NEARLY £35,000 of funding is to be used in Dunfermline and West Fife to tackle the backlog of potholes and safety-related repairs on private roads.

Members of the South and West Fife area committee are due to be updated at their meeting next Wednesday on what the annual cash allocation will be used for.

In his report to councillors, Ian Smart, Fife Council service manager, asset management and commercial, said at a time of severe budget constraints, there was "great pressure" on the Roads and Transportation budget to manage and maintain adequately roads for which Fife Council is legally responsible as roads authority. 

"The council has no legal responsibility to maintain private roads and hence the level of expenditure on assistance with the repair and maintenance of private roads has been minimal in recent years," he said. 

"In recognition of a backlog of public requests for increased support for private roads, at the Fife Council budget-setting meeting on February 22, 2018, a permanent revenue budget allocation of £150,000 was added to the Roads and Transportation budget and is expected to continue annually. "

There are currently 37,888 recorded private roads in the South and West Fife area and £25,000 has been put aside for repairs on them while Dunfermline has 14,609 private roads and £9,600 will be spent in bringing them up to scratch.

"The initial focus of the budget will be to tackle the backlog of potholes and any safety-related repairs on private roads," said Mr Smart. "Future programmes will continue to be developed through local consultation. 

"The budget will be managed, prioritised and approved via area committees with progress reports provided."