The early days of the single force were marked by an unseemly row between Police Scotland and its oversight body, the Scottish Police Authority.

Poorly-drafted legislation left a key question unanswered: which organisation would be responsible for backroom functions like IT and human resources?

The force and the SPA both wanted control, and the standoff persisted for months. Stephen House, at that point the chief constable, won the battle.

Over two years later, it is clear that the wrong balance has been struck.

In theory, the i6 project is a welcome initiative that should drive up efficiencies.

Replacing around 135 IT and paper-based systems is not only common sense, but could improve joint working.

In practice, though, i6 has been a disaster.

Nobody knows the final bill for the project and the roll out date – due to “defects – remains unclear.

An initial “go-live” date of December 2015 was missed, while a full rollout of Autumn next year seems highly implausible.

It also does not require a Kremlinologist to interpret the tensions between Police Scotland and contractor Accenture. This is a project in serious difficulty.

While it is welcome that the Scottish Government has committed itself to a review of the scheme, a wider look at decision-making will reveal an obvious flaw.

It is ludicrous that a chief police officer – in this case Neil Richardson – was put in charge of a complex IT project.

Such matters should have been given to the SPA, but the damaging spat in 2013 has given Police Scotland yet another headache the country can do without.