Police merger plan moves ahead

A SINGLE police force in Scotland will see one senior officer responsible for Dumfries and Galloway with claims councillors should have greater influence.

But while the bill unveiled includes measures aimed at easing concerns, strong opposition is being voiced within the region to a radical restructuring of police and fire and rescue services by April 2013.

Detailing plans to merge Scotland’s eight existing police forces, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “The stark reality is that budget cuts from Westminster will devastate our excellent frontline services if we don’t act now.”

Pledging the SNP administration would not compromise on public safety, he added: “Make no mistake -- this is the only way to make sure that we don’t lose the major improvements made to police and fire and rescue services in recent years.”

Mr MacAskill says single police and fire and rescue services in Scotland will bring local services to ‘the heart of communities’.

However, Annandale North Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Dickie said: “I’m still of the opinion that a single police and a single fire service will be detrimental to Dumfries and Galloway.

“This is a very rural area and we’re well served at a very cost-effective price.”

Under plans for a Police Service of Scotland and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, each of the 32 local authorities will have a local policing commander and local senior fire officer responsible for determining priorities and objectives.

Councils will have a statutory duty to provide adequate services, with a greater role for more councillors.

Councillor Dickie said: “They’ve obviously conceded that they need to have local accountability.

“But the police commander, who will be of superintendent rank, will be accountable not to local people, in my opinion, but answerable to a central committee.”

And while Mr MacAskill says services will be independent, with no operational control by ministers but subject to Parliamentary scrutiny, Councillor Dickie added: “I have my doubts. I still think what we have at the moment works very well.”

Councillor Dickie also fears resources will be redeployed away from the region and jobs lost over duplication, but says the SNP administration has yet to produce a business case backing predicted cost savings of £1.7 billion over 15 years.



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