Plans for new Alloa police station get go ahead
Plans to integrate Alloa’s police station within Clackmannanshire Council’s headquarters were given the green light by the authority last week.
Councillors were told that the majority of capital costs associated with the Kilncraigs project would come from Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) are set to consider the business case before the end of the year. Clackmannanshire councillors also agreed to allocate £68,000 in capital funding to enable implementation.
The plans, which include a separate police front reception counter, are expected to save the council, as landlord, £1.5m over the period of a 15-year lease agreement.
Clackmannanshire Council’s SNP group described the plans as “innovative”and“transformational” but Labour insisted questions remained over the operation of the scheme.
The business case includes: access to services for citizens; developing closer working relationships and preventative initiatives between council services, police and partners; reducing costs to the public purse; responding positively to climate change.
Clackmannnanshire Council spokesperson for partnership and the third sector, SNP counclllor Helen Lewis, said:“This proposal represents an innovative transformational opportunity for the council and Police Scotland, for the benefit of our communities.
“Crucially, it enables more coordinated and preventative earlier interventions for our most vulnerable citizens, providing the support they may need as soon as possible.
“It also offers significant financial and sustainability benefits, and reflects the priorities of our corporate plan to develop new and innovative ways to help our communities flourish.”
However, Clackmannanshire Council Labour Group leader Dave Clark’s concerns include the impact of additional staff parking at the building – and the potential for council staff and the public witnessing the police managing distressed individuals.
He said:“This makes sense for the public purse, but the devil is in the detail and some of that has not been answered.”
The existing police office is based at Tullibody Road in Alloa. The £68,000 set aside by the council is primarily to enhance security and pedestrian and road safety in and around the Greenside Street car park adjacent to the council HQ.
The report placed before Clackmannanshire councillors last week stated that the Kilncraigs scheme is‘likely to be of national significance.’
It added:‘Whilst there are always risks with major innovations on this scale, the associated business case concludes that these can be mitigated, and that overall, these are significantly outweighed by the opportunities and benefits that exist.’