From the 'Herald' web site:

Central Park - their (Cowdenbeath's) quaint, nay bizarre, home since 1917 - has been sold, and plans for a new 3000-capacity community stadium are set to be ratified by Fife council.

"The news that we're going to a new stadium helps - this club's got big ambitions. We aim to be a club for the community and everything that seems to be happening is very encouraging," added Welsh.

Have I understood this correctly? Fife Council funds, that is to say YOUR MONEY, is to be put towards building a new football ground for Cowdenbeath?

Mind you, I suppose it's just another wee sweetener to the 'deprived former mining communities of west Fife', bearing in mind the fact that the west of the region already benefits from council funded 5-a-side pitches, cycle paths, etc. etc. etc.

If this is true, don't just sit there - DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BY COMPLAINING TO YOUR MP!!

That utter tadger Gordon Brown probably has something to do with it.

I would have a problem with my council tax going to Cowdenbeath if it was to help them build a stadium.
I do not have a problem if it is for the people to use Astro Turf or such like. We will have to wait and see what the full picture is when planning is put to the council.

Sh**e,I agree with RR1. It is difficult to form an opinion until it is known exactly who benefits from the sale and who exactly is funding a new facility.

"Do something about it, complain to your MP"

Even better, get rid of your anonymous absentee MP (his name is John McDougall, incidentally) and elect a new one who actually gives a shit about Levenmouth, and is willing to work for your support.

More relevant to complain to your MSP but before doing so check that Fife Council is actually contributing to the costs and on what basis.

The last discussions I had with them made it clear they could not give capital funding for a community sports facility but could help in other ways.

Don't jump the gun on this. I would take the "ratified" to mean planning permission or something like it. If taxpayers money was used I think it would be not only other teams fans who would be up in arms.

Ask someone at the council. I hear a Mr Brown is very knowledgable about football stuff!

This guy Brown, his name is Derrick or something eh? Maybe someone should give him a call, i'm sure he'd be glad to help.

MacDougall is another tadger. I remember he once told me he was a socialist

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/john_macdougall/glenrothes

Cheers Igor, he says in his website that he voted this way on the following;

Very strongly for the Iraq war.
Very strongly against investigating the Iraq war.

Nuff said there then. As he clearly likes to fudge issues, he omits to give his views on Derrick Broon anaw.

He's a Blairite stooge, I used the write to your MP feature on that website to politely inform him of my dissapointment with his inept voting record, he had an email sent back to me saying thanks and that he would get back to me in a couple of days.

I think that was in March, I never heard from him again.

He's just a typical MP, a slimy spineless goon that crawls out of its hole when elections are approaching, fills your letterbox with a rainforests worth of leaflets about how they are the best friend you'll ever have, and then vanishes as quick as it came. Until the next time.

Aw naw, I await a spelling lesson from one of those highly irritating people

Thought that would get a debate going!
I should point out, though, that my original post wasn't intended to be anti-Cowdenbeath as such. It was more to do with the fact that the area west of Kirkcaldy gets far more money pumped into it for leisure facilities etc. than the east of the region does. It's been going on for years and needs to be looked into.
And yes, Eugene, the whole position needs to be clarified before any letters are written to MP's (or MSP's).

I have lived in both east and west Fife, and people in Dunfermline also think that they do not get anything from the 'cooncil'. They think that everything from Cowdenbeath to Kirkcaldy gets the lot (thats partly why the Libs won the by-election).

Wasn`t the original plan for Cowdenbeath and Raith Rovers to groundshare?

Jim That is quite right and so it should get more money pumped into it as it has seen rapid population growth in recent times. Without the council tax haul from the Forth Brigehead Area Fife would be the local Govt equivalent of Albania.

I do agree that the people of Levenmouth, Kirkcaldy and to some extent Glenrothes have been sold down the river by their representatives over generations. The Levenmouth ones failed to use their positions of power and influence to stick up for their area. Other more switched on councilors ran rings round them to get a good deal for their area. (This appliesd to North east Fife and West Fife.)

Lots of folk here went nuts about the Vic being the main Fife hospital. I agree with it on the basis that north of Aberdour the population is generally ageing and more likely to need hospital treatement. In the south there are are younger more vibrant communities that will actually use facilities when they are provided unlike in most of Central Fife.

Good discussion tho, better than the drivel you here in Holyrood!

...and don`t anyone mention rail links!!!

Rail links, i think starks park should have its own halt.
No seriously, Central Fife has been sold short since it became one Council. It is West Fife top heavy. Look at Dunfermline they are getting £100 million spent on the high street upgrade/new shopping.
This should all change under PR when it comes in for council elections.
KDY,LEVEN,METHIL all need money spent on them and yet it all goes to Dunf/West Fife.
I would hope that the party thats in charge just now gets its arse felt at the next elections.
I have a few friends who work with the council and just now it is unlimited overtime cause it is near the end of the year for them.
To prove a point yesterday i was out with the family and they were gritting the roads in Glenrothes at 1pm
and outside it was +11, thats near t shirt weather. I ask was it frosty? OR ARE THEY SPENDING OUR MONEY CAUSE THEY HAVE 2.Fife Council are a joke.

The East Nuek gets naf all unless it benifits the tourests.Poor roads ,pavements,housing.Yet ye gan up ti St.Aundries un its like inither country!!!!!!WE must be the forgotten people o Fife along here.Jist iz weel ye left fer pastures new Jimmy.

"vote monkey=get monkey" right enough.
I hope everyone remembers being promised a rail link to Leven in every election for the last 16 years, oh! not to mention a hovercraft to Edinburgh!
You are a bunch of mugs.


I no longer live in Fife, it took me to move over the Forth to realise how little the east of Fife actually gets in comparison to other places. And what it does get, it has to wait at least a decade for.
I now live about 5 minutes walk from a leisure centre and swimming pool, floodlit plastic pitches, a brand new health centre, and a new high school. The town centre in being totally upgraded, with a new hotel, marina and shops planned. We also have community wardens patrolling the streets day and night. And I live in a town smaller than Methil.

p.s. my council tax is the second lowest in Scotland.
But hey! dont let me influence the way you vote, I'll leave that to the Daily Record.

Just out of interest, where do you live?

My guess is Boness which menas that none of the wonderful things mentioned in any way compensates for being surrounded by interbred asylum escapee's (and i mean that in the Victorian sense!)

It's actually Labour thats the problem. P&K council under the 'rainbow coalition' a few years back (LABOUR, libs, independents and TORIES all in bed together to keep the Nats out!!) closed about 50 playparks for lack of funds, then went out and spent thousands on a new gold cup for the Perth races. And they wonder why obesity is a problem with kids, with no playparks, they are all covered in shit and a big sign saying 'NO BALL GAMES'...

It's like what he says vote monkey, get monkey

LABOUR OR MONKEY I SAY.
I GO FOR MONKEY.

Labour IS monkey.
How anybody can vote for that shower is beyond me.

How much will it cost for a sofa & 2 chairs?

Thts point less Cowdenbeath having a new stadium lyks coz they canny afford a tele rather thn a new stadium lyks