South west Fife councillors have clashed over the best way forward to stop a notorious waterway from bursting its banks.
Members of the South West Fife area committee argued over flood prevention measures for Keithing and Brankholm burns, which run through Inverkeithing and Rosyth.
A plan tabled by Conservative councillor Dave Dempsey, and backed by SNP councillor Alice McGarry, was usurped by a motion led by Labour councillor Pat Callaghan.
Mr Dempsey had moved to improve the flow of the Keithing and Brankholm burns to reduce the risk of flooding to businesses and premises in the Belleknowes/Burnside areas.
He suggested the reopening of the former Caldwell Paper Mill sluice and pond, together with an enlargement of the overflow from the pond back into the burn itself, as the way forward.
However, Mr Callaghan tabled his own plans after labelling Mr Dempsey’s motion as too restrictive and unworkable.
He said: “The motion was ill thought out, ill considered and probably illegal given that we don’t own the land so the motion was never going anywhere.
“Ownership of the sluice and pond lies with the liquidator.
“We’re currently talking to them and the first response regarding coming in and dumping some water was, ‘if you dump some water it’s illegal, if you want to do anything down here buy it from us’.”
Mr Callaghan backed a physical examination of the burns, with special attention given to a flood tank resolution outlined in the 2004-08 Fairhurst Report.
He added: “I recommend that a physical examination of the burns, where possible, is constructed and presented back to committee, which will include details of restrictive confluences mentioned in the Fairhurst Report.
“A scoping and acceptable costing report should be prepared for the next meeting of the committee.
“Special attention should be given to the Fairhurst Report on flood tank resolution. This may be of positive concern for Belleknowes (South) Industrial Estate.”
Mr Callaghan’s amended motion was passed by seven votes to three, leaving Councillor McGarry angry and frustrated.
She said: “It is a piece of nonsense and going back over old ground and I’m not for it.
“This takes us back to where we were years ago. Now we have been dragged back to looking at a report which has already been done and which brings in engineering solutions which cost an absolute fortune.
“Quite frankly it is a waste of time and the businesses are going to be angry. It’s not going to happen. It’s political manoeuvring because they didn’t like the fact that Dave and I brought it forward in the first place.”
Mr Dempsey admitted disappointment that his motion had not been passed but conceded there was a silver lining.
He said: “The whole point of my motion was to make something happen. A phased approached is required. What I proposed was a first phase. I’m happy in the sense that something is going to come back next month. That was my target and my objective.
“I was disappointed they didn’t go for it but I knew that was going to happen because I’m used to the majority Labour group taking my proposals and knocking them down.”
Fellow committee member Lesley Laird urged those around the table to get things moving.
She stated: “It would be negligent of this committee to not take action now in terms of looking at what options are available. We need to put a stake in the ground. If I’m a local business or local resident I’d want to see a stake in the ground. I would urge members to get behind a conjoined effort.”