Cash cuts at crisis-hit force not sustainable SNP told
CONTINUED cuts to Police Scotland’s budget are ‘unsustainable’, senior force officials have warned, amid fears that powers could be stripped from local divisions.
Cuts, centralisation and continuing change are among the growing concerns highlighted in a new government report on the crisis-hit force.
According to the Evaluation of Police and Fire Reform, officers are suffering from ‘change fatigue’ following the centralisation of Police Scotland and the implementation of the Police 2026 programme, which was supposed to make the force more operationally and financially sustainable.
The report warns that attempts to make ‘efficiencies’ have backfired, with cuts to staff, resources and support.
Scottish Labour justice spokesman Daniel Johnson said: ‘This report contains troubling evidence from the very people charged with keeping people in Scotland safe.
‘It is clear that SNP cuts could be putting public safety at risk and are damaging officer morale.
‘We have known for some time that SNP policies led to police officers back-filling staff roles – and that ministers could now cut more than a thousand officers to make up for their own mistake.
‘Could be putting public safety at risk’
But this report suggests that this is only one of a number of poor decisions made at the top.’
The document has been published as the force battles plummeting morale, while chiefs have been forced to deal with internal investigations and the resignation of chief constable Phil Gormley.
This year it was revealed the force face a £35.6million deficit next year, with concerns that officer numbers may be cut to close the gap.
Recent figures show police numbers have hit a nine-year low at 17,170 – breaking a flagship SNP pledge for a 1,000 increase from 2007, when there were 16,234.
Senior police and fire officials interviewed for the report highlighted the ‘challenges in realising efficiencies’ at Police Scotland. Some respondents said ‘the savings required were unsustainable’.
The report added: ‘Savings that had been made led to inefficiencies; for example, police officers are back-filling support staff roles, leading to officers being less available to support communities.’
Interim Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: ‘This is a positive report and part of a valued, long term evaluation of police and fire reform.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The creation of single police and fire services have resulted in a significant number of achievements in the first five years of reform.’