Crime figures kept secret after Press spotted at meeting

A PUBLIC meeting on rising violent crime in Scotland’s biggest city was halted to alert a police officer to a journalist’s presence.

Officials at Glasgow City Council said it was now rare for reporters to cover such events – so speakers were being reminded their comments could appear in the Press.

Inspector Craig Walker had intended to present crime statistics to the Springburn and Robroyston Area Partnership. But a clerk halted the meeting last Wednesday to warn him there was a reporter in the audience, and only an abridged version of statistics was read out.

Councillors were told they would only be given the full figures in private. It comes amid concern that falling numbers of newspaper journalists have led to less scrutiny of council meetings and some court cases.

Glasgow Tory MSP Annie Wells said: ‘It’s commonplace for journalists to attend such meetings, and that is a key make-up of local democracy in action.

‘If anything, the police should be embracing this interest, not stifling it.

‘Police Scotland is increasingly getting a reputation for a lack of transparency and accountability, and this incident is proof of that.’

The inspector revealed there had been a ‘slight increase’ in violent crime, while reporting of antisocial behaviour and alcohol-related incidents was ‘less than last year’.

But the Evening Times reported that exact figures were not revealed.

A council spokesman said: ‘Until recently, it was rare that Press or other members of the public would attend certain meetings – and it has become apparent that, in some cases, people taking part have not been aware that they were speaking publicly.’

A police spokesman said: ‘We welcome the attendance of members of the media at public meetings.’