There was a lively debate between political candidates at The Courier hustings in Dunfermline.
Mr Rowley said people who used the number 19 had “legitimate” reasons for complaint, adding, “Fife Council don’t have the powers to deregulate. We would deregulate buses if elected.
Mr Walker said he was against deregulation and defended the decision to take buses off at certain times for residents in Saline and Steelend. “There were only 1.3 people per journey.”
John Winton said he believed that the “obscenely expensive” PFI contract which paid for an extension at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy should be scrapped.
Mr Walker said PFI was a Tory decision and that you got “credit card returns” from it. He also linked it to public private partnerships (PPP) and said that the Labour Party “loved them.”
“However, we are paying for it 30 years down the line,” he said.PPPMr Rowley defended PPP and said schools built through it cost no more than traditional models.
“The cost of PPP is a myth,” he said. “Take the care homes in Fife, which are 30 years old 400 people pay £50 per week for capital costs.”
Mr Reekie said he agreed with Mr Rowley and favoured PFI.
The subject of what the candidates would do for small businesses with regard to getting work on the new Forth road bridge was raised by Janet Torley, chairwoman of the Fife branch of the Federation of Small Businesses.
Mr Rowley said he felt the procurement process was something that need to be addressed, while Mr Reekie told the audience small businesses “would take us out of recession.”
And Fred Morrison questioned the benefits of coalition government after claiming Lib Dem promises were “worthless,” as shown by Westminster Liberals.
Mr Tolson defended his party by saying that the Dunfermline election is “about the Scottish Parliament,” but Mr Rowley said he was against a coalition as “democracy suffers” as a result.
The next hustings will take place at Rothes Hall, Glenrothes, on Tuesday and then at Elmwood College, Cupar, on Wednesday, April 27. The Courier’s partner in all three Fife events is the Fife Federation of Small Businesses.
Alex Rowley (Labour), Bill Walker (SNP), Jim Tolson (Liberal Democrat) and James Reekie (Conservative) all faced a series of questions from the audience at the event held at the Glen Pavilion, Pittencrieff Park.
All four were vying for votes for the new Dunfermline seat, which was created by boundary changes. The constituency now includes Kingseat and Steelend.
The seat was previously known as Dunfermline West and Mr Tolson won it in May 2007 with a slim majority of 476.
The political debate, hosted by The Courier’s political reporter David Clegg, aroused local interest with discussion on problems encountered by bus commuters in west Fife, plans to privatise care homes in Fife, help for small businesses in the region and the thorny subject of the private finance initiative (PFI).
Marie Macrae kicked off the proceedings at the event, which had a good turnout, by asking the candidates what privatising care homes would do for her in the future.
Fife Council has said 10 care homes will be operated by the private or not-for-profit sector in place of the council.
Mr Tolson said he understood that “90%” of care home provision was now in the private sector, adding, “The focus has to be on providing the best quality of care for all people and the Care Commission provides the best care.”
Mr Rowley disagreed, however, and said 97% of council-run care homes are “first-class.” He added, “Privatising is bad for Fife. People working in the private sector are desperate to get out.”
Mr Walker said he did not like the word “privatise” being applied to the decision on care homes in Fife and he accused Mr Rowley of “scaremongering.”BusesAnother topical subject was buses, with focus on problems when changes were made to the number 19 Rosyth to Ballingry service and accusations that Stagecoach has a monopoly in Fife.
Helen Law asked how the candidates were going to regulate bus services to meet the needs of communities.
Mr Tolson told the audience he had spent a lot of time as an MSP “challenging Stagecoach.”
“I marched into Stagecoach’s offices to get changes to the service to Crombie,” he said. “With regard to the number 19 service, I feel that Stagecoach had to make alternative arrangements you can’t change the route of buses.”
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