UNISON Police Staff Scotland, the branch of the trade union that represents police staff in Scotland, estimates there is a £56 million shortfall in Police Scotland’s proposed capital spending. Meaning promised IT and infrastructure projects will not go ahead.
The short fall is revealed in the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) papers published at this week’s meeting (28 March 2019). The papers show a £56.2 million gap between the police’s proposed capital spending and the funding from the Scottish Government this year.
David Malcolm, Deputy Police Staff Branch secretary said: “The commitment from Police Scotland to improve the capacity for staff and officers needs to be fulfilled. If money from the capital budget is not available to pay for improvements in the IT infrastructure there’s a very real concern that this has a knock on effect on the proposals to rebalance the workforce. And this will affect the service we can give to the public”
Gerry Crawley, UNISON regional organiser said: “The news of this shortfall in funding is significant. We have already seen around 2000 police staff lost from the Police Scotland and police officers replace them through backfilling jobs. Police staff need to be doing the jobs they are skilled to do and police officers need to be on the streets helping the public. These cuts mean important projects aimed at improving the service to the public will not happen.”
Notes
Read the paper here: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/126884/441011/509407/512003/item5b3
UNISON is the largest trade union in Scotland and the trade union for police staff.
UNISON contact details:
David Malcolm Deputy Police Staff Branch Secretary (Interim): 07885 621271
Gerry Crawley, Regional Organiser for Police Branch: 07958 121805
Danny Phillips Communications officer: 07944 664110