FIFE COUNCIL DEALS WITH COLLAPSED MINESHAFT IN THORNTON

Fife Council wishes to assure members of the public that every effort will be made to minimise disruption on Station Road in Thornton following the collapse of a mine shaft there on the evening of Wednesday 23rd May 2002.

The Strategic Committee for Political Opportunism met this morning to discuss possible uses for the large hole which now exists on Station Road.  The following groundbreaking suggestions were made:

• Using the hole as a miniature landfill site.  This would be a pilot project but, if it proved to be successful, it is anticipated that a number of holes could be opened in mining villages throughout Fife.

• Converting the hole into a playpark for local children.  An independent feasibility study showed that bringing the hole up to the standards of playparks in nearby Stenton would require very little public funding whatsoever.

• Making the necessary alterations to the hole in order to provide Thornton Primary School with an additional classroom.  This will be funded through Public Private Partnership and all documents relating to the contractual agreement will be stored in a secure facility underneath the room.

• Using the whole as an underground bank vault where Henry McLeish MSP's pension can be stored.  This follows on from a similar project which took place at Fife House where important records of the Third Age group were buried, alongside Mr McLeish's political career.

A further meeting will not take place until next month in order to allow time for public consultation to be carried out and discarded.