Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth has attacked the leader of Fife Council over the City Region Deal claiming it will deliver few benefits for the kingdom.
The SNP MSP blamed council leader David Ross for the Levenmouth Rail Link being left out of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal, in particular.
But Mr Ross hit back and said she was “talking rubbish”.
Ms Gilruth claimed Labour councillor Mr Ross gave “evasive answers” to Holyrood’s local government and communities committee during a recent inquiry into the City Region Deals.
She said: “Fife has been let down by the Edinburgh City Region Deal.
“Plans to reinstate the Leven Rail Link should have been the number one priority for Fife Council in these negotiations. I remain in the dark as to whether that was ever the case.
“David Ross’s evasive answers to a direct line of questioning in front of the Scottish Parliament’s local government committee leave me deeply worried about how Fife Council prioritised projects in the deal.”
She now intends to write to the leaders of all local authorities involved in the deal.
Mr Ross has written to Ms Gilruth expressing his “extreme disappointment at her approach”.
He said: ““Jenny Gilruth is talking rubbish.
“It was evident from her questioning at the committee that she was more interested in having a go at the council and myself rather than understanding the issues and how we can go forward and get the best for Fife out of the City Region Deal.
“I think her performance did a disservice to Fife and a disservice to her constituents
“In regard to the Levenmouth Rail Link, I made it quite plain that the council included a bid for that project in the original City Region Deal submission.
“In the negotiations with Scottish Government civil servants it became clear that the full project would not be ranked highly under the criteria for the deal laid down by the Scottish and UK Governments.
“Nevertheless the council insisted that funding for at least the first phase of feasibility and design work on the Levenmouth Rail Link was included in the final list of deal projects.
“It was the Scottish Government that rejected funding for even this part of the project when it announced funding for the deal in July.
“Despite my disappointment with the overall level of funding for the deal and the missed opportunities, there is still a lot in it for Fife and that’s what we should now focus on together rather than trying to score political points.”
