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.
Saturday 10 July 2010
Thursday 8 July 2010
Lib Dem voters 'joining Labour'
The first signs of a major shift in British politics have seen Labour receive an unprecedented surge of new members eager to oppose the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.
21,000 have joined the Party since the General Election in what acting Labour leader Harriet Harman described as an "emerging political movement happening amongst progressives in Britain".
Lib Dem voters see a "big difference between what they thought they voted for and what they ended up with - and they just aren't comfortable with it."
Half of the new members were Labour voters now even more determined to get us back into government, but almost one in three recruits were Lib Dem voters let down by that party's partnership in power with the Tories - making deep spending cuts and setting the wrong priorities for the country.
Since 2007, we have seen SNP councillors leave their own group in Glasgow disenchanted with their party. Perhaps Lib Dem elected representatives will now take a similar route to make a positive difference for their own communities.
21,000 have joined the Party since the General Election in what acting Labour leader Harriet Harman described as an "emerging political movement happening amongst progressives in Britain".
Lib Dem voters see a "big difference between what they thought they voted for and what they ended up with - and they just aren't comfortable with it."
Half of the new members were Labour voters now even more determined to get us back into government, but almost one in three recruits were Lib Dem voters let down by that party's partnership in power with the Tories - making deep spending cuts and setting the wrong priorities for the country.
Since 2007, we have seen SNP councillors leave their own group in Glasgow disenchanted with their party. Perhaps Lib Dem elected representatives will now take a similar route to make a positive difference for their own communities.
Scotland 'faces £42bn funding cuts'
The public spending squeeze in Scotland is likely to be worse than first projected following the recent UK Budget.
Figures published by the Scottish Government's chief economic adviser Dr Andrew Goudie, project spending cuts of £42 billion over the next sixteen years. A similar study in April estimated reductions of £25-35 billion over 12 to 15 years. The latest report predicts six consecutive years of cuts in real terms, up from the previous assessment of five years.
The Tory-Lib Dem UK Government's Comprehensive Spending Review in October will outline more details of allocations for Scotland's devolved budget. The onus will then be on SNP ministers to set the right priorities for services they are responsible for.
Figures published by the Scottish Government's chief economic adviser Dr Andrew Goudie, project spending cuts of £42 billion over the next sixteen years. A similar study in April estimated reductions of £25-35 billion over 12 to 15 years. The latest report predicts six consecutive years of cuts in real terms, up from the previous assessment of five years.
The Tory-Lib Dem UK Government's Comprehensive Spending Review in October will outline more details of allocations for Scotland's devolved budget. The onus will then be on SNP ministers to set the right priorities for services they are responsible for.
Patient safety undermined
Support Scottish Labour's call to defend the jobs of doctors, nurses, midwives and other essential workers in the NHS.
"The reality of this SNP Government is 'More Nats, Fewer Nurses'. The cuts that the SNP are imposing on the NHS will undermine patient safety and we need to fight them."
"You simply cannot remove thousands of doctors, nurses and midwives without damaging standards of care. Labour believe that these cuts are unacceptable and we will campaign relentlessly to defend the NHS."
"We are also asking MSPs from all parties to back our call on ministers to immediately publish the workforce planning projections for every Scottish health board, so that we know the scale of the job losses the SNP are demanding across the country."
Charitable benefits
How do we fund cultural, leisure and sporting activities during the economic downturn? The Glasgow Life charity model may be the way forward for other councils and institutions, as we work through the current economic crisis.
Culture and Sport Glasgow was first established in 2007 to deliver services previously provided by the City Council's Cultural & Leisure Services. I was appointed as one of the charity's directors shortly after the subsequent Scottish elections that May. I am also appointed to Culture and Sport Glasgow (Trading) CIC, the community interest company set up to generate income from retail and catering activities.
Glasgow Life delivers a wide range of services through 158 directly managed and leased facilities. Our annual budget is more than £100 million and we employ around 3,000 staff making us one of the city’s biggest employers.
Despite the recession, our services were used by 14.5 million visitors over the past year, up by almost one million on the previous year. The public like what they’ve seen in the last three years. Our museums and libraries attract a 97% satisfaction rate on the Glasgow Household Survey. The Glasgow Club has over 24,000 members using modern sports facilities across the city.
During previous recessions, Glasgow invested in its arts and cultural heritage and emerged stronger as a result. In 1983, we opened the Burrell Collection in Pollok Park and celebrated the Year of Culture in 1990. Glasgow has invested more than £120 million in sport and leisure facilities over the past ten years and will spend a further £150 million in the next five years.
This investment has created construction jobs at a vital time for the city economy, recognising that by building for the future - with the new Riverside Museum or infrastructure for the 2014 Commonwealth Games - Glasgow can emerge from this recession well-placed.
There will be cuts and savings to be found in the current financial climate, but as a charity we can work more flexibly and attract new funding.
We operate seven days a week. We’re asking our staff to change the way they work, in exchange for a commitment to protect both jobs and services. Although there are some points of dispute at present, it is important to remember that staff and trade unions have responded well to our changes as a charity since 2007, with significant improvements in absence rates benefiting colleagues at work and customers in venues all over Glasgow.
Set up as an independent charity, services are provided contractually to the local council - directly accountable to elected representatives as key stakeholders - on behalf of communities across Glasgow.
As a charity, we have achieved specific savings of £19.2 million in our first three years through reductions in non-domestic rates alone. This level of saving equates to around 1,000 jobs. Had we not been a charity, that £19.2 million burden would have been borne by our staff and local taxpayers, with a negative impact on jobs and services.
As a charity we can access trusts and funds which were simply not open to us when services were part of the Council. Almost a third of our overall income now comes from outwith funding agreed with the City Council. This is a much larger proportion than other established charities who provide services such as social care to local authorities.
Over the past three years, a total of £2.25 million has been raised from sponsorship, donations and voluntary income, against a target of £1.1 million. Our fundraising team has been exceeding its target, generating almost £1 million in sponsorship and donations from institutions and benefactors. That amounts to a quarter of the annual running costs at Kelvingrove, Scotland’s most popular visitor attraction and one of the busiest in the UK. A growing number of those visitors who enjoy our free museums and libraries or pay to use our sports centres and community halls are contributing by making donations of cash or giving time as volunteers.
With financial pressures across the public sector, other councils are now considering how best to deliver services and protect jobs and our experience as a charity may be part of the answer for many.
Culture and Sport Glasgow was first established in 2007 to deliver services previously provided by the City Council's Cultural & Leisure Services. I was appointed as one of the charity's directors shortly after the subsequent Scottish elections that May. I am also appointed to Culture and Sport Glasgow (Trading) CIC, the community interest company set up to generate income from retail and catering activities.
Glasgow Life delivers a wide range of services through 158 directly managed and leased facilities. Our annual budget is more than £100 million and we employ around 3,000 staff making us one of the city’s biggest employers.
Despite the recession, our services were used by 14.5 million visitors over the past year, up by almost one million on the previous year. The public like what they’ve seen in the last three years. Our museums and libraries attract a 97% satisfaction rate on the Glasgow Household Survey. The Glasgow Club has over 24,000 members using modern sports facilities across the city.
During previous recessions, Glasgow invested in its arts and cultural heritage and emerged stronger as a result. In 1983, we opened the Burrell Collection in Pollok Park and celebrated the Year of Culture in 1990. Glasgow has invested more than £120 million in sport and leisure facilities over the past ten years and will spend a further £150 million in the next five years.
This investment has created construction jobs at a vital time for the city economy, recognising that by building for the future - with the new Riverside Museum or infrastructure for the 2014 Commonwealth Games - Glasgow can emerge from this recession well-placed.
There will be cuts and savings to be found in the current financial climate, but as a charity we can work more flexibly and attract new funding.
We operate seven days a week. We’re asking our staff to change the way they work, in exchange for a commitment to protect both jobs and services. Although there are some points of dispute at present, it is important to remember that staff and trade unions have responded well to our changes as a charity since 2007, with significant improvements in absence rates benefiting colleagues at work and customers in venues all over Glasgow.
Set up as an independent charity, services are provided contractually to the local council - directly accountable to elected representatives as key stakeholders - on behalf of communities across Glasgow.
As a charity, we have achieved specific savings of £19.2 million in our first three years through reductions in non-domestic rates alone. This level of saving equates to around 1,000 jobs. Had we not been a charity, that £19.2 million burden would have been borne by our staff and local taxpayers, with a negative impact on jobs and services.
As a charity we can access trusts and funds which were simply not open to us when services were part of the Council. Almost a third of our overall income now comes from outwith funding agreed with the City Council. This is a much larger proportion than other established charities who provide services such as social care to local authorities.
Over the past three years, a total of £2.25 million has been raised from sponsorship, donations and voluntary income, against a target of £1.1 million. Our fundraising team has been exceeding its target, generating almost £1 million in sponsorship and donations from institutions and benefactors. That amounts to a quarter of the annual running costs at Kelvingrove, Scotland’s most popular visitor attraction and one of the busiest in the UK. A growing number of those visitors who enjoy our free museums and libraries or pay to use our sports centres and community halls are contributing by making donations of cash or giving time as volunteers.
With financial pressures across the public sector, other councils are now considering how best to deliver services and protect jobs and our experience as a charity may be part of the answer for many.
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