SMITH SLAMS SNP FOR REGENERATION SNUB

12.00.00am GMT Fri 13th Nov 2009

Following today's news that North East Fife was not awarded any of the second tranche of "Town Centre Regeneration Fund", local MSP Iain Smith has expressed his severe disappointment and slammed the Scottish Government for yet again snubbing the area.

"Yet again the SNP have decided that North East Fife is not worth investing in. This latest snub is a blow to the towns who applied and to the area as a whole", said Iain Smith.

"This "fund" has always been shrouded in mystery. The money for this fund is taken from future capital spending, and the SNP Government have never explained what is being axed in the future to pay for it. It is therefore not unreasonable to presume that North East Fife will be faced with losing future capital spending to pay for town centre regeneration schemes elsewhere. We won't see a penny of this money spent here.

"Ever since this fund was announced I have been highlighting the issues surrounding its limited availability and criteria, but both the SNP and Conservatives, who claim responsibility for this fund, repeatedly raised the expectations of towns across the country which in reality had no chance of seeing a single penny.

"Thanks to the Tories, North East Fife will miss out on investment in the future."