A Fife community stalwart has set up an online petition after branding the failure of the Scottish Government to properly fund a Longannet taskforce recovery plan “disgraceful”.
Tim Collins, the chairman of Culross Community Council, has turned to website 38 Degrees in his fight.
He’s asking the government to come forward with the cash the taskforce believes is needed to fund a proper economic recovery plan for the communities surrounding the coal-fired power station in Fife and further afield.
There has been shock and dismay since business minister Fergus Ewing announced there would be no money to fund the £9 million package of plans drawn up by the task force, to help workers and communities hit by the closure.
Now Mr Collins has created the petition where the communities of Fife, Clackmannan, Falkirk and the west Fife Scotland call upon the Scottish Government as a matter of urgency to come forward with the cash injection.
In it he said: “The economic impact on both the employees and those dependent on the local economy of the closure of the plant will be felt far and wide.”
Mr Collins told The Courier the reason he felt compelled to do this.
“The fact is there will be no money at all which is disgraceful. There is now no heavy industry west of Dunfermline in Fife.
ScottishPower was “doing its bit” he added, when it came to the workforce.
“But it seems the Scottish Government is not prepared to do that.”
The petition is at you.38degrees.org.uk‘This is a very, very sad day’ indeedCouncillor fears for future of area as he joins 236 workers left looking for a job
On the day he walked out of the job he has had for more than 39 years, Fife councillor Willie Ferguson spoke of the need to help safeguard thousands of jobs associated with Longannet.
“This is a very, very sad day indeed,” said the quietly-spoken independent councillor who represents the west Fife villages.
Mr Ferguson is one of the 236 ScottishPower staff members directly out of a job because of the decision to close the power station.
While many have taken up packages, he fears for what will happen if they don’t get help to develop skills and find new jobs.
And then there are the hundreds of people in the supply chain much more than 1,000 could be hit.
“Big companies go on and on, but it is the small companies who will come off the worse, and now the power station is shut that doesn’t become news.
“The small companies in the villages perhaps won’t survive.
“Those companies will be bearing the brunt of this. And I have had colleagues of 30-plus years who are contractors.
“Longannet is their permanent place of employment.
“They are not included in the direct staff figures and that’s something that needs to be recognised.”
For Mr Ferguson, it is a stark reminder of the day local mines closed and indeed many miners found work in the power station.
“So, we’ve been doubly hit and for the community this is devastating.”
He spoke of the need to inject life into the area, which because of its location on the waterfront and its rail links has potential.
But he warned against trying to push for rail passenger trains before work to redevelop the area can begin.
“I know there are campaigns to get passengers on the line.
“But I ask let’s look at the bigger picture, because we need to safeguard the freight and work part of it first.”
He admitted he was disappointed there was no money coming for the task force and simply asked “Why?”
“Why are we being denied? Without money the feasibility study will go nowhere.”
And he had a stark warning.
“We will not see the impact for months. It is fine just now, people have taken packages, they have money in their pocket.
“In a few months time this is where it will hurt.
“There will be no money for rent or mortages then.”