LABOUR has said it will seek to form a Labour minority administration at today's first full meeting of Fife Council since the local elections.

The party last week ruled out any form of coalition with the SNP who fell short of an overall majority after winning 34 seats, just four away from the required 38 to form an administration on its own.

Ahead of this week's meeting, Councillor David Ross, leader of the Labour group on Fife Council, confirmed they would ask other "all other" parties to support them.

“No single party achieved a majority on the Council at the election on May 5. We believe that a Labour Minority Administration that will listen and take account of the views of others, is the best way forward for Fife," he said.

"We will be putting this to the full Council on Thursday and asking all other parties to support us.

“We believe a Labour Administration offers the most positive vision for Fife and the best prospect of standing up to the centralisation and cuts to council funding from the SNP Scottish Government.

“Whether we like it or not, the proportional representation system we work under means that if no party gains a majority of seats, then they have to seek support from others to form an administration.

“If we gain the support of a majority of councillors then we will form the Administration. If not then we will go into opposition."

Labour's plans have been slammed as "not positive for Fife" and "not sustainable" by SNP group leader, Cllr David Alexander who expressed concern a "great alliance" could be formed against them.

"I think the reason they have put this out now is they knew the Liberal Democrats, by text at 7.20am, said they couldn't do a deal with us. I imagine they know there is a great alliance against the SNP. Despite the SNP having by far the larger number of seats of any party," he said.

"Labour has just had their worst ever election in Fife Council and the idea a party of 20 councillors can run an administration of 75 councillors is just impossible. It can only be done with some serious gerrymandering because the idea of the Liberal Democrats, the Tories and Labour all agreeing on every issue for the next five years is insane.

"If looking for sustainability, 34 councillors – just four short (of an overall majority) – is much more of a sustainable model than 41 spread over three parties

"Five years ago, the gap between Labour party and the SNP in terms of councillors was five and now it is 14. Labour have had their worst ever performance so we will be putting forward our proposals for how Fife should be run.

"We still want a committee based system that involves everyone. No doubt Labour are not going to go back to a flawed executive committee model and no committees and they will gerrymander that committee in the way they did in 2012 where an executive committee was put in place with maybe 20-25 councillors round a table.

"It is not positive for Fife and is not sustainable. We wont know what is going to happen from month to month."

Speaking on Wednesday morning, the Liberal Democrat Fife group leader, Councillor Jonny Tepp, said discussions about a ruling administration were ongoing.

"We have not managed to reach an agreement with either Labour or the SNP as of this moment," he added.

Labour have also confirmed they would be nominating Jim Leishman to continue as the Provost of Fife at today's meeting.

Cllr Ross added: "Jim has been a fantastic ambassador for Fife and I hope he will get the overwhelming support of the Council on Thursday.”