Communities in West Fife, Clackmannan and Falkirk are to be given a say in what happens following the closure of Longannet Power Station earlier this year.

There is already a government-appointed task force looking at how neighbouring communities can be helped to cope with the aftermath of the devastating closure, which cost 230 direct jobs, could see another estimated 1000-plus people lose indirect employment and will cost the local economy £50m a year.

But earlier this year the Scottish government rejected a detailed action plan from councils calling for £9m to fund "critical" measures to boost the area's economic vitality. Ministers' plan seems to be more to coordinate and corral existing resources. Those arguments about top level funding will no doubt continue.

But the approach of the charity the Coalfields Regeneration Trust is different. It has already supported seven villages in Fife and Clackmannanshire, awarding them £20,000 each to develop five year action plans.

The Community Futures programme works on the principle that local people often have the best idea how to secure a better future for their area.

While working as part of the existing Government and Fife Council task force they will use community engagement and methods such as participatory budgeting to give people a say about exactly what that task force should do. Behind the jargon that means knocking on doors and talking to people, former plant employees, local traders, small businesses.

Employment and skills consultant Gary Porter has been hired to lead the programmes and a conference later this month will give local community reps a chance to decide local priorities.

The trust insists this won't just be a talking shop and can genuinely help, with all the mining villages affected by Longannet's closure in a position to have an input. It could even be a model for similar task force interventions in future, north and south of the border.

Last year UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd unveiled plans to close all British coal-fired power stations by 2025.

CRT Trustee Nicky Wilson says: “Our Coalfields Community Futures programme has been a huge success, and now we want to find a way to make it work on a wider scale"