Police watchdog in ‘transparency’ row
SCOTLAND’S beleaguered police watchdog has serious issues with ‘transparency and accountability’, MSPs said yesterday.
Holyrood’s justice committee also raised concerns over the fact that it is the watchdog itself that investigates any complaints made against it or its members.
Committee convener Margaret Mitchell attacked Lindsey McNeill, the SPA’s governance and assurance director, for not knowing how many of these have been lodged.
Miss McNeill told MSPs she did not ‘have the figures to hand’ when asked how many complaints against the SPA are being investigated.
She also said the authority’s complaints and conduct committee had now been re-established after it was disbanded by previous chairman Andrew Flanagan. Following that decision all complaints were investigated by the then chief executive John Foley.
The two men stood down last year amid sustained criticism over transparency, governance and decision making at the SPA.
Mrs Mitchell said: ‘Certainly, from my point of view, there are huge transparency and accountability issues here.
‘We sit on [Holyrood’s policing] sub-committee but I wasn’t aware [that the SPA investigates complaints against itself]. I doubt the general public is.’
She said she was ‘disappointed’ Miss McNeill had come to the committee to answer questions on complaints but was unable to say how many are lodged against the SPA.
Miss Mitchell said: ‘There are several things we’ve asked you that you don’t appear to have the answers to. I mean, have we got the wrong person in front of us today?’
Miss McNeill said: ‘No, convener. I am the director in charge of complaints handling procedures. Having returned to work in June I have worked with the team, worked with the committee and we are currently taking on board various lessons learned.’
She said the authority was engaged with the review into how complaints against the police are handled.
Mrs Mitchell ordered Miss McNeill to write to the committee giving the number, nature and outcome of complaints against the authority.