Minister sets out case for single force

Political Reporter

Friday 9 September 2011

KENNY MacAskill has pledged the new single Scottish police force will improve local services and strengthen links to communities while being accountable to the public.

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Stewart Paterson Political Correspondent BACKGROUND

The Justice Secretary stressed local commanders would work with councils to deliver the policing and allocation of resources in each area after concerns rural or remote areas could lose out to urban centres.

Mr MacAskill said the plan would deliver “significant” savings and the new structure would provide more opportunity for local accountability with more councillors able to be involved in scrutiny.

STRUCTUREScotland’s eight police forces, the Scottish Police Services Authority and Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency will be brought together into a single Scottish police service, led by a chief constable and overseen by a new Scottish Police Authority.The make-up has yet to be decided but direct elections have been ruled out and members will instead be appointed by the Scottish Government.The chief constable, deputy chief constable and assistant chief constables will be appointed by the Scottish Police Authority subject to approval by ministers. LOCAL CONTROLEach local authority will set up a police and fire committee and will be responsible for the local policing plan which the local commander will devise for their approval.The commander will have delegated authority for policing and will set the priorities and allocate resources.The rank of the local commander will vary depending on the area under their control.Councils will have the right to scrutinise performance, seek reports and explanations from the commander and raise concerns with the Chief Constable and Scottish Government. FUNDINGAll current funding, seven different streams, will be consolidated into one fund allocated by the Scottish Government to the Scottish Police Authority.The new force will require transitional funding of £161 million but is expected to generate savings of £130m a year, or £1.7 billion over 15 years. HEADQUARTERSThe Justice Secretary ruled out both Glasgow and Edinburgh as a base for the Chief Constable and said there are no plans to build new headquarters.Mr MacAskill said Tulliallan in Kincardine, Fife, home to the police training college, was a good place for the chief constable to be based, but he said other functions like human resources or IT and finance departments could be in different parts of the country.Existing police numbers are to be protected, but back office roles will be reduced. Additional cash will be raised from a sale of some of the police estate which will become surplus to requirements. FIRE SERVICEThe eight Fire and Rescue Services will become a single Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, with a Chief Officer appointed by a Scottish Fire and Rescue Board approved by the Government.Each council area will have a local senior officer, who will decide the local plan and be accountable to the local council’s fire committee.The set-up costs will be £24m but it is expected to deliver savings of £293m over 15 years. OPPOSITIONThe LibDems are the only party still opposed to reform. They urged Mr MacAskill to enter the consultation with “eyes and ears open”.Strathclyde Police Authority chairman Stephen Curran said the local accountability element was tokenistic and wants local commanders appointed by local boards. TIMESCALEA consultation is open until November 2. Mr MacAskill said the new services would not be up and running before April 2013, but said it would be in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the biggest policing operation since the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

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Minister sets out case for single force

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