Proposals are in place to cut the funding of the archaeology service of Fife Council in eastern Scotland. The Labour Party-run council wants to cut the archaeology budget from £18,000 to £10,000. This is despite significant finds in Fife recently. Fife Council's archaeology service worked with Channel 4's Time Team to excavate "one of the most significant Bronze Age cemetery sites in Scotland" at Leven, and were also involved in the discovery of early Bronze Age axes and the Carpow log boat in the River Tay at Newburgh.
     Senior Liberal Democrat Councillor Andrew Arbuckle criticised the council's proposals at their budget meeting in Glenrothes: “The Huns and Visigoths within the Labour administration intend removing half the budget from the archaeology service within the council. This would be a loss to the people of Fife, and their children, of part of our heritage. I think to slash the budget of such a valuable and well-respected service would be incredibly shortsighted. The archaeology service is incredible value for money.”

Source: Evening Telegraph (11 February 2004)