THE decision by Fife Council to give £150,000 to the Alhambra in Dunfermline should be "suspended". 

Councillors recommended on Tuesday that the money – which theatre bosses say they neither asked for nor intend to accept – must be held back.  

Lib Dem group leader, Councillor Tim Brett, had questioned the award and said: "I personally do not think that the council should be subsidising the theatre in this way. 

"It sets a precedent that would be difficult to refute if other requests were submitted, for instance, if Dunfermline Athletic asked for a subsidy, how would we respond to that?"

He added: "Clearly members were concerned about a number of issues and I'm pleased they've decided the £150,000 should not be paid until there's further clarity.

"The position now is it will go to next week's executive committee and at that point they can either accept the points made, and I hope they will, or if they don't it will go to the full council for a decision."

Earlier this month, amid concerns for the theatre's future, the executive committee had narrowly voted to award the Alhambra one-year funding of £150,000. 

A statement from the Alhambra Theatre Trust (ATT) then said it "never asked for, and does not intend to accept" the money. The theatre trust also said the initial proposal to give the theatre £150,000 a year for three years, as well as up to £50,000 a year to support the costs of booking major West End shows, was the council's idea after amalgamation talks fell through. 

ATT had requested £350,000 to run both the Alhambra and the Carnegie Hall in the first year, "decreasing annually to £215,000 in the fifth year" with the reduction in funding a result of increased income and efficiencies. 

The trust said it was not interested in an "Alhambra-only funding package" and said: "We have made it clear in our meetings with Fife Council from the outset that this is not the outcome that we seek."

Six councillors, including Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay councillor Dave Dempsey and Dunfermline Central councillor Joe Rosiejak, then referred the decision to the education, health and social care scrutiny committee. 

They signed a statement which said "we do not believe it is appropriate to provide financial support to the Alhambra Theatre Trust".

Among the reasons given was confusion over whether a formal funding request had been made, a lack of financial and performance information about the Alhambra, the criteria used for the award and the council's serious financial position as it faces a £38m funding gap next year. 

On Tuesday, the scrutiny committee agreed: "The committee supports the sustaining of both theatres as part of Fife's cultural offering, recognising their different strengths.

"Given the ambiguity with regard to the need for £150,000 to support the ATT, we recommend that this decision is suspended until we have clarity.

"Discussions should now continue involving the ATT and Fife Cultural Trust with regard to management of theatres in Dunfermline, with due diligence and financial security for both being applied, leading to options being produced by both trusts, taking cognisance of the impact on other theatres in Fife, for further scrutiny at this committee."

Gavin Dickson, from the ATT, said: "We have no issues with the recommendations of the scrutiny committee and were encouraged by their recognition of the Alhambra Theatre's part in Fife's overall cultural offer. 

"We were also pleased to see that the councillors involved today had a much better, informed understanding of the full background to our proposals."