ALMOST £4million is set to be spent in Dunfermline after councillors agreed a raft of works and projects. 

Chief among them is up to £1.5m for new facilities in Abbeyview and £1.15m for town centre improvements, as the Press reported last week, and £700,000 on playparks. 

There’s also £373,000 on everything from Christmas lights to twilight football with £200,000 set aside for areas such as tourism and tackling anti-social behaviour. 

The City of Dunfermline area committee approved funding plans last week that include help for the re-opening of Abbot House, action on empty retail units and gifts and meals for the hungry and homeless. 

There will also be money for a war memorial for Polish soldiers, an employment project for people with mental health issues, a holiday programme for young carers and skills and employment help. 

Chair of the committee, Councillor Helen Law, said: “We have a strong community planning partnership in Dunfermline and the work carried out is fantastic.

“Year on year we find ourselves with less resources but an increase in demand for support to the most vulnerable in our communities.

“It’s vital that we keep working together so that we can address the issues that matter most to local communities, helping to reduce inequalities while making Dunfermline a better place to live, work and visit.”

A total of £373,000 was approved for projects in the 2017-18 local community action plan. 

This includes: 
£55,000 for community councils and tenants and residents associations.
£50,000 to Dunfermline Delivers for events such as the fireworks and Festival of Dunfermline.
£50,000 for Dunfermline Advice Hub.
£40,000 community works programme.
£37,000 on a Christmas tree and lighting.
£20,000 town centre business improvements.
£20,000 rating relief for voluntary organisations.
£15,000 floral enhancement. 
£15,000 for Purple Flag safety initiatives.
£15,000 for 26 week mental health programme.
£10,000 for twilight football and basketball.
£10,000 holiday activity programme for referred young people.
£10,000 discretionary fund for individuals in crisis. 
£6,000 on an employability academy.
£5,000 memorial stone and event for Polish soldiers.
£5,000 Cruise Forth Project.
£5,000 towards age-friendly city status.
£5,000 meals and gifts for homeless and hungry at Christmas.

As reported last week, there is £1.15m for town centre improvements with the cash made up of £650,000 from developer contributions –primarily from Tesco but also Miller Construction, L Miller Properties and a Mr and Mrs Wightman – and £500,000 from Fife Council’s capital investment plan. 

Improvements will be made to footpaths, street lights, road and pavement surfaces, signage, pedestrian links and traffic lights over the next year. 

And we told you the same plan has allocated up to £1.5m for new facilities in Abbeyview with local residents to be asked what they would like to see in the estate.  

The council will also request £700,000 for play parks in Dunfermline with £228,592 for the new play area in Public Park, £126,232 for Wellwood, £150,176 for Touch, £20,000 for Abbeyview, £20,000 for Duloch, £40,000 for Bull Park at Baldridgeburn, £60,000 for Rex Park and £55,000 for Lyneburn Park. 

And there’s £200,000 that’s given to area committees each year to be spent on local community plans. 

In 2017-18 it will go on improvements to the area around the Glen Bridge (£20,000), tourism-related projects (£50,000), improvements to the war memorial area and Garden for Heroes (£20,000), community works projects (£50,000) and disabled access to charitable properties in the town centre (£60,000).