Beleaguered police watchdog gives force a clean bill of health
SCOTLAND’S crisisstricken police watchdog was criticised yesterday after declaring the single force a success.
The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has been at the centre of controversy for months over claims of bullying by its chairman Andrew Flanagan.
He quit amid a political furore after allegations that he ran the body like the Kremlin – but remains in post until a successor can be found.
Yesterday, the SPA produced a 104-page report that gave policing a clean bill of health, despite a series of controversies including a deficit of nearly £200million and the looming loss of up to 400 officers.
Last night Scottish Tory MP Douglas Ross said: ‘For the SPA to praise policing in Scotland and give themselves a slap on the back at the same time is staggering.
‘There are clearly problems within Police Scotland at present and pretending they don’t exist will not help address any them.
‘Given the mess that Andrew Flanagan has presided over during the last few months at the SPA, I doubt you will find anyone who believes that they have done a good job.’
In its 2016-17 assessment, the SPA claimed that Police Scotland continues to provide ‘a highquality’ service across the country, with crime rates falling in most categories.
The review also found oversight of policing had been strengthened by the SPA board, which has ‘enhanced its skills and experience in key areas such as finance, audit and ICT [information and communications technology], and reinforced its grip of the police budget and oversight of key change programmes like call handling’.
This is despite the spectacular collapse last year of the i6 supercomputer project which robbed the force of projected savings of up to £200million over ten years.
The SPA has been fiercely criticised over transparency and governance. The intense scrutiny resulted in the resignation of Mr Flanagan last week.
He was accused of bullying whistleblower Moi Ali out of her position as an SPA board member after she publicly criticised the organisation’s secrecy culture. He denied the claims.
Key meetings were held in private while Mr Flanagan failed to circulate a critical report by another watchdog, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, to other board members. MSPs said they had no confidence in Mr Flanagan’s leadership, but he clung to his job. Yesterday’s review said local policing is ‘continuously improving’, with feedback that community interests are being taken into account.
Meanwhile, at the end of 2016-17, public confidence levels reported by Police Scotland stood at 81 per cent – but there was recognition that more data is needed.
While it claimed that oversight had been ‘strengthened by the SPA board’ – despite Mr Flanagan’s resignation – it agreed further work is required to ‘better clarify’ its role and impact.
Last night Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said the report was a ‘disservice’ to police officers that ‘pretends that all is well when it clearly isn’t’.
But Mr Flanagan said: ‘SPA has assessed that Police Scotland met its annual objectives and continued to deliver a service to a high quality and consistency.’
He added: ‘SPA’s assessment is that we have good foundations for progressing to the next crucial phase of true service transformation and greater confidence in policing’s direction and our collective ability to reach that destination than we could have stated 12 months ago.’
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: ‘This report recognises the hard work of the entire policing workforce to deliver a highquality service to communities.
‘Crime is reducing in most categories and public confidence remains strong.
‘The review also acknowledges the challenges Police Scotland faces from changing demands and evolving threats.
‘The upcoming publication of the ambitious Policing 2026 strategy will help ensure our police are well-equipped to deliver the best possible service for the whole of Scotland into the future.’
Graham Grant – Page 16
‘Pretends all is well when it isn’t’