A DUNFERMLINE councillor said he helped persuade Tory MP Michael Gove to give £5 million to the city.

Gavin Ellis has claimed credit for the decision by the Secretary of the Levelling Up Fund to put the money our way, and now he wants locals to say how it should be spent.

He said he was the local councillor who had been appealing for the £5m funding and even had "face to face discussions with Michael Gove" on the issue.

Cllr Ellis, the Conservative councillor for Dunfermline North, added: "It’s great to finally have this funding for our city come through it's taken a lot of work from Roz McCall MSP (who represents Mid Scotland and Fife) and myself to see this happen.

Dunfermline Press: Dunfermline is getting £5m from the UK Government's Levelling Up fund. So what should it be spent on? Dunfermline is getting £5m from the UK Government's Levelling Up fund. So what should it be spent on? (Image: Newsquest)

"However, I note our local MP (Douglas Chapman) making comment on engaging with Fife Council on how this can be spent.

READ MORE: Fife's top cop says it's 'problematic' tackling low level drug dealers

"Maybe our MP should do as I’m doing and that’s to seek the views of Dunfermline’s residents on what they want to see the money used for, after all it’s their money and not Fife Council's.

"What it’s spent on must be decided here in Dunfermline and not centrally by Glenrothes or politicians.”

Dunfermline lost out on levelling up money last January, it was part of a Fife Council bid where the application required full details on the 'shovel-ready' projects they were seeking money for.

It included £9.4m for city-centre regeneration, including work at the gap site on High Street, £3.95m to bring St Margaret House back into productive use, and £5.8m to upgrade the Friary in Inverkeithing.

This time no such information seems to have been needed, the money has not been allocated for anything particular other than it should be spent on 'cultural and regeneration' projects.

Cllr Ellis said: "Dunfermline lost out on levelling up funding over a year ago and it’s clear the bid submitted at the time didn’t meet the criteria and is it any wonder, the best anyone came up with was redesigning the gap site on the High Street.

"This time round there is no bidding for money. It’s ours and must be spent wisely."

Cllr Ellis was clear that he didn't want Fife Council or local politicians deciding how the money was used and said it should be up to local people.

He continued: “Unfortunately, we can’t spend it on our roads, but we can use it to invest and enhance areas of our city to boost culture and regenerate some areas across our city.

"If it can be used across the area and not just concentrated in the centre it’s all the better but let’s hear our residents' voices on this.”