THE ruling Labour group on Fife Council have taken “no action” to tackle the cost of living more than 100 days after taking office, it has been claimed.

SNP councillor for Cowdenbeath, Bailey-Lee Robb, said the local authority had been left in limbo after leader David Ross went on holiday for two months, with just one meeting in July and 13 committee meetings since the administration was formed.

He said the few meetings that had taken place were only to appoint convenors and there had been “no action at all” on forming plans to help Fifers facing huge increases in food and energy prices.

However, Cllr Ross hit back and said it was “completely false” to say nothing had been done and an agreed programme of support and millions of pounds in funding was already in place.

Cllr Robb and SNP colleague Brian Goodall said they requested an early meeting of the people and communities scrutiny committee in June, to consider reports on the cost of living and the housing crisis, but this was refused on the grounds they were already being considered by council leadership.

In a meeting last week, Cllr Robb said: “The cost of living crisis is a matter of life or death for our constituents, we need urgent action now and I’m sure that warrants an emergency meeting.”

Cllr Goodall said: “The Fife Council SNP Group have been calling for urgent action on the housing crisis and the cost of living since the local elections in May.

“However, the Labour, Tory and Lib Dem members have been working together to block us at every turn.”

Cllr Robb said they were told reports couldn’t be brought forward because there was no officer time and the council was in recess.

In common with other councils – and the Scottish Parliament which is still in recess – Fife has a summer break when committees do not meet.

The last meeting was on June 30, there was a health and social care meeting scheduled for July 29 but it did not go ahead, with the re-start on August 9.

Cllr Robb added: “The first 100 days of administration are the most important. It is even more important given the cost of living crisis which is facing everyone right now.

“However, we have had no action by this failing administration who have placed a gag on committees and centralised all decision making to the chosen few spokespeople.”

He said their pressure had paid off with an additional meeting of the committee on September 27 to discuss the cost of living and housing crises, as well as the provision of Cafe Inc services across Fife ahead of the October holidays.

Cllr Ross rubbished their claims and hit back: “This is a complete distortion of the position by councillors Robb and Goodall.

“The council has an agreed programme of support for people facing the impacts of poverty and the cost of living crisis including an additional investment of £5.3 million to support low-income families and stimulate local economic recovery.

“This is on top of the more than £11m that the council already commits directly to tackling poverty.

“These measures are already under way so to claim no action is being taken is completely false.

“We have also already agreed that a full report on the implementation of these measures will be coming to the council’s cabinet committee in September along with proposals for further action to address any gaps in provision that are identified.

“These councillors could better spend their time making suggestions about what further practical actions the council could be taking to support people rather than trying to undermine what is already happening and making unfounded personal attacks on me.”