# Fife Council

Fife Council is the local authority for the Fife area of Scotland and is the third largest Scottish council by number of councillors, having 75 elected council members.
Councillors make decisions at its regular council meetings, or at those of its nine other general committees (covering for example tourism and transportation, education, environment, housing, licensing etc.), two planning committees, and seven area committees.
The council has been under no overall control since 2003. Following the 2022 election the Scottish National Party were the largest group on the council, but a minority Labour administration was formed with informal support from the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.
A Provost of Fife is elected from among the councillors every five years, who chairs the full council meetings and acts as ceremonial head of the council. The current Provost is former football manager Jim Leishman MBE, who was first elected to the post in May 2012 and subsequently re-elected in 2017 and 2022. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council, with the current leader being Labour councillor David Ross, who has been leader since 2014, being co-leader with David Alexander of the SNP between 2017 and 2022 when he became sole leader again.

## History

Fife was one of Scotland's historic counties, with a Fife County Council existing from 1890 to 1975. In 1975 Fife became a region with three lower-tier district councils: Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, and North-East Fife. Fife Regional Council and the three district councils were merged in 1996 to form a single council area, governed by Fife Council.

## Political control

The first election to Fife Regional Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A shadow authority was again elected in 1995 ahead of the change to council areas which came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control since 1975 has been as follows:
Fife Regional Council
| Party in control | Party in control | Years |
| | Labour | 1975–1996 |
Fife Council
| Party in control | Party in control | Years |
| | Labour | 1996–2003 |
| | No overall control | 2003–present |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | Notes |
| Alex Rowley | Labour | 1 April 1996 | 1998 |
| Christine May | Labour | 1998 | 2003 |
| Anne McGovern | Labour | 2003 | 2007 |
| Peter Grant | SNP | May 2007 | May 2012 |
| Alex Rowley | Labour | May 2012 | 20 Feb 2014 |
| David Ross | Labour | 20 Feb 2014 | May 2017 |
| David Alexander | SNP | May 2017 | May 2022 | Co-leaders |
| David Ross | Labour | May 2017 | May 2022 | Co-leaders |
| David Ross | Labour | 19 May 2022 | |

### Premises

Fife Council is based at Fife House on North Street, Glenrothes. The building was built in 1969 for the Glenrothes Development Corporation, and became headquarters of Fife Regional Council on its creation in 1975. Prior to 1975 the old Fife County Council had been based at County Buildings, Cupar. Fife House passed to the new Fife Council on local government reorganisation in 1996.

## Elections

Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:
| Year | Seats | SNP | Labour | Liberal Democrats | Conservative | Independent / Other | Notes |
| 1995 | 92 | 9 | 54 | 25 | 0 | 4 | |
| 1999 | 78 | 9 | 43 | 21 | 1 | 4 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2003 | 78 | 11 | 36 | 23 | 2 | 6 | |
| 2007 | 78 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 5 | 5 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2012 | 78 | 26 | 35 | 10 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2017 | 75 | 29 | 24 | 7 | 15 | 0 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2022 | 75 | 34 | 20 | 13 | 8 | 0 | |

### Wards

| Ward number | Ward | Seats | Largest settlement | Other settlements |
| 1 | West Fife and Coastal Villages | 3 | Kincardine | Blairhall, Bowershall, Cairneyhill, Carnock, Comrie, Culross, Gowkhall, Oakley, Saline, Steelend, Torryburn, Valleyfield |
| 2 | Dunfermline North | 3 | Dunfermline | Kingseat, Townhill, Wellwood |
| 3 | Dunfermline Central | 4 | Dunfermline | Crossford, Halbeath |
| 4 | Dunfermline South | 4 | Dunfermline | |
| 5 | Rosyth | 3 | Rosyth | Charlestown, Comrie, Limekilns |
| 6 | Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay | 4 | Dalgety Bay | Aberdour, Hillend, Jamestown, Inverkeithing, North Queensferry |
| 7 | Cowdenbeath | 4 | Cowdenbeath | Crossgates, Hill of Beath, Kelty |
| 8 | Lochgelly, Cardenden and Benarty | 4 | Lochgelly | Ballingry, Cardenden, Crosshill Glencraig, Lochore, Lumphinnans |
| 9 | Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy | 3 | Burntisland | Auchtertool, Kinghorn, Western Kirkcaldy |
| 10 | Kirkcaldy North | 3 | Kirkcaldy | |
| 11 | Kirkcaldy Central | 3 | Kirkcaldy | |
| 12 | Kirkcaldy East | 3 | Kirkcaldy | |
| 13 | Glenrothes West and Kinglassie | 3 | Glenrothes | Kinglassie |
| 14 | Glenrothes North, Leslie and Markinch | 4 | Glenrothes | Cadham, Leslie, Markinch, Milton of Balgonie, Star |
| 15 | Glenrothes Central and Thornton | 3 | Glenrothes | Coaltown of Balgonie, Thornton |
| 16 | Howe of Fife and Tay Coast | 3 | Newburgh | Auchtermuchty, Balmalcolm, Collessie, Creich, Falkland, Freuchie, Gateside, Kilmany, Kingskettle, Ladybank, Letham, Lindores, Logie, Luthrie, Strathmiglo |
| 17 | Tay Bridgehead | 3 | Newport-on-Tay | Balmerino, Balmullo, Bottomcraig, Gauldry, Guardbridge, Leuchars, Pickletillum, Tayport, Woodhaven, Wormit |
| 18 | St Andrews | 4 | St Andrews | Strathkinness |
| 19 | East Neuk and Landward | 3 | Anstruther | Abercrombie, Arncroach, Boarhills, Carnbee, Cellardyke, Colinsburgh, Crail, Dunino, Elie and Earlsferry, Kilconquhar, Kilrenny, Kingsbarns, Largoward, Lathones, Pittenweem, St Monans |
| 20 | Cupar | 3 | Cupar | Blebo Craigs, Ceres, Cults, Cupar Muir, Dairsie, Kemback, Pitlessie, Pitscottie, Springfield, Stratheden |
| 21 | Leven, Kennoway and Largo | 4 | Leven | Baintown, Balcurvie, Bonnybank, Cameron Bridge, Drumeldrie, Kennoway, Lower Largo, Lundin Links, Upper Largo, Windygates |
| 22 | Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages | 4 | Methil | Buckhaven, Coaltown of Wemyss, East Wemyss, West Wemyss |