THE first steps in re-establishing a community council in Headwell were made this week with the handing over of a petition.

Arthur Street resident James Boyd decided to look into the possibility of re-starting the community council after sharing concerns over speeding drivers with his neighbours.

Mr Boyd hopes the new group will bring residents and businesses together to help make the area one to be proud of.

“Baldridgeburn has got theirs, Milesmark has got their own but we don’t have a community council,” he explained.

“If any resident in our street has got a problem, they have to go to their local councillor. I managed to get 46 signatures to say yes, people in Arthur Street would like a community council.”

One of the things Mr Boyd said local residents would do through a community council would be to look at ways of controlling traffic on Arthur Street.

As reported recently in the Press, householders are fed up of the route being used as a rat run and are desperate for something to be done. 

Mr Boyd said figures from a Freedom of Information request which he obtained recently showed seven accidents had taken place in the last three years with one of these described as being “serious” and three causing damage to vehicles with the other three causing “slight” damage.

“I am trying to make Dunfermline safer for others,” he added.

The petition to reinstate the community council was handed over to Dunfermline North councillors Helen Law and William Campbell last Thursday.

Cllr Law said they had given Mr Boyd some advice on setting up a community council and were hopeful they would soon see its formation.

“Headwell did have a community council which was created a couple of years ago but it did not manage to survive,” she said.

“Folk had moved from the area and different things happened and Councillor Campbell and I were quite disappointed that it had folded. 

“Without doubt, having a community council is a great benefit to all the areas who have them.

"A community council does provide a close interaction with the community and councillors and when you look at areas across Dunfermline that have them like Baldridgeburn, Townhill, Abbeyview and Dunfermline Central, you can see the developments coming forward with the community council and councillors working together. 

“I am really delighted that James has taken the trouble to do it and looking forward to Headwell getting a community council up and running in the near future.”

Anyone interested in becoming part of the new Headwell Community Council is asked to contact Mr Boyd by email at jamesboyd457@gmail.com or by phone on 01383 721965.