🧭 What Fifers Want the Council to Spend Money On

Good morning, Fifers!

Here’s what’s coming your way today:

• Fife Spending Priorities Revealed

• Plans for Kirkaldy's £20m of Funding

• 39 Events to See This Week

Let’s jump in, there’s plenty to talk about!

— Duncan

TODAY’S TOP STORY

💷 What Fifers Want the Council to Spend Money On

Back in December, we highlighted the public consultation being held by Fife Council, asking for your views on how they should spend their budget. The survey closed at the start of the year with 2,840 people expressing their views on spending priorities, from pothole repairs to council care homes. Now the results have been released and make for interesting reading, likely shaping spending priorities for 2026-27 and beyond.

The top priorities by total number of responses were reducing waiting times for home care packages (458), school building improvements and new schools (421), and fixing potholes with longer-term road repairs (382). At the bottom were bus service improvements (70) and low-carbon heat schemes to improve energy efficiency across Fife (122).

Respondents were also asked where the council could save money. The standout response was one we've covered extensively in the Fife Insider: introducing a visitor levy (a small additional charge on overnight stays), with 448 votes. Rounding out the top three were making more use of technology in frontline services (353) and reducing the number of council buildings used by communities across Fife (342). Bottom of the list was introducing a small annual charge for garden waste bins (131).

Interestingly, there was also a question around willingness to pay more council tax. Overall, 31.3% said they were very or fairly willing to pay more, with a 6% rise potentially bringing in an additional £12.7m. When asked how much more they'd accept, 40.8% said 6%, though 45.1% declined to answer this question, perhaps highlighting the unpopularity of the idea.

For those who like diving into the data, you can view the full report here. There are some great details on varying responses based on age, region and more, showing just how different priorities can be based on individual circumstances. I'm sure councillors will be studying these numbers particularly carefully when deciding what to prioritise around their voter base. The final budget will be decided at a meeting on February 26th.

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• ⚽ Fife Council has joined 3 other councils in Scotland in deciding not to observe the special bank holiday for Scotland’s World Cup opener on Monday, June 15th.

• 🏥 NHS Fife’s School Nursing Service has been shortlisted for the Children’s Nursing & Midwifery category at the RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards 2026, recognising its vital work supporting school-aged children across Fife. See the full shortlist here.

• 🚧 Cowdenbeath Area Committee has approved a £1.1m investment in 2026–27 to improve local roads, pavements and lighting. The programme includes £708k for resurfacing, £262k for footways and £109k for safety measures, alongside street lighting, bridge works and active travel projects across the area.

• 🌱 Communities across South and West Fife are benefiting from Fife Council’s Community Recovery Fund, with projects supporting food growing, family support and greener spaces. Recent successes include Culross Community Crust’s bakery hub (£35k), Rosyth Men’s Shed’s new building (£40k), and solar upgrades at North Queensferry Community Complex (£40k).

• 🌍 NHS Fife has submitted its 2026/27 Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation Plan, outlining practical steps to cut carbon emissions, reduce energy costs and improve buildings. Plans include LED upgrades, smarter energy systems and enabling work at Stratheden Hospital to create its first near Net Zero campus.

• 💰 Fife Council has outlined some of its plans for Kirkcaldy’s £20m of funding. The plans are proving somewhat controversial on social media, with concern over how much will be spent on a new multi-purpose building. You can view the proposals and have your say here.

• 📚 Fife Council has approved a new plan to guide how the region’s vast archive collection is preserved and shared through to 2030. Covering medieval manuscripts to dockyard records, the policy aims to ensure long-term, sustainable access for communities.

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WHAT’S ON IN FIFE?

Please remember to double-check details with venues before travelling, as events can occasionally be cancelled or rescheduled at short notice, and some will require prebooked tickets.

📅 Tuesday, 10th February

Amazing Architecture - Amazing architecture is a lecture which introduces the audience to some of the most extraordinary architectural constructions ever created.
📁 Talk | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Cupar Corn Exchange | 🎟️ £10

Women In Mind Dunfermline - Volunteer lead peer to peer women’s mental health group.
📁 Support Group | 🕢 7pm | 📍 St Ninians Church, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

Dreel Crafters - All skill levels welcome for knitting, crochet, scrapbooking, embroidery and more.
📁 Art | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ £3

📅 Wednesday, 11th February

The Choral - A choral society’s male members enlist in World War I, leaving the demanding Dr. Guthrie to recruit teenagers.
📁 Movie | 🕢 11am | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5

Christina Riley: Art, Writing and the Underwater World - Christina Riley will discuss her most recent publication Looking Down at the Stars.
📁 Talk | 🕢 12:30pm | 📍 St Andrews Botanic Garden | 🎟️ £3

Kipper's Half Term Drop-In: Funky Funnels - Discover the iconic patterns used by different fishing companies and create your own.
📁 Children | 🕢 1:30pm | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

Lovegolf Crafternoon - Join us for a fun-filled crafting events which are designed to be relaxed and open to kids of all ages.
📁 Family | 🕢 2pm | 📍 R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ Free

Unboxing the Tough Stuff - Understand how pressure builds, how to spot our personal stress indicators, and take action before things overflow.
📁 Talk | 🕢 6pm | 📍 St Andrews Heritage Museum | 🎟️ £20

Billy Reekie + Special Guests - Fife singer-songwriter.
📁 Music | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £18

📅 Thursday, 12th February

Minecraft Adventure - Kids will craft epic builds, explore biomes, and battle mobs, ages 7 to 12.
📁 Children | 🕢 9am | 📍 The Vine Conference Centre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £27.80

Crafty Exploration Workshop - Drop-in session suitable for 5-11-year-olds.
📁 Children | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Museum | 🎟️ Donation

Whale Rider - Pai defies a thousand years of tradition, and her grandfather, to claim her destiny as chief of the Whangara people.
📁 Movie | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 Byre Theatre, St Andrews | 🎟️ £4.50+

Half Term Family Crafts - No need to book just drop in to join us.
📁 Children | 🕢 11am | 📍 Fife Folk Museum | 🎟️ Free

Fortnite Frenzy - Level up your skills with epic building, combat tactics, and fun team challenges, ages 7 to 12.
📁 Children | 🕢 1pm | 📍 The Vine Conference Centre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £27.80

Pick-up a Fruit Tree in Cardenden - Pick-up a tree to take away and plant at home in your garden.
📁 Garden | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Ore Valley Housing Association, Cardenden | 🎟️ Free

Dreel Crafters - All skill levels welcome for knitting, crochet, scrapbooking, embroidery and more.
📁 Art | 🕢 2pm | 📍 Dreel Halls, Anstruther | 🎟️ £3

Dunfermline Then and Now - Slide show featuring archive images of Dunfermline over the past 100 years.
📁 Talk | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries | 🎟️ £7

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory - The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory…but only to a lucky few.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £14+

📅 Friday, 13th February

Roblox Rumble - Designed for young gamers who adore Roblox aged 7 to 12.
📁 Children | 🕢 9am & 1pm | 📍 The Vine Conference Centre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £27.80

Creative Craft Club For Adults - Come and enjoy a regular Friday morning of creativity.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Letham Village Hall | 🎟️ £15

Gaelic Conversation Group - Join this informal group of Gaelic learners for a relaxed morning working together on Gaelic Conversation.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 10:15am | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

Kipper's Half Term Drop-In: Silver Darlings - Hands-on craft session and create our very own Silver Darling using shimmering foil.
📁 Children | 🕢 1:30pm | 📍 Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther | 🎟️ Free

Hayley Matthews Art Paint & Sip: Love Birds - Paint, sip, create! No experience necessary! All art materials and refreshments provided. BYOB!
📁 Art | 🕢 6pm | 📍 St Peter’s Church, Kirkcaldy  | 🎟️ £35

Friday Night Slides - 1/10th scale Electric RWD Drift cars only, and must be running Buzz Break or DS Racing LF4 tyres.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Parkgate Community Centre, Rosyth | 🎟️ £5+

Gavin Webster: The Gathering of the Gav - Live comedy.
📁 Comedy | 🕢 7pm | 📍 King's Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £12

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory - The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory…but only to a lucky few.
📁 Stage | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £14+

Hamnet - After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5+

The Ultimate Boyband Party Show - Expect poptastic hits from Take That, Boyzone, Westlife, NSYNC, and more!
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £24.50

R.E.M. X Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr - Buster Keaton’s 1924 comedy classic is reimagined with R.E.M. 's alt-rock masterpieces Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Crail Community Hall | 🎟️ £14

Desperados - Experience the timeless sound of the Eagles as Desperados bring their music to life.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 🎟️ £22

Gus Munro - Blues singer.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

🎉 Multi-Day Events & Exhibitions

From These Parts: Scotland, Art and Identity - Special preview evening filled with live music, drinks, and creative activities.
📅 Sat, 18th October - Sun, 15th February | 🕢 10am | 📍 Wardlaw Museum | 🎟️ Free

Winter Memory Postcards - Reflect on the feelings and memories of the winter holidays, the fleeting moments captured, as if on postcards to friends and family.
📅 Wed, 4th - Mon, 16th February | 🕢 10:30am - 4pm (closed Tuesdays) | 📍 St Andrews Heritage Museum | 🎟️ Museum Admission

Paul McGinty: Beneath The Surface - This body of work represents elements of Paul McGinty's ongoing research into the history of the Coal Mining Industry in Fife.
📅 Thu, 8th January - Fri, 27th February | 🕢 10am-4pm (Thu & Fri) | 📍 Adam Smith Heritage Centre | 🎟️ Free

Unveiling the Madonna - Discover the story behind the Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, the oldest painting in our art collection.
📅 Sat, 8th November - Sat, 7th March | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Museum | 🎟️ Free

Scottish Snowdrop Festival 2026 - Visitors can enjoy our winter garden and specialist snowdrop collection and the swathes of naturalised snowdrops in our woodland walk to the sea.
📅 Sun, 25th January - Sun, 15th March | 🕢 10am | 📍 Cambo Country House and Estate | 🎟️ Varies

Muir Walker Pride: 175 Years of Practice - Supported by historical drawings & instruments, this exhibition will chart the changing nature of architectural practice and its reflection of society over the years.
📅 Wed, 18th February - Sun, 15th March | 🕢 10:30am - 4pm (Wed - Mon) | 📍 St Andrews Bowling Club | 🎟️ £7.50

Bunker Shots: Stories of Golf and Conflict - Surprising connections between golf and conflict, including the impact on golfers and their equipment.
📅 Fri, 18th April - Tue, 31st March | 🕢 9:15am | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £17.50

Kirkcaldy Boot & Mart - Indoor and outdoor market held every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.
📅 Sat, 10th January - Wed, 16th December | 🕢 9am (Wed, Sat, & Sun) | 📍 6 Michelson Drive, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

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Cheers,

Duncan