The community council relies on a grant from the local authority in April each year to carry out vital work in the community, such as sponsoring individuals and handing out small amounts of cash.

However, this year the organisation is still waiting for their money.
Secretary and treasurer David Taylor believes big changes need to be made to stop this happening again.

He said: "Our community council is still awaiting its annual grant from Fife Council, leaving us and local organisations which depend on us, in serious financial difficulties.

"Our financial year starts on April 1, but it seems to take longer and longer for Fife Council to pay out the grant, which still has not been received.

"It is not good enough, the Council needs to revise its methods of giving out money to organisations."

Cardenden and Kinglassie Community Council's financial year ends on March 31 and during April accounts need to be prepared, audited and submitted to Fife Council.

However, community councils are allowed to retain ten per cent of their budget to cover the period unti April when their new grant is meant to be paid.

Mr Taylor believes a better solution needs to be devised to enable funds to be paid out faster, or community councils should be allowed to retain a higher percentage of their budget to cover the shortfall.

Since being contacted by The Press, the Council has been in touch with the community council and said they are working to send the funds as soon as possible.

Democratic services team leader Linda Purdie said: "We actually checked the application and approved its payment back in May.

"These grant payments are then normally processed by our locality managers but unfortunately, due to staff sickness, this one has been missed.

"The community council don't seem to have been in touch with us to query the delay but, now that it has come to light, we will make the payment as a matter of urgency."

Mr Taylor added that while he is relived the Council plans to pay out the cash as soon as possible, he hopes similar issues will not arise next year.

He said: "They have since told us that they are imminently going to sort the problem out, however, the process they go through at the moment is not acceptable."