Campaigners have pitched into a war of words over funding for a new 3G surface in Levenmouth.
Members of Fifers For The Community, which last week secured £350,000 of council funding for sporting facilities at East Fife FC’s ground, may raise an official complaint against a councillor for what they claimed was an “uncontrolled attack” on them.
FFTC said they were extremely concerned Ally Hunter, a member of an opposing community group which lost out on the grant, had used social media to launch a “largely inaccurate tirade” against them.
Mr Hunter has, in turn, accused FFTC of a deliberate attempt to discredit him and said: “There is more than one administrator of that Facebook page and they are conflating my role with Levenmouth Sports Village and my role as councillor.”
The row broke after Mr Hunter accused members of Levenmouth area committee of a lack of ambition and a reckless disregard of the financial risk to public money after a vote awarded the money to FFTC.
Levenmouth Sports Village’s Facebook page then carried a picture of the four Labour and independent councillors who voted for the New Bayview site, saying they had no ambition and no vision.
A statement issued on behalf of FFTC this week said: “Councillor Hunter launched an attack on social media directed both at individual councillors and the quality and content of the successful FFTC bid.
“FFTC are currently considering if or how to address Councillor Hunter’s behaviour through official channels but are extremely concerned that an elected council official chooses social media as a vehicle to launch a largely inaccurate tirade against the successful bid.
“Only Councillor Hunter will understand the wisdom of this uncontrolled attack.”
Mr Hunter responded: “This group is playing the man and not the ball. They have tried from day one to sully my reputation and I’ve let it go.
“All I want is absolutely the best sporting facilities we can get for the community in this area and for now, I wish East Fife all the best.”
East Fife FC could be playing on the plastic pitch from as early as next season if the group can secure match funding.
FFTC is independent from the Bayview club and will lease the land from them for a range of sports which will be for community use.
East Fife will, in turn, pay the group to hire time on the pitch for matches and training.