Speaking in a debate in the Scottish Parliament Cowdenbeath MSP Alex Rowley has highlighted the good work of the Coalfield Regeneration Trust in the Cowdenbeath area and has called on the Scottish Government to continue to fund the work of the trust arguing there is a need for an anti-poverty strategy at the heart of government to tackle deprivation and poverty in the former coalfield communities, and that the Coalfields Regeneration Trust has a key role to play in building capacity to achieve that.
Mr Rowley continued; “I attended an event in connection with the CRT in Kelty recently at which a number of groups got awards for local funds; it was a really positive evening. Crucially, whether it is in Cowdenbeath, Kelty, Benarty or Cardenden, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust is working to develop local community plans in my constituency.
The Scottish Labour Deputy Leader also used the debate to highlight the issues of the opencast sites in Fife and across Scotland where the restoration plans have either been downgraded or abandoned and said the Scottish Parliament must put pressure on both the Scottish and UK governments to work together to bring forward solutions while there is still a demand for coal in the UK.
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Picture shows Mr Rowley with members of the Kelty Heritage Group at a recent grants awards evening.
