empathy” for distressed Cardenden residents comes from the man who was its last leader, Alex Rowley.
The Cowdenbeath MSP has voiced his “absolute disgust” at the way the local authority he once led has behaved towards homeowners.
He was backed by resident Moira Bennett, who dubbed the council’s treatment of her and her neighbours as “absolutely appalling”.
“My house is valued at nothing now,” she said. “I fear one day the back of my house is going to simply start sliding away.”
But there is good news on the horizon the council told The Courier work will start on a £750,000 plant, funded by the council and Scottish Government, in January.
Mr Rowley has been trying since February to get Fife Council to acknowledge the pain families are enduring as they look out on gardens filled with water contaminated with red oxide from former opencast workings.
Not only can the householders not use their gardens, but they have serious concerns about the water damage to their properties.
He has told chief executive Steve Grimmond: “Fife Council’s complete failure to show any kind of empathy for what these families are suffering and your complete failure to offer any kind of assistance over the last year beggars belief from a local authority that is meant to care and support local communities.”
He has repeatedly asked officers for a site meeting to discuss the problems with flooding from a burn behind their houses.
But he said he became convinced officers simply did not understand what was happening.
“Even if it is the case Fife Council has no legal responsibility surely you have a public responsibility to support and help these people?” Mr Rowley said.
“The Courier has been on site and seen the mess, damage and devastation being caused for these families and they tried to help by highlighting what was happening and what the issues were for the families involved, but it would seem the highly-paid public servants of Fife Council still refuse to look at this situation and now offer some kind of goodwill measure of ‘some dredging’.”
Fife Council’s head of economy, planning and employability, Robin Presswood, admitted the council knew the issues around Jamphlars Pond had caused “prolonged distress” for residents.
“We realise it must have been tremendously frustrating for them so I’m pleased to confirm the council has now reached agreement with landowners to allow the water quality treatment for Jamphlars Pond and Woodend Burn to go ahead.
“It is anticipated contractors for this £750,000 project will start on site in January 2015, with works scheduled to take around three months.”
Photo by David Wardle