Rosyth SNP councillor Douglas Chapman has hit out at the lack of local consultation over the UK Government’s decision to base part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland at HMS Caledonia.
The decision was made as part of the UK Government’s defence review, which also resulted in the closure of RAF Leuchars.
Details of the move have yet to be revealed, but it is thought the army will share the onshore base with the navy.
Caledonia is primarily used as an accommodation unit for naval crews while their vessels are undergoing refit or maintenance work at Rosyth dockyard.
Mr Chapman said, “I have no problem in welcoming our armed forces to Rosyth.
“However, it is almost a month since the decision was made and the local community has been left unaware of the local and long-term implications of such a decision.”
Mr Chapman said he was surprised by the lack of consultation with the local community before the decision, “given the way in which the UK defence review was trailed in the media for almost two years.”
“I am also very disappointed that we have had heard absolutely nothing at a local level since the decision was taken.”Reassurance demandHe said questions from his constituents raise issues such as whether there will still be a naval presence, how many soldiers are coming, if they will be stationed permanently, will it include their families and, if it does, what effect it will have on schools, through to whether this means the UK Government and navy are pulling out of Rosyth as soon as the carriers are completed.
Mr Chapman said, “On all these issues we’ve heard nothing, and today I have written to the secretary of state for defence, Liam Fox, local Labour MP Thomas Docherty and to Fife Council’s chief executive Ronnie Hinds to demand the answers and reassurances the local community needs to hear.”
His move follows Mr Docherty’s call last week for a cross-party task force to ensure Fife was ready for the arrival of the army at Caledonia.
He has asked council chief executive Ronnie Hinds for a group which would mirror many of the features of the Leuchars Task Force to be set up to address the issues facing the council and MoD in the army’s move.
The Dunfermline and West Fife MP said he believed the local MSP, ward councillors and a representative of the community council should be asked to join, as well as the business bodies and perhaps dockyard operators Babcock and Carnegie College, and that the task force be chaired by a non-political representative.
At that time Fife Council service manager Sandra Montador-Stewart said it could be that a new group, led by the council, will be established to focus on the impact of MoD plans on communities across Fife.
The environment, enterprise and transport committee will discuss proposals for the remit of such a group next month.