The Scottish arm of the Industrial Communities Alliance has pledged to do everything in its power to protect the communities it serves from the effects of Brexit.
It comes amid growing fears former industrial powerhouses could lose huge amounts of European money.
The pressure group fights for a better deal for communities – like Fife – still blighted by the loss of industries, like coal, steel, heavy engineering and textiles in England, Scotland and Wales.
Roddy MacDonald, the alliance’s Scottish director said: “The meeting heard widespread concern about the very real threat that these vulnerable communities could lose substantial levels of European funding.
“At this stage there is absolutely no guarantee that the Westminster Government will be able to plug any funding gap, or to what extent they will be willing to do so.”
He said the meeting had taken stock of the situation in Scotland and will report back to its national executive who will decide what type of lobbying the organisation will have to embark upon, to best defend its member communities.
East Ayrshire Councillor Barney Menzies, who chairs the Alliance in Scotland, said: “One of the areas where European funding plays a big part is in supporting youth employment initiatives, but despite that, my area is the second worst in Scotland for youth unemployment.”
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust, whose Scottish headquarters is in Alloa, hosted the conference and presented an update on their Longannet Coalfields Initiative, which aims to ensure local communities have their say in the work of the task force set up in the wake of the power station closure.
Fife Councillor Bob Young, who is the Scottish Trustee of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, is vice-chairman of the alliance.
He said: “The power station closure will have a major impact on dozens of former mining areas in Fife, Clackmannan and Falkirk, and we are doing our best to ensure that local people can have a real say in the government task force’s work.”