FIFE COUNCIL'S reputation in Aberdour "could really not be any lower" with news that it could be May NEXT YEAR before work starts on a new footbridge at the harbour.

The structure was damaged badly by floods during a storm in August 2020 and had to be removed but the delays in replacing it have infuriated local residents and businesses.

The council now hope work can start in April or May next year and say the job will take one-to-three months, meaning the time taken to replace the bridge will span three years in total.

A report by John Mitchell, head of roads and transportation, to the South and West Fife area committee yesterday (Wednesday) noted: "Failure to deliver a replacement footbridge will leave the council open to public criticism and scrutiny due to the perceived impact on the local economy and tourism and a failure to maintain a section of the Fife Coastal Path."

Local councillor Dave Dempsey scoffed: "The level of criticism the council and local councillors have already received has been colossal.

"The council's reputation in Aberdour could really not be any lower."

Last month, he called for an inquiry after stating Aberdour was "nowhere near" getting a replacement bridge.

Yesterday, he said: "We need to get a bridge. It's as simple as that."

The report said £405,000 of capital money was set aside to fund a new bridge over the Dour Burn but it wasn't enough.

Just one tender was received in the summer and it was "far in excess" of the budget.

The report said the council faced "various planning and environmental constraints" and that access over private land was required.

They have now ditched that design and came up with four options: two would cost more than the money available while the other two would take longer to deliver, six to 12 months.

The officers' recommendation, subject to getting more capital cash, is to replace over-pumping with pipework and replace concrete sandbags with rock armour, which would cost £476,000 but could be done in one to three months.

At the meeting, council officer Michael Anderson said he understood the community's frustration and added: "Truthfully, it does take about two years to design a structure from start to finish.

"Rest assured, we are doing our best to make sure we deliver this bridge for the Aberdour community. It's not like we're not doing anything."

Cllr Dempsey said: "I understand that but the public don't. If we had said at the beginning it's going to take two years to design it, that wouldn't have been well received but we could have told them.

"When are we going to get a bridge? What's the answer?"

Mr Anderson replied that a review of the capital budget was not due until February, if the extra funding was approved they would go out to tender in March and hopefully work would start in April or May 2023.

Convener, Cllr David Barratt, said it was a "bit of a shock" they'd have to wait three months just to find out if extra funds would be available for such an important project for Aberdour.

He noted it was a "huge budget for a fairly small bridge" and added: "I appreciate Fife Council's desire to be innovative but I wonder if that's come at the expense of getting it done."

The committee backed the preferred option and recommended that the council do all they can to come up with the money before February.