WHEN DELEGATES attending a COSLA conference in Fife next month leave for home, they will be given a memento to remind them of their time here.

But the souvenir mug they are given receive won’t have been made in Fife, but in Dunoon.

And yesterday one Fife councillor claimed this was a disgrace and “a slap in the face” for local craftsmen.

Independent Wullie Leggatt (Burntisland) said the conference, to be held at St Andrews Bay, was a complete waste of council taxpayers’ money and he attacked the decision to present delegates with something not made in Fife.

“This conference will be paid for by council taxpayers in Fife and the rest of Scotland and it’s disgraceful that it’s being held at such a plush place.

“I don’t see the need to give delegates a gift but surely the council could present them with something that’s made in Fife.”

He added,“It costs Fifers £198,000 a year to be members of COSLA and I just can’t see the point of holding this at St Andrews Bay.

“What’s wrong with using, say, the Town House in Kirkcaldy or the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes? It’s a real slap in the face for craftsmen in the kingdom—they and council taxpayers are being taken for mugs.”

Fife Council chief executive Douglas Sinclair said, “This is a major event which gives us a chance to highlight Fife and its many attractions.

“The event itself is bringing in almost 300 delegates from across the whole of Scotland. Those people will in turn be spending money and helping generate money for the local economy.

“It is normal practice to provide a token gift or memento to delegates at such events and wherever possible, if we as a council are able to source this locally, at the best value to our council tax payers, we will do so.”