Have A Star.

Carnegie is always a bit sceptical when he reads of studies praising the performance of local councils, even more so when the reports are actually produced by the councils themselves which seems to be the case for these ones about Fife.

"FIFE is one of the best places to live in Scotland, according to a recent study. Education, housing, community safety and green issues were all highlighted in Fife Council's annual performance report.Leader of the administration Peter Grant welcomed the news and believes the local authority is well on its way to achieving its ambitious targets."

The Three R's.

"A FIFE Labour MSP has voiced worries over education spending following the release of new statistics. The figures indicate the Kingdom's spend per pupil is among the lowest in Scotland. Claire Baker hit out at the SNP/Lib Dem administration in Fife in the wake of the 'shameful' results and asked for more money to be spent on schooling. According to figures released by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) for 2008/09, Fife spends the least out of all 32 local authorities in terms of spending per pupil in secondary education. It is also second bottom when it comes to spending per pupil in primary education."

Carnegie isn't sure this is a party political issue. Just because you spend less than other councils on something doesn't mean you necessarily get a worse service if the services are managed more effectively. And it also seems to be a bit unfair for Labour MSPs to be lining up to criticise Fife Council's SNP Lib Dem administration given that Fife Council was until May 2007 and one budget round ago actually Labour controlled. And since then the current administration have actually increased the amount spent on each child by Labour when it controlled Fife Council.

How Much?

So, it's official with the date for the new service to resume the 18th May.

"SCOTLAND'S only ferry link to the continent will resume in May next year, it was announced today. Ship operator Norfolkline took on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge service after it was ditched by Superfast earlier this year. A booking service has now been set up and the ferry is due to sail three times a week each way from May 18."

But is it just Carnegie or don't we actually know yet just how much this "service" is going to cost the taxpayer, let alone Fife Council Taxpayers. The official Scottish Government press release doesn't actually give a number.

Crime Suspect.

Carnegie said it last year when the last set of figures were published and he still holds the same view.

The numbers of murders committed in Fife are very small and the relative risk in Fife of being a victim compared to other parts of Scotland is similarly small, so we need to bear those facts in mind when headline figures are published which often don't tell the full stories.

"THE NUMBER of victims of murder and culpable homicide in Fife rose slightly last year, taking police figures to their highest level for five years. Figures published yesterday by Scotland’s chief statistician revealed six people were killed in the region during 2007/08, compared with five people the previous year. Fife was one of just three police forces recording a rise in the number of cases, with the number of victims across Scotland as a whole falling by five from 119 to 114."

Hope.

And here's hoping that a deal can be done to save the jobs of those remaining at Cemtron's Dalgety Bay facility. Fingers crossed.

"A DEAL to sell a Fife electronics firm could still go ahead, according to the administrators appointed to run the company. Cemtron, which is based in Dalgety Bay, went into receivership at the start of October with the loss of 41 jobs. The 112 people who remain at the electronic manufacturing company have yet to hear if the business can be sold as a going concern. Administrators Tenon Recovery put it up for sale almost immediately and generated quite a bit of interest ... Nearly 30 inquiries were received and a closing date for offers was set by Tenon. A number of parties were interested in buying the business, but it is understood a preferred bidder was selected. Both parties have since been trying to thrash out a suitable deal since then. However, there have been suggestions that the prospective buyer was on the verge of pulling out."

Jobless.

So Fife is not immune from the effects of the economic downturn with increasing numbers of unempoyed in the Kingdom, but also suggestions that perhaps Fife is faring better than many other parts of Scotland. Here's hoping that the downturn is shorter and less damaging than people are currently predicting.

"THE NUMBER of people out of work across Tayside and Fife has grown by more than 3000 in a year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. A total of 14,214 from the Dundee City, Perth and Kinross, Angus and Fife council areas are claiming jobseeker’s allowance. That’s 3191 more than were registered last year, and 1023 more than at the same time last month. Estimates suggest that the total number of unemployed people across the area—including those not claiming benefits—could be as high as 19,000 ... The claimant count across Fife increased from 6829 in October to 7572 in November, putting Fife’s rate up to 3.4%. Most of those, a total of 5653, were men, with 1919 women said to be on the list. Over half of the claimants were aged 25 to 49, while more than 2200 were aged between 18 and 24, and just over 1200 aged 50 or over."

Concrete.

Carnegie wouldn't want to be one of the Dalgety Bay residents who's homes look onto the Bay's radioactive beach which could soon find itself being concreted over as a means of avoiding the possibility of risk to the public.

"A BEACH may have to be partially covered in concrete to seal dangerous material that could give children a dose of radiation. The move could stop the area being officially designated as contaminated land, which residents fear would devastate the community.The news follows the discovery of 39 radioactive radium items in the latest survey of the foreshore at Dalgety Bay, Fife, which is close to a former airfield used in the Second World War. The largest of them was 4in across and weighed 8oz."

But what about turning a negative into a positive? The concreted area could provide the yatching club with more berths for its members boats, or how about creating a park 'n' ride for a new hovercraft service to Edinburgh for locals who commute? But seriously ... there must be a better solution found to the problem which minimises environmental impacts and preserves the amenity of local people. Concrete is not a solution.

Not So Quick Fix.

Carnegie reads that the Big Cheeses at the Forth Estuart Transport Authority (FETA) may be planning to delay major roadworks on the Forth Road Bridge planned for next year.

Great news if it can happen without any impact on the bridge structure given that major disruption for Fifers will be avoided, but the worrying thing is that the change of plan appears to have been prompted by costs estimates for the work coming in millions of pounds over budget.

"MAJOR traffic disruption on the Forth Road Bridge could be averted by postponing large-scale roadworks until a new bridge is opened in 2016. Bridge officials are considering whether they can delay the replacement of worn-out carriageway expansion joints.The work would involve round-the-clock contraflows while ramps are installed to take traffic over the work."

Here's hoping, but at last FETA seem to have realised that part of their role is actually to minimise disruption to bridge users from routine maintenance of the Bridge.

Pool-ing Power.

Carnegie likes the new look for his Leisure Centre in Dunfermline. It may even just be worth the very long wait for the work to be completed.

"THE DESIGN for the refurbishment of Carnegie Leisure Centre has now been chosen. As well as a full refurbishment of the whole building, the project promises enhanced facilities and services to customers and the wider community.And assurances have been given that consideration has also been given to preserving and retaining the Grade B listed elements of the original Andrew Carnegie-funded building, which opened in 1905."

Homes For All?

Great news for Inverkeithing, but there is still a long way to go to provide all of the modern council homes that are needed to meet public demand across Fife.

"FIFE Council has now taken the first steps towards providing new Council housing. The first new council house provision in decades will be targetted first at areas of most need, including Dunfermline, Inverkeithing and the West Fife villages."

General Forbes.

And another Fifer who played a major role in shaping American history.

"ONE of Fife's little known heroes is being honoured at an exhibition in Dunfermline. And next year a group from America will travel to Dunfermline with a special memorial to commemorate the man who founded one of the USA's most important cities. The story being told at the Abbot House exhibition, which opened this week, is of General John Forbes, from Pittencrieff in Dunfermline. Athough largely forgotten in his native land, General Forbes is acknowledged in North America as the man who turned the tide of the French-Indian War. He also named Pittsburgh on November 25, 1758, after leading a force of British regular and provincial troops, including a young Colonel George Washington, into the burning ruins of Fort Duquesne on the forks of the Ohio river."

Breach Of Trust.

"POLICE ARE investigating an allegation that a Fife doctor misused access to electronic medical records. The alleged breach of NHS data protection was brought to the attention of Fife Constabulary by NHS Fife in October. A spokesman for the health service said, “During early October 2008, NHS Fife notified Fife Constabulary that a doctor employed by the organisation may have misused access to NHS electronic records. No patient data was lost and patient care has not been compromised. Senior clinicians within NHS Fife have notified patients whose records may have been accessed.” He added that the service would be making no further comment until any possible employee conduct issues had been resolved. The doctor involved is not currently practising."

It is sad when people in positions of responsibility abuse the trust that has been placed in them. Even more so when they breach people's privacy in the process. The fact that it happened in Fife should worry Fifers even more.

Healthy Living.

Carnegie reads the sound advice from NHS Fife.

"NHS FIFE is bracing itself for an increase in illness and accidents over the winter months. The health authority has allocated its primary care services an additional £218,000 and is advising Fifers to take extra care of themselves as the temperature plummets. At this time of year more people are susceptible to colds, flu and respiratory problems and icy pavements and roads mean more people get injured, putting increased pressure on accident and emergency departments."

But did they have to be so Scrooge-ish with their warnings at what for most Fifers, is a really enjoyable time of the year? Look after yourself.

In The Family Way.

Not so good to see that so many of Fife's Members of the Scottish Parliament are listed amongst those declaring that they employ a family member. Surely there are Fifers who could do the jobs as well as the existing incumbents, especially those, like MSP Helen Eadie's husband Bob Eadie, who already qualify for a salary of £16K plus a year as a Fife Councillor?

"ALMOST ONE in five MSPs employ a member of their own family on their Holyrood payroll at the taxpayers’ expense. A register published for the first time yesterday lists the relatives of 25 MSPs—11 SNP, 11 Labour, two Tories, and one Liberal Democrat ... MSPs are allowed to claim up to £56,650 a year to employ staff, but the register does not give details of relative’s salaries for reasons of confidentiality ... Central Fife SNP MSP Tricia Marwick employs her son as a part-time constituency assistant. Dunfermline East Labour MSP Helen Eadie employs her husband as an office manager. Mid Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Ted Brocklebank employs his sister as his regional secretary. Dunfermline West Lib Dem MSP Jim Tolson employs his wife as a researcher/assistant."

In Care.

Carnegie thinks that Fife Council needs to put more effort into looking after Fife's most vulnerable children. Clearly, at the moment they aren't doing enough compared to other councils.

"A FIFE MSP has called for action to improve life chances for children in care in the region after new figures revealed that educational attainment among such youngsters was the lowest in Scotland. Labour’s Claire Baker wants cross-party efforts and action at all levels of government to tackle the problem. For 2006-07, statistics show that in Fife there were 720 “looked after” children, 0.9% of children in the area. Over half left without any qualifications at all and only one-third received qualifications in both maths and English. There was also a large drop in attainment from the previous year."

Well done to MSP Claire Baker for highlighting the issue. Over to Fife Council.

Flying The Flags.

"ONE OF Scotland’s most iconic emblems, the Forth Road Bridge, is flying the flag for the nation on St Andrew’s Day. The Forth Road Bridge will celebrate by flying two giant saltires from the tops of its towers. The specially-produced 15-foot flags, flying over 500 feet above the Firth of Forth, should be visible for several miles on either shore. This is the first time in more than five years that flags of any kind have been flown from the bridge, which is managed by the Forth Estuary Transport Authority."

All the best for St Andrew's Day when it comes.

Mr Forgetful.

Carnegie has highlighted before how some Labour Councillors on Fife Council seem to have forgotten the fact that the Council was actually run by the Labour Party until last year's council elections when questioning decisions the council took. The latest is Dunfermline Councillor Willie Sullivan ... again.

"DUNFERMLINE COUNCILLOR Willie Sullivan has hit out at Fife Council’s decision to upgrade the Carnegie Leisure Centre instead of financing a new build. The grade B listed building will undergo a £17.2 million revamp to be completed in 2011, leaving Dunfermline without a public swimming pool for around two years. Mr Sullivan claims that alternative options were not fully investigated and that the council failed to listen to constituents ... Grant Ward, the council’s senior manager for community services, said, “The decision to refurbish rather than replace Carnegie Leisure Centre was taken by Fife Council in October 2006."

Councillor Sullivan may have forgotten that it was Labour who took the decision he is now complaining about ... but Fife voters haven't.

Fares Fair.

Fifers deserve a better deal.

"CHEAPER TRAIN travel for Fifers has been demanded in the wake of a cap on fare increases for passengers in Strathclyde. The Scottish Government announced it has secured a lower rate of increase for those using the trains in Strathclyde to align it with the rest of Scotland. North East Fife MSP Iain Smith has demanded “fairer fares” for Fife travellers, who he said were paying among the highest train fares in Scotland. While fares will increase by 6% across Scotland in January, they will only go up by 4% in Strathclyde."

I Declare ...

... the new Clackmannanshire Bridge open. Well, FM Alex Salmond did actually. But it really should have been called the Fife Bridge.

"The new £120 million Clackmannanshire Bridge over the Firth of Forth was officially opened by First Minister Alex Salmond today. The crossing, designed to alleviate traffic pressure on the Kincardine Bridge, is the second largest of its type in the world. It includes an extensive network of new cycleways and footpaths and provides transport links between Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Fifem improving road safety and opening up the wider area to economic benefits. Approximately 20,000 vehicles per day are predicted to use the new bridge, with traffic on the existing Kincardine bridge reduced from approximately 30,100 vehicles per day at present to approximately 18,100 vehicles."

Name And Shame.

So, it would appear that after a series of incidents involving lorry driving over the Forth Road Bridge during high winds that the big cheeses at the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) have decided to get tough by "naming and shaming" those drivers that do it, and maybe even prosecuting them.

All very laudable to "name and shame," but Carnegie is concerned that even allowing for a bit of adverse publicity there will still be too many lorry drivers that will be prepared to take a chance, and that all is takes is for a tiny proportion of those to find themselves toppling over to cause traffic mayhem in the east of Scotland, as we have already seen.

Maybe we need something a bit more concrete?

Complaints.

Carnegie reads that a developer, who failed to be granted a planning application, has lodged a complaint about the conduct of a group of Fife Councillors involved in the planning decision.

Given Fife Council's record on planning matters, Carnegie wouldn't be surprised if something is amiss, but we will wait to see what the outcome of the complaint is. It is after all, not the first time that a developer who lost a planning application has lodged a complaint in advance of a later appeal.

"A HOTEL chain refused permission for a new hotel in St Andrews has lodged a complaint against five Fife councillors involved in the planning process. Crerar Hotels accused the four St Andrews ward councillors and chairman of the north-east Fife area committee Andrew Arbuckle of breaching the councillors’ code of conduct due to conflict of interest. The complaint was lodged with the Standards Commission last Friday, before Wednesday’s meeting of the committee where the decision to refuse planning permission for the 80-bedroom hotel beside Kinkell Braes caravan park was taken. The company, which is to appeal the decision, alleges neither Mr Arbuckle nor councillors Frances Melville, Dorothea Morrison, Bill Sangster and Robin Waterston should have taken part in the process, which included a departure hearing in October. It claims their involvement with various local bodies—among them St Andrews Links Trust and St Andrews Harbour Trust—constituted a serious conflict of interest."

Balancing The Books.

"EDUCATION CHIEFS in Fife are confident of clawing back a projected £2 million overspend in the council’s education budget by the end of the financial year. That was the message yesterday as the education and children’s services committee heard there had been no improvement in the financial situation in the past month. At their October meeting, the estimated overspend on the £304 million budget was sitting at £2.169 million—around £900,000 of which was due to staff absence levels."

Carnegie notes that Fife Council is indeed facing major cuts in education budget as previously highlighted. It would appear the issue is caused by staff absence, which is itself usually a reflection that employees are not having a fun time doing their jobs.

If Fife Council succeeds in "clawing back" the overspend then it must avoid cuts in front line services, but most importantly it needs to address the issues which are causing it to overspend on its budgets.

Good News ... Bad News.

As is so often the case these days ... a bit of good news for Fife, joined with a bit of bad news.

It is good that house prices in the Kingdom appear to be defying the downward trend in many other parts of Scotland, but as fewer people move it will make it more and more difficult and take longer for people to sell up.

"DESPITE HEAVY falls in some areas, house prices in Fife have risen in the past year—although the number of property sales has almost halved. Figures released by government body Registers of Scotland revealed that the average price of a house in Fife went up from £141,049 in July-September 2007 to £146,515 in the same period this year, an increase of 3.9%. That compared starkly with prices in the likes of Dundee, which at £124,422 was 7.5% down on last year, and Aberdeen’s £176,464, which was 4.3% down on the figure recorded 12 months ago. Edinburgh, however, showed a slight increase on the year, from £226,010 to £226,516. Fife’s latest figure was also up on the previous quarter from April to June, when the average house was said to be going for £142,136."

Priceless.

Carnegie will be buying a copy. He was a great Fifer.

"THE early life of renowned Auchtermuchty musician Sir Jimmy Shand has been immortalised with the release of a DVD commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Scottish dance band leader's birth. 'From Miner to Maestro' was launched at the Windlestrae Hotel, Kinross, on Wednesday and has been produced by Muchty Music, the Shand family company based at Auchtermuchty."

Abuse. There's No Excuse.

Carnegie is saddened to read that public service workers in Fife who spend their life trying to help us are finding themselves on the receiving end of abuse from their fellow citizens.

That's totally unacceptable and those who do it should find themselves being locked up and charged. Being drunk is no excuse and that would be brought home by a few high profile cases where people have the book thrown at them.

"FIFE'S healthcare workers are contending with shocking levels of physical and verbal abuse on a weekly, if not daily basis. And the attacks - 1302 in one year alone - are largely perpetrated by patients, the very people these workers are striving to help.Figures revealed this week show NHS Fife staff, mostly those working on the frontline, bear the brunt of the majority of abuse directed at our emergency services, accounting for a staggering 80 per cent."

Saved For The Nation.

Wouldn't it be great for a truly historical building to be returned to public use by the local community.

Here's hoping.

"A BURNTISLAND landmark is set for a £275,000 facelift, thanks to Historic Scotland. The award will allow the Station House to be renovated and space will be created for small businesses and community groups. Over the years the building has had a number of uses, including serving the world's first roll-on, roll-off ferry.However, it has been derelict for seven years and is on the buildings at risk register."

Fife's New Voice.

It came as a bit of a surprise to Carnegie, and Labour's win in the Glenrothes by-election is difficult, if not impossible, to explain, but congratulations to Lindsay Roy on becoming the new MP for Glenrothes.

Sorry.

It appears that Fife Council's planners have gotten it wrong again.

"FIFE COUNCIL have been asked to apologise to two residents after the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) ruled a complaint over a planning issue had not been properly dealt with. The SPSO, which acts as the country’s public services watchdog, also suggested that the council should review their system of dealing with errors in application plans to avoid situations in which members of the public might be misled. The SPSO’s ruling followed the complaint by two neighbours who claimed the council had not taken appropriate planning enforcement action in respect of a new house being built adjacent to their respective properties."

Oops.

Pie-Eyed.

"BUTCHERS AND bakers from all over Scotland travelled to Carnegie College, Dunfermline, yesterday to get their teeth into the World Scotch Pie Championships. The competition is now in its 10th year, with past winners going up against 70 other hopefuls. This year 46 entries were received from butchers and 31 from bakers ... The winners will be announced at an awards lunch in Dunfermline on November 27."

Carnegie awaits the winner with interest. Good to see Dunfermline being profiles on a "world" stage. Pie anyone?

Walking The Talk.

Good to read that parents are heading the message and not using their cars where possible to take their kids to school unless they have to.

"FEWER FIFE youngsters are travelling to and from school by car, according to a new survey in which a record number of pupils took part. Almost 32,000 primary and secondary students in Fife took part in the latest national Hands Up Scotland travel tally, with 145 out of 161 schools being represented. Results show that in terms of all Fife pupils (primary and secondary), car use (including park and walk) decreased by 6.5% in the space of a year, while the use of buses (including taxi) increased by 12.6%. Cycling (including scooters and skates) went up by 2.3%."

But there is still a long way to go.

Deacon BLUE.

It took Carnegie a while to get the significance of an ex-Deacon Blue drummer promoting the use of Blue bins for recycling ... get it?

"TV PRESENTER and ex Deacon Blue star Dougie Vipond is drumming up support for Fife Council’s latest drive to get more people recycling paper and cardboard. The campaign, aimed at increasing awareness of exactly what paper and cardboard materials can be recycled in blue kerbside bins, targets householders and schoolchildren. It is backed by a marketing campaign showing a range of recyclable paper and cardboard material—including telephone directories, drink cartons, magazines, cereal boxes and cards— next to a blue bin with the strap line ‘everything here can go in here.’ The initiative is part of the council’s ongoing Waste Aware Fife campaign."

Winter Blues.

Carnegie thinks the nights are fair drawing in ... but are you ready for winter as highlighted by Fife Council?

"Fife's drivers urged to prepare for the winter ... A winter driving campaign launched in the Kingdom urges drivers to act now and will run during the month of October. Fife Safety Camera Partnership have launched an intensive month long campaign to encourage drivers to plan early for the winter months."

Better safe than sorry.

Bad News.

More bad news on the local economic front.

"WORKERS AT the latest firm to be hit by the credit crunch are to be offered help to find work elsewhere, Fife Council has confirmed. Nearly 100 jobs are to go at multi- national cabling company Oceaneering Multiflex in Rosyth, in a shock move revealed on Wednesday. The worldwide economic downturn, as well as an increasingly competitive market, have been blamed for the decision."

Here's hoping they get new jobs soon.

Fife's Great Flood.

It would appear that someone in Fife Council was a tad optimistic when it came to deciding how much they should budget for dealing with the consequences of flooding.

"FIFE COUNCIL spent its entire flooding budget in just one week when watercourses across the kingdom burst their banks in August. The immediate response to the incidents between August 8 and August 15 cost the local authority £150,000, while dealing with the immediate aftermath amounted to a further £300,000. Extreme rainfall on Saturday August 9, and again three days later, saw 211.1 millimetres of water fall on Fife—the highest amount recorded for 60 years."

Given the size of Fife, and the increasing problems which will be caused everywhere because of the consequences of global warming, Fife Council may have to increase the budget for next year ... and the years after.

In For A Poundbury.

In case you missed this ....

"A DOZEN members of staff from Fife Council have just taken part in a £2400 trip to Dorset to attend a training event at the Poundbury sustainable urban development developed by Prince Charles’s Duchy of Cornwall on the outskirts of Dorchester. The group travelled south last week for the two-day trip, described by a senior planning official as being part of the council’s “commitment to developing the skills and knowledge of its staff.” Yesterday the move was questioned by north-east Fife independent councillor Mike Scott-Hayward, who said that, while some sort of council fact-finding visit might have been appropriate, the high number of people who travelled and the apparent absence of any councillors on the trip was not acceptable. “Who is ruling the roost here?"

Carnegie wouldn't mind, but Fife's planners have a terrible track record of performance as he has previously and often highlighted, and Fife Council is making cuts to its budget which are hitting a lot of vulnerable people very hard.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom.

The speculation continues about the acquisition of the former Motorola and Hyundai plant at Dunfermline by US based company Zoom Diversified. But, why is there so little information about the company on the web given that its plans will costs millions of pounds to deliver? It all seems very strange to Carnegie.

"HOPES are still high that the former Hyundai plant in Dunfermline will be taken over by American firm Zoom Diversified. The Press revealed in July that the company had been in talks for months over a move that could bring hundreds of jobs to West Fife."

Welcome to Fife.

As long as you can speak English ... or Polish. What about other ethic groups ... mandarin Chinese anyone?

"Welcome to Fife ... This booklet is for you if you have come from another country to live and work in Fife. It will also be useful for you if you are moving from within the UK. We have tried to provide information about services, websites and organisations that you may find useful. The booklet also provides telephone numbers that you may need and gives basic information about your rights and responsibilities while you are in Fife. The booklet is currently available in English and Polish."

歡迎到鼓笛

(That's 'welcome to Fife')

Not Another One.

How are you coping with your three Fife Council bins? Well hang on to your hat ... you could end up with a FOURTH one.

As if three wasn't enough, and even more hard labour for Fifers who basically end up doing most of the work involved with recycling domestic waste these days.

But what colour will the new bin be? We've got black, blue and brown already ... pink anyone?

Let's Party ... in 2010.

Carnegie is all for having a party but is he the only one who questions whether we should be spending £2.4 million on a year of festivals? Couldn't we spend the money better in other ways?

"Fifers are set to celebrate after Councillors backed plans for a year long programme of festivals and events making 2010 a Celebration of Fife. More than 3,500 people in Fife over the period January to June this year, as part of a consultation on developing a Cultural Strategy for Fife, have highlighted the importance of Fife's unique culture and lifestyle and the need to celebrate this particularly at community level whilst raising the profile of Fife in Scotland and the UK. Members of the Housing and Communities Committee agreed to support a year of celebration in 2010 subject to further consideration to secure an additional £1.5M towards a proposed £2.4M of funding as part of the budget setting process for the Council in 2009/10."

And what exactly is the significance of 2010 anyway?

Spooky.

Even more strange goings on in Fife ...

"A ROSYTH man is in a state of shock after stumbling across what he believes is the ghost of an old miner while out walking with his family in Blairadam Forest, Kelty. John Wilson (32), a joiner, of Daniel Place, had the spooky experience while visiting the forest with his wife and three children when they stopped near an abandoned mine to take family photographs. Mr Wilson said, “I put the pictures on the computer but never looked at them for a year. "It was only when I went to sort them out a week ago that I noticed something odd."

Odd indeed.

Planning To Fail ... Officially.

Carnegie wished he could see he was surprised by these figures for Fife. He wasn't.

"PLANNING DECISIONS taken by councillors across Tayside and Fife were overturned almost 100 times on appeal in 2007/08, new Scottish Government figures show. The annual report from the planning appeals directorate suggests householders and other would-be developers are more willing than ever to challenge the rulings of elected members ... Directorate reporters handled 1279 appeals from across Scotland, upholding 477 of them (37%) ... Developers seeking to overturn the refusal of planning permission was by far the most common reason for an appeal, followed by attempts to have enforcement action ordered by councils cancelled. There were 15 successful appeals out of 33 in Angus (45%), 23 of 52 in Dundee (44%), 30 of 79 in Perth and Kinross (38%) and 29 of 85 in Fife (34%)."

Fife Council has an appalling track record of defending its planning decisions. These figures bear that out. They really need to get their house in order.

Mystery Solved?

It would appear that the great Dunfermline UFO mystery as highlighted by Carnegie may well have been solved. In reality, it was ... a birthday party lantern.

Only in Fife.

"WILL a Dunfermline woman’s 40th birthday celebrations put an end to growing speculation over a “bright orange flying saucer with flashing lights” spotted in the city last weekend? You decide. Rose Goldie and her family, who live in Rose Street, launched 10 red and white love heart shaped sky lanterns – a birthday present from hubby Alan – from their front garden over last Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. But the burning question is: were the giant lanterns – measuring 4ft by 2ft – the cause of much excitement across West Fife?"

The Fife Bridge.

Carnegie thinks that the Bridge will always be known to Fifers as the Fife Bridge. That's what it should have been named. The Scottish Government got it wrong ... again.

"TRANSPORT MINISTER Stewart Stevenson yesterday announced the new crossing over the upper Forth will be known as the Clackmannanshire Bridge. The name was decided following a public consultation launched in January, with the £120 million crossing due to open on November 19. Mr Stevenson said, “I am delighted this landmark project for Scotland is just weeks away from opening. “This impressive new bridge will bring economic benefits to communities across Fife and central Scotland—opening up access, easing congestion and improving safety.”

Justice?

Carnegie was interested to see what sentence someone would get for deliberately driving a van into Dunfermline Police Station.

"A FIFE man who drove a van into the foyer of Dunfermline police station has been sentenced to two years’ probation. Scott Robertson (36), of Golfdrum Street, Dunfermline, was also ordered to carry out 200 hours’ community service and pay compensation of £7000."

Is that it?

Paying The Bill.

And the big cheeses at the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) have done it again.

"THE cost of vital repair work on the Forth Road Bridge has risen by £5 million but there are signs that further corrosion in the main cables could be halted. The Forth Estuary Transport Authority (Feta) estimated in June that work to strengthen the deck and erect temporary bridges over the carriageways would cost £8.7 million. However, the tender submitted by Balfour Beatty – described as the most “economically advantageous bid” – is for £13.7 million."

How could FETA be £5 million pounds out on an estimated bill of £9 million? Bit of a cock-up somewhere thinks Carnegie.

Professor Munster.

So the former Chief Constable of Fife Police is to become a Professor.

"FORMER FIFE chief constable Peter Wilson has been made an honorary professor at Dundee University. He played a key role in setting up the Scottish Institute for Policing Research, which unites academics at 12 universities—led by Dundee—to develop police policy and practice."

Carnegie still thinks he looks like Herman Munster.

Spinning Fife.

It would appear that a piece of spin by Fife Council, involving a trip by local school children to the QE2 whilst it was berthed in the Firth of Forth recently, went badly wrong.

"A DREAM visit to the world-famous QE2 turned into a nightmare for young West Fife prize-winners despite Fife Council having claimed the day had given them “treasured memories for years to come”. Ten kids, including Phillip (6) and Hannah (11) Holland, from Rosyth, and Chauntell Cousin (11), from North Queensferry, won a council-run competition for a VIP tour of the vessel and a buffet lunch aboard before it set sail on its final voyage from Scottish waters last week. The authority was quick to issue a self-congratulatory press release the next day proclaiming, “Youngsters enjoy the VIP day of their lives and say farewell to the QE2”. On the release council transport boss Dr Bob McLellan said, “The youngsters really enjoyed their day and it will hold treasured memories for them for years to come.” However, red-faced PR staff at Fife House quickly changed their tune when they actually discovered how the kids had got on – after issuing their release. The kids didn’t get a whole tour of the ship and there was no buffet lunch meaning the whole day was a big let down and leaving both the Holland and Cousin families furious."

Tut, tut, tut. Fife Council getting its facts wrong, that could never happen.

That Sinking Feeling.

"THE OLD Course at St Andrews is predicted to crumble into the North Sea by 2050, according to an environmental expert."

Makes you wonder what will happen to other coastal areas in Fife if the dire prediction comes to pass.

Free Meals?

When is a free school meal not a free school meal? ... When the Scottish Government doesn't give you any extra cash to pay for it which seems to be the position which Fife Council finds itself in.

"NEW plans to provide free meals to primary children could cost Fife Council an estimated £2.5 million. However, the Council's administration have insisted the local authority will be able to afford the new move, which will come into play in 2010.Last week the Scottish Government announced that following successful pilot projects, one of which was held in Fife, all primary one to three children will be entitled to a free lunch every day."

If the Scottish Government want free meals they should at least give councils the money to implement it without having to cut other services.

Nuts.

And it gets even worse ...

"NEARLY 2,000 bolts which help hold up the Forth Road Bridge may have to be replaced after several were found to have cracked nuts. Laboratory tests are being carried out to determine the cause of the problem, which is believed to be a world first on a suspension bridge."

The fact that the problem is a "world first" is probably not unrelated to the fact the Forth Bridge is the only one run by FETA.