Agreements over a Newburgh rail link and a replacement for a crumbling additional support needs school in Cupar proved key to the SNP’s budget getting support at Holyrood.
Finance chief Shona Robison was able to get the Liberal Democrats on board by promising to prioritise long-delayed Fife community projects.
The SNP does not have a majority of MSPs at Holyrood so required support from rival parties.
Local demands for a new railway station and school will now be at the top of the pile when the SNP decide where to allocate infrastructure spending.
But that does not mean funding is yet guaranteed.
Hope for Newburgh
Residents in Newburgh have been unable to travel by train locally for decades even though rail tracks still cut through the town.
Last month we revealed a new station was a key ask for the Lib Dems when they went to the SNP with their budget wishlist.
Local campaigner Nigel Mullan, who has led the fight for a rail link, welcomed the latest development.
“If it’s been moved up the spending agenda, that’s got to be good,” he told The Courier.
High-end estimates suggested a new railway stop could cost £8 million.
But Mr Mullan believes this could be brought to below £1 million by opening a basic “modular station” which only has a simple raised platform.
“It’s a good buy-in for all parties,” Mr Mullan said. “It’s not a major infrastructure investment.”
North East Fife Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie admitted it will be a “political decision” for SNP ministers to decide which projects across Scotland are approved.
But he said: “We’ve managed to nudge Newburgh up the list. It’s got a better chance now.”
Cupar school currently ‘unsuitable’
Mr Rennie also hopes the budget agreement increases the chances of Kilmaron School campus in Cupar being replaced.
The Lib Dem MSP said the building is unsuitable and overcrowded for pupils who have additional support needs.
“It’s still embarrassing this is the accommodation we’re providing for some of our most vulnerable people,” he told The Courier.
“We’ve got to get that replaced quickly.”
A Scottish Government insider stressed proposed infrastructure investments will be “considered carefully”.
But they claimed projects being given the green light will depend on how much money Holyrood gets from Westminster.
Cash to tackle housing crisis
Mr Rennie said further promises in the budget to spend more money on building affordable homes will benefit North East Fife and the wider country.
He said the social housing crisis is “sharper” in parts of the Kingdom.
“Constituents are desperate for housing,” he told The Courier. “They’ve been on waiting lists for months, sometimes years, particularly those with disabilities.”
The Lib Dem MSP said St Andrews and surrounding towns have “particularly acute problems” due to the number of students and holiday accommodation.
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