STREETS in the Kingdom may no longer be named after famous faces over fears they could damage an area’s reputation in years to come.

Fife Council have changed their policy on the practice of honouring local living celebrities, who will now have to be dead for more than five years before they can have a street named after them.

A report from the local authority said: “It is impossible to predict the future actions of an individual therefore naming a street after a living person will always have the potential to cause reputational damage to Fife Council.”

Dunfermline Athletic legend Jim Leishman MBE was celebrated in 2008 for his voluntary work and services to the people of Dunfermline. The ribbon was cut on Leishman Drive but under the new policy, a proposal to name the street after the Fife Provost would be refused.

People who have died in the past five years will also not be considered.

The report added: “National cases where a street has been named to commemorate a person who has subsequently fallen from grace have highlighted the reputational damage this can have on an area.

“In such cases where a street is to be renamed this impacts greatly on residents forced to amend their address details.

“A defined duration of five years following death of a person removes any ambiguity created from the current statement of ‘recently deceased’.

“The wording of the policy has been revised to be more robust to discourage naming streets after living persons in favour of alternative methods.”

Fife Council is responsible for the naming of streets and numbering of properties.