Fife Council has been accused of making a “right bourache” of its proposals to move a residential children’s unit to a Kirkcaldy suburb.
The comment was made by local SNP councillor George Kay as the council’s executive committee agreed that the recommendation should be subject to consultation with the local community before being progressed.
Residents of the Raith Estate in Kirkcaldy presented a 343-strong petition to the council expressing concern that the proposals were earmarked for approval in a council report apparently without consultation.
But a unanimously-backed motion by the council’s Labour administration said the proposal should be referred to the appropriate scrutiny committee for further consideration and should be subject to consultation before a report goes back to committee in November.
There was controversy when The Courier revealed last week that residents of the Raith Estate were unaware of the proposals, which would provide accommodation for as many as five vulnerable youngsters at the site of the Raith Gates care home.
The facility would replace Rimbleton House in Glenrothes. However, it emerged there had been no advance warning or consultation with residents a source of real concern for Councillor Kay, who called for a “robust” consultation process.
At the council executive committee in Glenrothes, Taybridgehead Liberal Democrat councillor Tim Brett emphasised the council had responsibility as “corporate parents” for these vulnerable children.
Kirkcaldy Labour councillor Neil Crooks said the community had been “misinformed” and could look forward to “genuine consultation”.
Dunfermline SNP councillor Neale Hanvey said: “We are not talking about some kind of borstal. There seems to be a fear factor coming from the community. We have a responsibility to provide a safe and secure home for these young people.”
The council’s depute leader, Lesley Laird, a former chairwoman of the corporate parent board, said there had clearly been a misinterpretation of the executive committee minutes on June 17 when the methodology of selecting a site was agreed. She said “undue and unnecessary angst” had been caused in the community and that was “to be regretted”.
She said: “There are over 900 looked after children in Fife. It is not their fault. They have no loving or caring environment. We do have a corporate responsibility as a council.”
Kirkcaldy Liberal Democrat councillor Susan Leslie, who was brought up in the “wonderful” Raith area near Beveridge Park, said residents had conducted themselves with “grace”.
She said: “Residents have the same love of the area that I did. It’s about making sure they have full access to all the information.”
Glenrothes SNP councillor Peter Grant said he hoped it was not too late. He said: “We need the facility to be welcomed into the community. So far, the council has done this all wrong, getting the consultation completely the wrong way around.”
But Fife Council Labour leader David Ross said it was wrong to suggest the council had got consultation “badly wrong” when consultation had not started yet. He said the council “is committed to clear, honest and transparent consultation”.