Details on police merger 'sketchy'

Feb 21 2012

Concerns have been raised about "sketchy" details for local council access to the new national police force.

MSPs investigating the structure of the single force heard from council representatives who worry that local government influence may be diluted.

However, members of Holyrood's Local Government and Regeneration Committee also heard assurances from a leading police officer that local focus is "in our DNA".

The committee is scrutinising the Scottish Government's shake-up of police and fire services, with each being merged into single national forces.

Councillor Barbara Grant, community safety spokeswoman at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, said elected members are not sure if they will have the same access to top-ranking officers.

"This is the difficulty. There's a big hole at the moment that we haven't actually been able to get a handle on," she said.

Ms Grant, from East Renfrewshire Council, also raised her concerns about the details of how commanders will engage with the 32 council areas of Scotland.

She added: "There's a huge gap in the information that we have at the moment in the Bill about how these things are going to work. It's not at all helpful from what we've seen already how we're going to engage.

"We're okay with the lowest level and maybe the person at the very top. But it's that huge gap in the middle we really don't have enough information about. It's all far too sketchy."

Bob Jack, from the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, said more details are required on what ranks will take the lead in each area.