Industrial action affecting Fife Council's contact centre has been called off. Contact centre workers had been due to strike from Monday for a week over a national pay dispute.

Iain Smith, local Liberal Democrat MSP for North East Fife and Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Economy Committee, has written to the senior managers for Lloyds TSB and Halifax Bank of Scotland branches in the area seeking assurances about the future of local branches in his constituency.

Fife Council is warning that, due to industrial action called by UNISON, eight important phone numbers will be unavailable for customers between Monday 6 and Friday 10 October.

Oor Fleurs and ARC Architects finalists in Creative Fife awards

Members of the trades unions UNISON, Unite and GMB staged a 24-hour strike in support of their pay claim, following on from a similar protest on August 20.

The planned expansion of a quarry in Ladybank into woodland has caused anger among nearby residents. The proposal has also raised fears it could have a "catastrophic" impact on the habitat of the local red squirrel population.

Dysart-based film production company New Age Film Ltd. has just purchased the region's first full size digital movie camera with support from agencies such as Creativefife, a group of people representing the wide spectrum of creative industries in the Kingdom, and Fife Council which has also expressed an interest in developing the industry.

Inspection invited! On Sunday 28th September, between 2pm and 4pm, the Church Hall will be open for visitors.

Fife Council is warning of another day of disruption to services on Wednesday, 24 September, including some school closures, due to industrial action called by trades unions UNISON, Unite and GMB.

Fife Council has today (Thursday) wholeheartedly welcomed the announcement that Norfolkline will be taking over the Rosyth to Zebrugge ferry route

Thanks to all involved

Tips from the Financial Services Authority

Businesses in Fife had the opportunity to meet Fife Council's Procurement Team at the Fife Business Show 2008, held in the Rothes Halls, to find out more about becoming a local authority supplier.

Employees in small businesses are the most satisfied at work, new statistics have revealed.

Brad Stewart, from Ladybank who runs Blitz Discos, is hoping to scoop A business prize worth over £13,000 in the final of the 2008 Barclays Trading Places Awards.

Margaret Sutherland, proprietor of Dunshelt Post Office and store, has been making four batches of tablet a week for the past three years in a bid to raise £5000 to buy a hearing dog for the deaf.

Plans are going ahead to bring a fast ferry crossing to Fife by the end of next year.

Fife, including many parts of the Howe came to a stand-still yesterday as more than half of Fife Council's employees went on strike.

Council update on industrial action disruptions Wed 20 Aug

Small businesses with big ideas on how to tackle climate change are being urged to compete for awards of up to £40,000

It's only 6 weeks until the Auchtermuchty & Dunshalt Annual Show, so if you haven't got your schedule yet, please contact June Forbes or jump online to download it now.

We will be holding a stall at St Serf's Market in Sat Aug 9th, and would appreciate any donations of bric-a-brac and small items (sorry we cannot accept large items of furniture or clothes).

Curtis Fine Papers, in Guardbridge has ceased production, with the loss of 180 jobs.

Large companies are exploiting small businesses by delaying invoice payments and imposing new terms and settlement fees on owners, the Federation Federation of Small Businesses Fife (FSB) can reveal.

This year's festival runs from the 1st to 10th August and, as always it's jam packed with community and traditional music events.

Green Business Fife, Fife's business environmental networking group has proved very successful since its conception at the start of last year.

An online car-sharing scheme in Fife has reached a significant milestone by signing up its 1,000th member.

Fife and Tayside road haulage chiefs yesterday dismissed the government's postponement of October's 2p-a-litre increase on fuel duty and have called for more drastic cuts in taxation.

No business sectors will escape the credit crunch - it is predicted by the Fife Chamber of Commerce it will take up to four years to restore balance.

Come along to our introductory night to Slow Food in Fife on Tuesday 5th of August at 7pm at the Fisher and Donaldson's bakery and restaurant at 1 Ceres Road, Cupar, KT15 5JT. Reserve your place asap.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is warning that the demise of energywatch in October this year will leave small businesses with nowhere to turn for help and advice with energy contracts.

The Liberal Democrats have thrown their weight behind the campaign by the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters to save the Post Office card account.

Auchtermuchty festival news and contacts

A new financial assistance package for companies across Fife has been launched.

There will be no train services between Inverkeithing and Edinburgh on Saturday 5 July or Sunday 6 July 2008, due to the closure of rail lines between Edinburgh and Fife for essential Tram engineering work.

On 5&6 July trains from the north and Fife will terminate at Dalgety Bay Station with Rail Replacement Bus Services providing connections to Inverkeithing, North Queensferry, Dalmeny, Haymarket and Edinburgh.

A Fife MSP has started an online petition against plans to ban alcohol sales in shops to under 21s.

Info on the Small Business Bonus Scheme - a new rates relief scheme that was introduced by Scottish Government in April 2008.

I am selling my business and would like to advertise this to the residents of Auchtermuchty (or anyone interested).

If you're a keen photographer, why not enter the Rural Gateway website's photo competition? Following the success of their 2007 competition, this year's is bigger and better.

Muchty PS open again

Auchtermuchty School closed due to water problems

Small businesses show resilience in face of credit crunch

Small charities, churches and voluntary groups in water charge reprieve

The Post Office plans to close 42 more branches in north east Scotland, Tayside and Fife, it has announced.

ONE-IN-FIVE post offices in Fife, Tayside and north-east Scotland face the axe under controversial plans to be unveiled by the UK Government today.

Big Tent seeks old curtains and sofas!

Ocome report reveals the number of rural homes with broadband now outnumber urban homes

Furniture project seeks helping hand

Fife Show success

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is encouraging UK businesses to enter this year's Chamber Awards, for the chance to win £50,000 courtesy of the RBS Group.

FSB calls for Chancellor to share oil tax windfall

PM's employment announcement could prove a nightmare for small firms

Thousands of people are expected to arrive at Fife's biggest agricultural show, organisers have said.

North Fife artists open their studios

Sharing a lift to work is made easier thanks to TripShare Fife

Dunshalt school on the market

Fife Business Diversity Awards seeking nominations

Bus routes from Edin to Fife to become carbon neutral in next 5 years

Venison writer wins top award

The National Business Awards for Scotland

Improve health in your workplace with free advice

Fruit farms may face shortage of workers

The petrol picture in the Howe of Fife

Panic at the fuel pumps in Glenrothes

Funding for Fife Food Tourism Network announced

Howe of Fife postman dies suddenly

Post office closures in Fife

Women close to shattering jobs 'glass ceiling'

New Forth bridge ‘ready by 2016’

Fife's first Business Incubator opens in Kircaldy

No payments and Muchty and other local service centres

4 top awards for Kinross grocer

New web portal launches officially today in Freuchie

Iain Smith, North East Fife MSP gets guided tour of SCF web portal

Post Office closures

Auchtermuchty woman to fundraise for MS Society in Iceland

A Campaign to Secure the future of small shops and local communities. A campaign to safeguard choice and competition

RSPB Nature of Farming Award entries encouraged

Real food festival selection for Fletchers

Scott Robb gets to regional finals of L'Oreal Colour Trophy

Important changes if you pay your council tax or regular major bills at Fife Council's 22 Local Services Centres.

Forth Bridge pre-paid tolls can be reclaimed

Financial help to grow your small business

Eco-town plans

Wind farm development thrown out

Fife tourism businesses urged to attend conference

Fife Diet

Getting the Green message across

Ther are 13 categories...

Grants for craft workers

Healthyliving award

New NHS dentist welcomed

Road closure

GATESIDE partners, Nicola Cairns and Gavin Burnett are among eight Fife craft workers who have been awarded grants totalling £5000 to assist them progress their careers.

Help Fife businesses by shopping locally

Business Service sector organisations across Fife have the opportunity to achieve real growth and profitability by participating in a new series of events and workshops commencing February 2008.

A Scottish Government reporter has now begun to consider whether the proposed Auchtermuchty windfarm would be "landscape on loan" or a "visual disaster".

Pedestrian dies in collision - police call for witnesses

An expert public wintenss told the public inquiry this week it was 'not ideal, but considered acceptable' that a few properties would be more affected by wind turbine noise at Auchtermuchty.

Motorists are advised that carriageway repairs are to be carried out on the M90 northbound carriageway between junctions 7 and 8. The works will start on Sunday 13th January for 7 days.

JANUARY arrived with a vengeance this week as winds of up to 80mph battered north east Fife, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Proposed core paths for Strathmiglo, Ladybank, Gateside, Falkland, Auchtermuchty and the Lomond Hills have been drawn up after two years of consultation. Fife Council invites your comment re major omissions or errors prior to the formal statutory consultation stage which will probably take place from the beginning of April 2008. See web link below for more.