Police merger is ‘a shambles’

THE merger of Scotland’s eight police forces into one will struggle to deliver the £1.1billion of savings promised by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, public spending watchdogs claim.

The merger of all Scottish police forces has been slammed as shambolic The merger of all Scottish police forces has been slammed as 'shambolic' [PA]

A report by Audit Scotland says the merger, launched last April, has been “hampered” by poor communication between the SNP Government, Police Scotland and the new Scottish Police Authority (SPA).

Its findings led one former top police officer turned MSP to brand the whole process “shambolic”.

Audit Scotland warns that the difficult relationship between Chief Constable Sir Stephen House and Vic Emery, chairman of the SPA, over powers has yet to be fully resolved.

The report, Police Reform, also warns that the merger is not on course to deliver the savings by 2026, which was part of the case for a single force.

The document reveals poor financial planning and oversight, citing the five-year lease on Bremner House in Stirling.

The building, earmarked as the HQ of the SPA, has lain empty since last November, at a cost of £130,000, because of IT issues.

Auditor General for Scotland Caroline Gardner said: “A lack of good information in non-operational areas like finance and staffing, and differing views on how the new arrangements would work, affected planning.

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“The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland will find it challenging to deliver the savings that are expected.” Labour MSP Graeme Pearson, former head of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said: “This report is damning about the shambolic reorganisation.

“We’ve seen a power struggle at the top, no clear financial planning, no set performance measurements.”

Tory justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell said: “It is astonishing. If you state savings of more than £1billion, then you should be able to show how this is to be achieved.”

Both Sir Stephen and Mr Emery are to appear before Holyrood’s Public Accounts Committee next week. Convener Hugh Henry MSP said: “We will want to look carefully at this matter.”

Mr MacAskill said the report was a “snapshot” and did not take into account much of the work since September. He said: “Savings are on track and the development of a financial strategy is advanced.”

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