MAGGIE MITCHELL has been suspended from her role as chief executive of Dunfermline Delivers, the Press understands.

The head of the Business Improvement District (BID) company, which controls a budget of £1.5million and has organised Saturday’s fireworks display, was informed this week.

Ms Mitchell became chief executive in the summer of 2012 and helped steer Dunfermline Delivers through a tricky re-election in June.

She was not available for comment and Dunfermline Delivers chairman, Bill Fletcher, would only say, “It would not be appropriate to comment on an internal staffing issue.” Dunfermline’s BID company was established in 2009 following a ballot to fund activities to improve the city centre.

Just over 400 levy-payers contribute £150,000 a year, a sum which is match-funded by Fife Council to give them a budget of around £300,000 a year, a total of £1.5million over the five-year term.

With taxpayers’ money at the heart of the company, the council were asked to comment on Ms Mitchell’s current status.

Councillor Helen Law, the chair of the City of Dunfermline area committee, said, “We’re aware of internal issues within Dunfermline Delivers.

“It would be inappropriate for us to comment until a full review is complete.” Ms Mitchell listed Dunfermline Delivers’ main achievements recently which included the fireworks display, the Christmas lights switch-on and Winter Festival, city centre wi-fi, the Purple Flag for safe towns, Dunfermline Live, business grants, the Bruce Festival and Venture Street – which starts today (Thursday).

The company won a second term after levy-paying businesses in the city centre voted yes in the summer.

At the time, Ms Mitchell said, “I’m delighted it’s gone through and I’m looking forward to the next five years and doing all those things that are in our business plan.” However, there has been dissastisfaction from some BID members over a perceived lack of progress – just 37 per cent voted and the result was a narrow 87-73 in favour.

There has also been upheaval behind the scenes, some of the people previously involved with the company have moved on or been moved out and the re-election saw a merger with Dunfermline First, a company formed earlier this year with a focus on developing new festivals and events.

Mr Fletcher is chairman of both companies with Dunfermline First now organising the events that Dunfermline Delivers carried out previously – such as the fireworks, Bruce Festival and Christmas lights switch-on.

Last week Dunfermline Delivers confirmed to the Press that they were looking for new accountants after dispensing with the services of Condies, who had looked after the management accounts for seven years.

Speaking to the Press in September, Mr Fletcher said, “We want to draw a line in the sand. OK, lots of things have gone wrong with the town centre but it would have been a miracle if the previous incarnation had been able to adapt to all those changes and the pace at which they took place.

“We’ve managed to get a vote for another five-year term, that’s a challenge but it’s also an opportunity.

“It will be a more proactive board, lots of different events and a real spirit of entrepreneurship so judge us in a year’s time.”