IT would cost around £20 million to refurbish The Wing at Inverkeithing High or to build a brand new sports facility. 

The price tag was revealed by Fife Council leader David Ross as the town faces up to the potential loss of the swimming pool and pitches at the school. 

And he's been told by those campaigning for new and improved sporting and community use facilities in the town to keep their promise and "Give us the money". 

SNP councillor David Barratt, who represents Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, said: "That's the first time I've heard that figure. 

Dunfermline Press: SNP councillor for Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, David Barratt. SNP councillor for Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, David Barratt. (Image: Fife Council)

"It's a surprise but ultimately it depends on what they're costing as there's a whole range of things it could include. 

"The headline figure of £20m may sound a bit scary but in terms of long term investment, we do need sports provision in this area and Inverkeithing, in my view, is very well located for it.

"One of the options could be selling off part of the school site to cross-subsidise the cost." 

Discussing the spiralling cost of the council's capital projects and the financial challenges ahead, Cllr Ross said the decision to build a replacement high school at Rosyth left a question mark over what will happen with the current Inverkeithing High site, and in particular the swimming pool and community-use at The Wing. 

He said: "We're already losing the pool at Woodmill so we have a moral duty to try and replace that provision for West Fife but I don't know how we're going to do that as we've been told the cost is around £20m."

Dunfermline Press: Fife Council leader, Labour councillor David Ross. Fife Council leader, Labour councillor David Ross. (Image: Fife Council)

The council leader confirmed that was the approximate cost of either refurbishing The Wing or building a new facility.  

Details are in short supply as a report on the future of the school site was due to come before the council's cabinet committee in January and then February, but both times it was delayed. 

It's now "likely" to be ready for the meeting on March 7.

Cllr Barratt said: "It does seem a bit odd that refurbishing The Wing and a new-build facility would both cost £20m but it needs to be scrutinised. 

"We can start those conversations when we see the report."

The new £85m school is due to open in August 2026 and the clock is ticking as to what will happen with the current site.

Cllr Barratt dug into the archives to find a council report from 2019 that set out the options of keeping the high school in Inverkeithing or moving to Rosyth - it concluded the Rosyth site was cheaper by £6m.

He said: "It's clear that the decision to select a new site was taken both in the context that the council would need to find the funds necessary to provide continued sports and community use in Inverkeithing, but also that the costs were in the region of £6m. 

"If those costs have changed, then of course the council have a challenge in determining how to deliver on the promise to Inverkeithing, but it does not change the fact that the council knew this was coming down the line. 

"In my view the minimum working assumption should be committing to the original £6m and doing everything possible to build on that through grant funding, capital receipts and other means. 

"It's a headache, but it's a headache of the council's own making."