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Complete coverage tonight at 5:30 and 6:30 on STAR

Latest Fife Council Press Release Below from 1pm:

EVERY effort is being made to continue to provide services for vulnerable Fifers despite today’s severe weather.

The Met Office red alert is now covering more of Fife than originally expected. At this stage the Forth and Tay Road Bridges are both closed to all vehicles.

Current advice from Fife Police is that people should postpone their journey wherever possible, or make alternative arrangements. These closures are currently causing significant disruption and there are cases of fallen trees, particularly in West Fife.

Despite these conditions, many vital services have continued to ensure those in greatest need are supported including home care services and meals on wheels.

Social Work services are also responding to and prioritising emergencies. Day care services and centres have been disrupted and will not be available after lunchtime today.

The number of staff in the council’s contact centre has been increased to deal with an anticipated increase in calls.

All of Fife’s schools opened this morning but a decision was taken to close all 186 schools at lunchtime, in line with Scottish Government advice.
High Schools prelims arranged for this afternoon have been cancelled and will be rescheduled by schools in due course as will other school activities planned for this afternoon.

Parents should contact schools directly for any other specific school closure times and information.

All bin collections have been cancelled and recycling centres are closed.

Householders are being asked to bring their bins in as soon as possible to prevent them blowing over in the high winds. All bins should be put out again tomorrow morning.

As a result, there will be some disruption to bin collections over the next few days as the teams across the Kingdom catch up.

Please find below a detailed summary of the impact the severe weather has had on council services today.

Education

• 186 schools closed at lunchtime today - between 12 noon and 1pm.

• High Schools prelims arranged for this afternoon have been cancelled. They will rescheduled by the school in due course as will other school activities planned for this afternoon.

• The Madras Public Consultation planned for this evening and associated events at Tayport PS and St Andrews Town Hall, and the Headteacher's Briefing scheduled for this afternoon at St Columba's Primary School in Cupar have all been cancelled.

• School catering services are still being provided and on a flexible basis. The Catering Service is liaising with individual schools to check requirements and some pack lunches are being provided.

• Parents/parents should are contacting schools directly for any other specific school closure information.

Social Work

• Social Work Services are making arrangements to ensure those in greatest need have their needs met and will respond to emergencies.

• Priority visits will be made and non priority visits will be re-scheduled as appropriate. Any immediate issues arising throughout the day will be addressed.

• The following services are operating as normal, with monitoring throughout the day:
- Home Care
- Meals on Wheels
- Criminal Justice
- Fife and Matrix
- Social Work offices

• The following other Social Work Services are affected:

Older People Day Care Services

The following Day Care Centre are CLOSED due to severe weather:

- Rosyth Resource Centre, Rosyth
- Ladywalk House, Anstruther
- Leng Resource Centre, Newport on Tay
- St David’s Centre, St Andrews
- Raith Gates Centre, Kirkcaldy

The following Day Centres will close after lunchtime today:

- Mathew Fyfe, Dunfermline
- Jean Mackie Centre,
- Valley House, Cowdenbeath
- Jenny Gray, Lochgelly
- South Parks, Glenrothes
- Alan McLure, Glenrothes
- Methilhaven, Buckhaven
- Northeden, Cupar

Adult Services Day Care

All day centres will close after lunchtime today.
- Dalgairn Centre, Cupar
- Robert Gough, Leven
- Grange Centre, Dunfermline
- Viewforth, Kirkcaldy and St Clare Centre, Kirkcaldy

• Transport for both Older People and Adult Services service users is arranged to ensure they return home safely.

Bins and Recycling Centres

• All bin collections have been cancelled and recycling centres have closed.

• All householders are being asked to bring their bins in as soon as possible to prevent them blowing over in the high winds. All bins should be put out again tomorrow morning.

• As a result, there will be some disruption to bin collections over the next few days as the teams catch up.

Transportation

• As of late this morning there were two roads and one footpath closed.

- C45 Pitscottie to Dairsie (Dura Den Road): blocked due to flooding
- C50 Auchmuir Bridge to Ballingry: closure not weather-related
- Fullerton Road underpass, Glenrothes: closed due to flooding

• Tower wagons/cherry pickers are off the road so no street lighting lamp replacement works today.

• All fixed construction sites have been closed down. Staff have been given other duties related to severe weather and/or flooding.

Contact Centre

• Higher call volumes were anticipated yesterday and staffing was increased by two-thirds today.

Building Services

• The weather and working conditions are being monitored but some outside work may be delayed or cancelled and new arrangements will be made. Building Services will investigate roof problems at council properties, and if possible do a temporary repair or arrangement to return when the weather improves. UPDATE: Roofers will not be going out today to do any repairs, even temporary repairs. Any damage shall be dealt with as soon as the weather allows us to do so.