Controversial proposals to relocate some of Fife’s most vulnerable children in a Kirkcaldy suburb are hugely flawed, a community leader has said.
Euan Fraser, the chairman of the Raith Homeowners Association, made an impassioned plea to councillors, where he asked for plans to build a home for looked-after children at Raith Gates to be scrapped.
Addressing a specially convened meeting of Fife Council’s education, social and communities scrutiny committee, Mr Fraser said hopes that residents would mix with the youngsters were fanciful and that the former care home was “the wrong site”.
In his address, he told members: “While we are not disputing the possible need for a looked-after children’s facility in Kirkcaldy, the fundamental concerns of the residents have been fobbed off with platitudes, cliches, social work dogma and slanted information.
“What you cannot read from this report is the anger and desperate feeling of concern within the ranks of the residents. We do not wish this looked-after children’s home at the Raith Gates site. We consider that the proposal is totally the wrong site.
“The theoretical hopes of the social work officials that the Raith residents will want to integrate with the youths in the house, or vice versa, is a forlorn one.
“The Raith residents are predominantly in the upper-age bracket, who have invested in property in a quiet residential estate in Kirkcaldy, with the express wish of enjoying, or looking forward to, a peaceful retirement with like-minded neighbours.”
Council officers used the meeting to reaffirm their belief that the former care home site is the best location for the new facility.
It would replace the unit at Rimbleton in Glenrothes, with Kirkcaldy deemed more suitable for vulnerable youngsters in terms of environment and transport links.
However, the plans have met strong opposition from some residents, despite Dougie Dunlop, the local authority’s head of service for children, claiming that the development would have “little or no negative impact on the local community”.
Concerns about the value of the land also featured prominently at what was a packed and often heated meeting at the Adam Smith Theatre.
Situated in one of Kirkcaldy’s most desirable locations, there is a widely held belief that selling the land could net Fife Council a considerable sum of money.
John Smith, from the Abbots Mill Residents Group, said: “This is a high-value site that could make a lot of money. The council is in a win-win situation.”
The purpose of the meeting was to allow the scrutiny committee to provide further recommendations to the council’s executive committee, which will ultimately make a decision on whether plans for a children’s home are taken forward.
However, while five points are to be put forward, an amendment was tabled by SNP councillor Douglas Chapman, calling for a vote of no confidence in the administration, the exploration of alternative sites, as well as a full investigation into the process.
Mr Chapman said: “How can a community be engaged in a proper consultation when so much of the information, which should be transparent and is vital to making the right decision, is either posted missing or comes along so late or so incoherently, it looks like the Labour administration in Fife are making it up as they go along.”
The amendment was defeated by eight votes to five.