More Radical Thinking Needed On Poverty

National poverty charity says tackling poverty in Fife needs a more imaginative approach to tackling deprivation.

The call from Trussel Trust Scotland Organiser Ewan Gurr comes after Fife Council leader David Ross outlined a two-year vision for the Kingdom, saying every Fifer deserves a decent home, job and education.

More than 4,500 people in Fife used one of the charity's food banks in the region in the last financial year, over 1,400 of them were children.

Parts of West Fife, Levenmouth, and towns like Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes are among the most deprived in Scotland.

Fife Council's pledges for the final two years under Labour:

• Work with local businesses to provide training and apprenticeships for young people
• Invest in pre-school education
• Investing in new schools and education 
• Build new affordable housing
• Invest in town centres
• Invest in sports
• Promote fostering and recruiting more foster carers
• Renew our care homes and have removed charges for home care
• Offset the Bedroom Tax as much as possible
• Tackle fuel poverty
• Use the living wage (£7.65 p/h) as the minimum for lower paid employees

But Mr Gurr believes the council needs to think bigger: