There has been considerable debate in recent days around the impact of savings on Scottish policing following a meeting of senior police officers, with a suggestion that the eight forces currently serving Scotland could be reduced perhaps leading to one national police force.
Strathclyde's Chief Constable has even indicated that a single force may be more "effective" while the Scottish Police Federation expressed concerns over the costs of possible restructuring.
As convener of Strathclyde Police Authority - the board of councillors responsible for the budget and scrutiny of policing across almost half of Scotland - I recognise that the Strathclyde force has a national strategic role with a level of expertise and resource substantially greater than smaller Scottish forces which may suggest some need for realignment.
With the pressing need for substantial savings in police budgets for the forseeable future, I am very keen for police authorities and forces to collaborate in "blue sky" thinking; every idea should be considered to meet the financial challenges with genuine service reform.
I am relaxed about the number and name of police forces covering Scotland as those should remain secondary issues. The level of service and accountability to communities across Scotland are far more important.
With Scottish ministers stating they will protect health spending by passing on Barnet consequentials, we also have to question any additional impact on funding for police as a vital public service.
There's a real risk of yet more pressure on police budgets, as Scotland's councils fund 49% of policing and they will undoubtedly find greater strain on this resource in future.
It is easy to propose a single force in theory with the current financial challenges facing policing and the wider Scottish public sector, but we would still need to reassure residents in every area of Scotland that they would receive a service that had local autonomy in responding to concerns and demands. This should not simply be a budget-balancing exercise.
That means an honest look at the future shape of Scottish policing and what is really needed to deliver a modern and effective service for communities across Strathclyde and Scotland.
A unified Scottish police force would be bad news for rural areas. Just as monstrous large urban centred regions like Strathclyde benefitted Glasgow, but were bad for Argyll, so having a Scottish police force will mean that resources will be drained from Dumfries, Galloway and the Borders into Glasgow, not to mention from places like the Highlands and North East...
ReplyDeleteBut of course none of this vast amount of money is going to stop the massive poverty, bad health and knife crime in massive West of Scotland council schemes which Labour DELIBERATELY keeps poor. If they got better off, they'd stop voting Labour, and they know it.
Local autonomy and accountability are important in responding to concerns and demands for policing across Scotland. There are many rural communities served by Strathclyde Police including Argyll & Bute. I don't think there is significant concern about the service they receive currently from a large force covering almost half of Scotland, nor are there huge worries about the name or number of forces among the general public in those areas.
ReplyDeleteThankfully politics in Glasgow and across Scotland is not as cynical or simple as you caricature - it's competitive on doorsteps in every community, despite the standard of living improving while Labour was in government.
no your wrong again Stephen stop the spinning,
ReplyDeleteFigure's from your Government show that the Gap between Rich and poor grew under Labour and at best we have stood still on tackling the Children growing up in poverty issue
Labour’s record in Government made a real difference:
ReplyDeleteNew Deal - over 2 million into work;
Child Trust Fund - nearly 5 million Funds started to help all parents save for their children’s future, with the most help going to the poorest children and children in care;
Free nursery places - introduced for every 3 and 4 year old;
Working Tax Credit - help with childcare, up to £300 per week or £175 per week for one child;
New parents' support - 9 months paid maternity leave with maternity pay up to £124.88 a week, all dads got the right to paternity leave while parents and carers could also request flexible working;
Last year four in ten British families - over 3 million families - paid no net tax as a result of the tax credits system.
A key point:
ReplyDelete500,000 children lifted out of relative poverty and measures introduced in and since Budget 2007 were expected to lift another 550,000 children out of poverty.